Comebacking Timberlake Stands Tall in 13-Horse Rebel

Coined a "big league" horse by trainer Brad Cox after his sparkling five-furlong tune-up over the weekend, WinStar Farm's Timberlake  journeys to Oaklawn Park with a lofty chance in the $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2) Feb. 24.

The lucrative Rebel, contested over 1 1/16 miles and the third leg of Oaklawn's series of Kentucky Derby prep races for 3-year-olds drew an oversubscribed field of 13. Experienced and lightly-raced sophomores alike will vie for invaluable Road to the Kentucky Derby points offered on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale.

Timberlake, a strapping son of Into Mischief  , graduated second time out by 9 1/4 lengths last summer at Ellis Park before finishing second in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. Stretched out to a mile over a sloppy Aqueduct surface, the colt splashed home a resounding 4 1/2-length winner of the Champagne Stakes (G1) over eventual champion 2-year-old male Fierceness .

Despite working lights out heading into the Juvenile, the colt pulled on his rider and faded to finish fourth behind the victorious Fierceness. Cox gave the Timberlake the time he needed to regroup after a strenuous 2-year-old campaign and he resurfaced on the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots work tab in January.

Normally piloted by Florent Geroux, Oaklawn's current meet-leading rider Cristian Torres has the call. The pair will break from the favorable 7 post to split the field.

Cox put the final touches on Timberlake's Rebel preparations in the colt's final breeze Feb. 17, where he drilled five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.

"He got a good blow-out and he’s set up for a big run," Cox told TwinSpires Racing. "I think the Rebel is going to be a good race."

Points Up for Grabs

The Rebel was expected to lure California star Muth , runner-up in the Juvenile and winner of last month's San Vincente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park, but the Bob Baffert trainee's name was absent at entry time. Muth's absence leaves a wide-open gap for potential challengers to burst through come Saturday.

While the Feb. 3 Southwest Stakes (G3) victor Mystik Dan  is missing from the Rebel field, as his connections have already indicated that they would target the April 6 Arkansas Derby (G1), four of the race's also-rans have returned off a three-week turnaround.

The Rebel could serve as the redemption race for the Steve Asmussen-trained Carbone . Campaigned by breeders William and Corrine Heiligbrodt in conjunction with Flurry Racing Stables, the massive son of Mitole   went off as the post-time favorite for the Southwest Stakes following an eye-catching debut and first-level-allowance score. After contending the early pace in the Rebel, Carbone wilted under pressure and checked home seventh.

Asmussen blamed the lack of consistent training, due to a bout of severe weather that closed the Oaklawn track several times during January, for Carbone's performance. Jockey Isaac Castillo replaces Ricardo Santana Jr. in the irons.

The Hall of Fame trainer will also be represented by two-time winner Lagynos , sixth in the Smarty Jones Stakes in January, as well as Winchell Thoroughbreds' last-out maiden winner Dimatic , a Gun Runner   half sibling to last year's Pennsylvania Derby (G1) runner-up Dreamlike .

The hardy Just Steel  is also back in action in the Rebel. Second in the Southwest and Smarty Jones Stakes, the D. Wayne Lukas pupil will be spying his second stakes victory after scoring in the Ed Brown Society Stakes at Churchill Downs in November.