Ralis Heading to Oaklawn Park for Rebel

Grade I winner Ralis will make his 3-year-old debut in the $900,000 Rebel Stakes (gr. II) March 19 at Oaklawn Park, trainer Doug O'Neill said March 8.

O'Neill said Mario Gutierrez will have the mount on the Southern California-based colt, who scored his biggest victory in the $350,000 Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) Sept. 7 at Saratoga Race Course.

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A son Square Eddie   owned by Reddam Racing, Ralis hasn't started since finishing 14th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) Oct. 31 at Keeneland. His only other start after winning the Hopeful was a sixth-place finish as the favorite in the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) Oct. 3 at Belmont Park.

"He's doing really well," O'Neill said. "We gave him some well-deserved time off after his last couple that he didn't just fire in and we're trying to get him back to his Hopeful form. We're trying to get back to those days."

In advance of the Rebel, Ralis has had six published workouts at Santa Anita Park since Jan. 24, including five furlongs in 1:01 4/5 March 4. O'Neill said the decision to run in the Rebel was made following Ralis' last work. Ralis will be seeking his first victory around two turns in 1 1/16-mile Rebel.

"After his last breeze, we said, 'You know what, we think he's good enough and ready enough to try the Rebel,' " O'Neill said. "We know it's not going to be an easy race, but we think it's a great Derby prep. It's going to be a good test to kind of see where we're at. If we run good there, we're on our way to Kentucky."

O'Neill said Ralis will probably arrive at the Hot Springs, Ark., track March 15 and will "more than likely" return for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. I) April 16 if the colt performs well in the Rebel.

Ralis won two of seven starts last year and earned $272,323.