Super Steed to Begin Preparations for Rebel Stakes
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Photo: Ryan Thompson
Larry Jones (right) with Super Steed at Oaklawn Park
Super Steed emerged in good order from his upset victory in the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 18 at Oaklawn Park and will return to the track in the next few days, depending on weather, to begin preparations for the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) March 16, trainer Larry Jones said.
"Right now, everything is about normal," Jones said.
Ridden by Terry Thompson, Super Steed ($126.60) earned 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points with his second victory in five lifetime starts and first in stakes company.
Super Steed came to Oaklawn a live horse on the Kentucky Derby trail, but his stock fell after finishing a flat fourth as the even-money favorite in the $74,250 Sugar Bowl Stakes Dec. 22 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and seventh in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 25, his two-turn debut and Oaklawn's first major Kentucky Derby prep.
"You always worry after he had two sub-par performances," Jones said. "We knew that he wasn't feeling well when we got to Louisiana, but he needed experience. He wasn't sick, he just didn't feel good. It didn't look like afterward that it hurt him any, so I am glad we did go ahead and do it. Then over here on Smarty Jones Day, it was merry-go-round racing all day long. We were hoping that it was track bias. We didn't get beat bad. I hadn't lost any confidence in him, but it's one of those deals where you couldn't sell the idea that, boy, we're going to be tough in the Southwest."
Jones also won the Southwest in 2009 with Old Fashioned, who suffered his first career defeat in the Rebel. Super Steed, a son of 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver , races for his breeder, Mike Pressley, a semi-retired automobile dealer from Henderson, Ky., and Steed Jackson, a physician from Evansville, Ind., and the colt's namesake. Super Saver finished a close second in the 2010 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn.
Pressley also campaigned Ruby's Reception, who gave Jones his first career graded stakes victory in the $200,000 Fantasy Stakes (G2) for 3-year-old fillies in 2003 at Oaklawn.
Super Steed, who broke his maiden by six lengths in allowance company Nov. 24 at Churchill Downs, has earned $364,500.
The 1 1/16-mile Rebel is the final major local prep for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 13. The Rebel will offer 85 Kentucky Derby qualifying points (50-20-10-5) to the top four finishers.