Asmussen to send out Sabercat in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park for his 2012 debut
The Steven Asmussen trained 3-year-old colt, Sabercat is to be flown from Southern California to Arkansas to participate in the Grade 2, $500,000 Rebel Stakes at about 1 1/16 miles on dirt on 17 March, 2012, at Oaklawn Park.
Conditioner Steven Asmussen revealed that Corey Nakatani will take the mount on Sabercat for the Rebel Stakes, but Rebel Stakes isn’t the only option for Sabercat, who is owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, as the Kentucky bred son of Bluegrass Cat is also
being considered for the San Felipe Stakes at about 1 1/16 miles over the Santa Anita Park’s dirt course.
Sabercat was unimpressive until August last year, where he tried to break his maiden in three attempts but failed on each occasion, as he tried the dirt of Churchill Downs over distances ranging from five furlongs to six furlongs, and also tried the turf
of Saratoga at about 1 1/16 miles, but all his efforts to break his maiden were in vain.
However, he turned things around dramatically, and from being unimpressive he was considered as the best juvenile in the business when he broke his maiden at Monmouth Park’s dirt course over a distance of 1 mile on 5 September, 2011, defeating the rampant
My Adonis in second, and Self Destruct in third, while covering the distance in 1 minute and 39.78 seconds.
Though it took him 4 starts to break his maiden, Sabercat compensated his connections in a big way when he landed the Garden State Stakes at about 1 mile and 70 yards also at Monmouth Park on 2 October, 2011, and defeated Angel’s Tune and Purely Determined
in the stretch, who finished second and third, respectively, while covering the distance in 1 minute and 41.94 seconds.
Out of mare Miner’s Blessing by Forty Niner, Sabercat wasn’t in the conversation nearing the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot, but Asmussen must have seen something in the colt in his previous race to point him in one of the most highly pursed juvenile
races at Delta Downs.
Sabercat won it with ease, going over a distance of 1 1/16 miles in 1 minute and 46.62 seconds, and he posted his hat-trick by winning the million dollar race. Now he will be called upon to extend his winning streak to 4 in either the Rebel Stakes or the
San Felipe Stakes.
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