Cupid (Equibase Profile) hits the wire first after a fine race.
Cupid shoots straight to score Rebel riches
Improving with every start, the lightly raced Cupid came to Arkansas from California as a newbie to stakes racing, but still an obvious threat in the Rebel Stakes. He leaves the state as a Grade 2 winner, and a horse poised to be in the starting gate of the Kentucky Derby seven weeks from today. The good looking gray son of Tapit made his way straight to the lead in the 14-horse field and never looked back on his way to a determined 1 1/4-length victory over Whitmore in the $900,000 feature. For his winning trainer, Bob Baffert, Cupid’s straight shot to the winner’s circle earned the Triple Crown winning conditioner his sixth victory in the Rebel in the last seven years.
Bob Baffert continued his domination of the Oaklawn Derby preps with his sixth victory in the GII Rebel S. since 2010 courtesy of Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith’s Cupid (Tapit). Off to a slow start from the three-hole in this loaded 14-horse affair, the slight 5-2 second-choice was hard-ridden by Martin Garcia to take control entering the first turn. Clocking a swift opening quarter in :22.96 with 20-1 shot Siding Spring (Warrior’s Reward) breathing down his neck, the gray slowed it down just a bit, hitting the half in :46.82, and had yet to be asked by Garcia as he showed the way into the stretch. With Siding Spring calling it quits on the backstretch, it was D. Wayne Lukas trainee Gray Sky (Tapit) who took up the chase. As that runner stalled in mid-stretch, GIII Southwest S. runner-up Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) came flying with a three-wide and looked like he would put away the pacesetter, but Cupid kept on finding to hold that runner at bay for an impressive first stakes victory. Recent maiden winner Creator (Tapit) ran on well for third ahead of “TDN Rising Star” Cherry Wine (Paddy O’Prado), who closed strongly from well back to be fourth, and favored Southwest winner Suddenbreakingnews (Mineshaft) checked in fifth. “We’ll bring him back here [for the GI Arkansas Derby Apr. 16], as long as he doesn’t get light on us,” Baffert said. “He likes a little time in between his races. I’m just really happy.”
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