With a host of local horses not entered in Saturday's $100,000 Rebel Stakes (gr. III), two horses shipping in from out of town will likely vie for favoritism in the Oaklawn Park feature race. 119-pound highweight Jeremiah Jack ships north from New Orleans, while Irish-bred Ocean Sound heads to Arkansas from Southern California.
Ocean Sound will start from post-position one in the 1 1/16-mile prep for the Arkansas Derby (gr. II) and will be ridden by Calvin Borel. The son of Mujadil won one of eight races as a juvenile in Europe and has yet to win in two starts this year at Santa Anita. Last time out, the colt finished fourth in the San Rafael Stakes (gr. II) for trainer James Cassidy.
Jeremiah Jack starts from post five, and with the lack of a true speed horse in the race he may find himself leading early by default.
"His best game is stalking, but if nothing else wants the lead, he'll take it," said trainer Tom Amoss.
Jeremiah Jack will be equipped with blinkers Saturday. He'll also be making his first start since undergoing an operation to correct a breathing problem following a fourth-place finish in the Lecomte Stakes in January.
A field of eight is entered in the race. Among the notable local horses not entered is Bay Monster, who became sick this week.
"The colt came down with a bit of a lung infection on Monday," trainer Steve Wren said Thursday. "It's not serious, there's no fever. But you can't take a chance with a horse of this quality unless he's 100 percent.
"I had been pointing him right along for the Rebel and the Arkansas Derby, but now both races are out. It's a big disappointment, but what can you do? That's racing. But it's a long year, and there will be more Derbys."
The Rebel also lost possible entrants Private Emblem and Paloma Parilla, the winners of their divisions of the split Southwest Stakes. Private Emblem is not entered to give him more time between races, and Paloma Parilla is out due to a quarter crack. Cojet, King Zonic, and Cope With an Image were also recent defections from the race.
The field for the Rebel Stakes will consist of:
1 -- Ocean Sound, Calvin Borel, 112
2 -- Cash in Hand, Anthony Lovato Jr., 114
3 -- Interminable Gold, Luis Quinonez, 114
4 -- Contested, Joe Johnson, 112
5 -- Jeremiah Jack, James Lopez, 119
6 -- Windward Passage, Donnie Meche, 112
7 -- Dusty Spike, Monte Berry, 114
8 -- Missme, David Nuesch, 112
