NEWS
Trainer Sanders confident in Teuflesberg entering Rebel Stakes
Posted: Thursday, March 15, 2007 9:51 AM
TEUFLESBERG
Jeff Coady/Coady Photography
by Jeff Apel
Trainer Jamie Sanders expects the $300,000 Rebel Stakes (G3) on Saturday at Oaklawn Park to bring out the best in multiple stakes winner Teuflesberg.
“We’re pretty happy—pretty confident,” Sanders said. “The main thing is he’s confident. He shows it in the morning the way he is around the barn, the way he’s training. He’s mentally on his game.”
Teuflesberg will seek his first career graded stakes win and try to solidify his status as a Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) hopeful in the Rebel. The 1 1/16-mile race drew a field of nine three-year-olds that also includes Grade 3 winners Officer Rocket (GB), U D Ghetto, and Xchanger, and impressive maiden winners Flying First Class and Curlin.
In his previous start, Teuflesberg earned his first career stakes win in the Southwest Stakes defeating Officer Rocket by 1 1/2 lengths on February 19 at Oaklawn. The bay Johannesburg colt returned to Oaklawn from Sanders's training base at Fair Grounds, breezing five furlongs in 1:01.60 on Sunday at the Hot Springs, Arkansas, track.
“He likes this surface. But he’s won on about every surface,” Sanders said. “He’s not really limited. He’s one of those special horses that has had a lot of luck on different racetracks.”
Teuflesberg finished second, a neck behind Scat Daddy, in the Sanford Stakes (G2) on July 27 at Saratoga Race Course. The colt finished third in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) in his seasonal debut on January 13 at Fair Grounds prior to winning the Southwest.
Because graded stakes earnings will determine the field for the Kentucky Derby on May 5 at Churchill Downs if more than 20 horses are entered, Sanders realizes the importance of earning a graded stakes win.
“It’s pretty critical,” Sanders said. “I’m sure down the line he’s going to probably have the opportunity to have more stakes wins.
“Obviously, we would love to win this race. But it’s not imperative.”
Officer Rocket, a dead-heat winner of the 2006 Arlington-Washington Breeders’ Cup Futurity (G3), finished fourth in the Dixieland Stakes in his seasonal debut on January 19 at Oaklawn.
U D Ghetto earned his first career stakes win in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Stakes (G3) on September 30 at Turfway Park. The Honour and Glory gelding has not started since closing out his previous campaign with an eighth-place finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) on November 25 at Churchill Downs.
D. Wayne Lukas trains Flying First Class, an eight-length winner of a maiden special weight race in his previous start on February 19 at Oaklawn. Curlin scored a 12 3/4-length win in a maiden special weight race in his racing debut at Gulfstream Park on February 3.
Jeff Apel is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor
The field, in post-position order, with (sire), jockey, weight, and trainer:
1. Wannabeinclued (Include), Joe Johnson, 115, Cecil Borel;
2. Flying First Class (Perfect Mandate), Edgar Prado, 115, D. Wayne Lukas;
3. Sumac (Crafty Prospector), Tim Doocy, 117, John Hall;
4. Teuflesberg (Johannesburg), Stewart Elliott, 122, Jamie Sanders;
5. U D Ghetto (Honour and Glory), Terry Thompson, 119, Anthony Reinstedler;
6. Officer Rocket [GB] (Officer), Luis Quinonez, 119, Bob Holthus;
7. Xchanger (Exchange Rate), John Jacinto, 117, Mark Shuman;
8. Curlin (Smart Strike), Robby Albarado, 115, Steve Asmussen; and
9. Going Ballistic (Lite the Fuse), Clifton Berry, 119, Donnie Von Hemel.
