Kentucky Derby: Confidence Game Strolls in Slop in Rebel

A colt from a family bred for success shuffled the deck on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail when Don’t Tell My Wife Stables’ CONFIDENCE GAME (Candy Ride (Arg) – Eblouissante, by Bernardini) swept to victory in Saturday’s $1-million Rebel Stakes (G2) before a crowd of 42,000 at Oaklawn.

The 18-1 upset came under jockey James Graham and touched off a raucous celebration in the winner’s circle while moving the colt to the top of the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 57 qualifying points.

“He’s really come into his own,” said trainer Keith Desormeaux, who worried the colt might leave his race in the paddock after acting up prior to the race. “He started off pretty immature, but as the races went on, he has improved things mentally, and physically.”

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Confidence Game ($39) passed a pack of front-runners en route to the one-length win over Red Route One with Reincarnate in third. The winner and Giant Mischief bumped shoulders at the top of the stretch while other horses waited in traffic, leading to an objection that was disallowed by the stewards. The final time over a sloppy (sealed) track was 1:44.21. He earned a 94 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form.

“He had a ton left down the lane,” said Graham, who was also aboard for the colt’s third-place finish in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds in his Jan. 21 previous start. “He keeps maturing and doing things the right way. I think the sky is the limit for him.”

Red Route One came from far back while charging at the winner in the stretch. Reincarnate suffered traffic trouble in his first start for trainer Tim Yakteen. The 3-2 favorite Verifying, stalked the pace but failed to find a clear path when pushed to the front and settled for fourth.

While Confidence Game’s odds didn’t indicate obvious success, close readers of his breeding lines could see his dam, Eblouissante (by Bernardini), is a half sister of Hall of Fame mare Zenyatta, who twice traveled to Oaklawn for dominant victories 2008 and 2010 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1).

Desormeau picked out Confidence Game from the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling sale for $25,000.

Confidence Game, bred in Kentucky by Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Equine LLC, is 3-1-2 from seven career starts and earnings of $785,525.

🏆Rebel Stakes (G2)
1600m, $1,000,000, for 3yo
🇺🇸 Oaklawn Park

Confidence Game (USA)
(3C Candy Ride – Eblouissante, by Bernardini)
J:James Graham
T:J. Keith Desormeaux
O :Don't Tell My Wife Stables
B : Summer Wind Equine LLC pic.twitter.com/aRjD6Mtdw5
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Rebel Stakes Quotes

Winning jockey James Graham, Confidence Game: “I was able to settle him down when we were warming up so he got back in the things mentally. I was really happy with where I was early in the race. He wasn’t doing too much too soon. He had a ton left down the lane. I’m just so happy for everyone involved and especially this horse. He keeps maturing and doing things the right way. I think the sky is the limit for him.”

Winning trainer Keith Desormeaux, Confidence Game: “He sort of lost his mind in the paddock, so I was worried until he got on the track. James got him to settle down out there. He’s really come into his own. He started off pretty immature, but as the races went on, he has improved things mentally, and physically.”