Kentucky Derby: One-Eyed Colt Un Ojo Surprises in Rebel

Despite darkening and rain-filled skies, Cypress Creek Equine LLC’s Un Ojo (Laoban – Risk a Chance by A.P. Indy) and jockey Ramon Vazquez managed to see a clear inside path to victory in Saturday’s $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn.

The gelded son of Laoban, who was given his name after losing one eye in a paddock accident as a baby, shocked the crowd of 31,000 with the half-length win as the longest shot on the toteboard at 75-1. It was good enough to earn 50 points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby and gave trainer Ricky Courville the biggest stakes win of his career.

Ethereal Road, ridden by Woodbine jockey Luis Contreras, rallied into the stretch along with Barber Road, but those two faded in the final yards to finish second and third. Kavod set the pace, but was squeezed back to fourth. Un Ojo stopped the clock in 1:45 3/5 over a wet-fast track.

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Un Ojo, who had previously collected four points with his second in the Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct, moved into second-place on the leader board with 54 total points towards Kentucky Derby eligibility. Ethereal Road is now ranked fourth after collecting 20 points for second and Barber Road, who had been second in both the Smarty Jones and Southwest (G3) Stakes leading up to the Rebel, is now fifth with 18 points. Fourth-place finisher Kavod is ranked 19th with seven points. Only 20 horses can start in the Kentucky Derby.

Un Ojo improved his record to 2-2-0 in six starts and has earned $776,321. He returned $152.80, $41.80 and $18.60.

The Rebel Stakes is the last of three races leading up to the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby April 2, which offers a total of 170 points towards Kentucky Derby eligibility.

Stakes Quotes:

Winning assistant trainer Clay Courville, Un Ojo: “I’ve loved this horse since Day 1. I knew he had the talent to be this kind of horse. I always had the confidence in him. He just improved so much every single day, every single race. This is a dream come true. Two strong efforts in his last two races. Closed really well in the last two races with (trainer) Mr. Anthony Dutrow, who has done a great job with the horse. He sent him down here for us to run and he came here. We were hoping he would close good. He kind of laid a little closer than we thought. He grinded away today.”

NOTE: Clay Courville, 25, is the son of trainer Ricky Courville and said he broke and gallops the horse. Said the horse lost his left eye in a pasture accident as a baby.

Winning trainer Ricky Courville, Un Ojo: “It’s crazy. It’s kind of shared between me and Tony (trainer Tony Dutrow) because I sent him to Tony, to Aqueduct, for the winter and Tony had him until Monday and sent him back to us. Gosh, I feel bad for Tony. The owners (Cypress Creek Equine) kind of decided (on the Rebel). I think Tony was wanting to keep him up there for the Gotham, but they wanted to not go back to a one-turn mile and (Kevin Moody of Cypress Creek Equine) wanted to send him down here and take a shot at the money. He kept saying the two turns is going to be better for us.”

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, second with Ethereal Road: “This horse is a really nice colt. When he encountered all that trouble in his last start and was able to overcome it that showed his type of talent. He’s worked like a good horse. We now leave this race with a really nice prospect for the races moving forward.”

SECRET OATH (Arrogate – Absinthe Minded by Quiet American) and Luis Contreras could be headed down the Kentucky Derby trail after the big, brawny filly romped in the Honeybee Stakes (G3). Briland Farm’s Secret Oath secured a spot in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) starting gate with an impressive 7 ½ length victory in Saturday’s $300,000 Honeybee. With her third straight victory for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, Secret Oath earned 50 points towards eligibility in the May 6 Oaks, which is limited to 14 starters.

The heavy favorite broke last of six and raced three wide early as Optionality set fractions of :23 and :47 for the first half mile, while being pressed hard by Yuugiri. Secret Oath moved into a stalking position down backstretch and after encountering traffic around the final turn, found a seam along the rail and quickly took control of the race. She drew well clear of runner-up Ice Orchid, who received 20 Kentucky Oaks points, to complete the 1 1/16 mile race in 1:44 3/5 over a fast track.

“I loved that acceleration,” Lukas said. “When she decides to leave them, she leaves them. Wow!”

“I got a great break and good position,” jockey Luis Contreras added. “I just sat right behind and at (the three-eighths pole), she tried to pull me again. I just waited and waited. My thinking was to go outside, but I had another horse right there, so I stayed a little longer. When I saw the rail open and asked her to go, she made a tremendous move.”

Yuugiri held on for third and was followed by Free Like a Girl, Red Queen and Optionality. Yuugiri and Free Like a Girl earned 10 points and five points, respectively.

Stakes Quotes:

Winning Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, Secret Oath: “I loved that acceleration,” Lukas said. “When she decides to leave them, she leaves them. Wow!

“It was just another day at the office for her. She just comes waltzing home. I just made the comment: ‘If she’d run over to the hotel, she’d still be widening.’ She doesn’t have any distance limitations at all. We’re going to feed her and take care of her and pack her in Styrofoam (tomorrow morning). I nominated both places. She’s nominated here (Arkansas Derby) and the Kentucky Derby. You know what’s really good here? The thing that I’m most happy about is that (Oaklawn) has changed from (three) weeks in front of the Kentucky Derby to five. Boy, if you’re training a good filly, that’s another little caveat that I like. I like it if I have a colt. I like that five-week break. But if you have a filly, you’d have to say, ‘Wow!’ You’re going to get a little extra time.”

Winning Jockey Luis Contreras, Secret Oath: “I got a great break and good position. I just sat right behind and at (the three-eighths pole), she tried to pull me again. I just waited and waited. My thinking was to go outside, but I had another horse right there, so I stayed a little longer. When I saw the rail open and asked her to go and she made a tremendous move.”