HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) - — Un Ojo scored an upset half-length victory at 75-1 odds in the $1 million Rebel Stakes for 3-year-olds at Oaklawn on Saturday.
Ridden by Ramon Vazquez, Un Ojo ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.69 and paid $152.80, $41.80 and $18.60. A tree branch fell on the colt in a paddock as a yearling and damaged one of his eyes, leading to his name, which means an eye in Spanish.
Newgrange, the 3-5 favorite, finished sixth for embattled trainer Bob Baffert, who was seeking his ninth win in the Rebel. The colt lost for the first time in four starts.
“I thought he was in a good spot,” Baffert said from Santa Anita in California. “When the running started, he didn’t have it today. But that happens. He didn’t show up.”
Ethereal Road returned $13.60 and $7.20 at 15-1 odds for 86-year-old Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
Barber Road paid $4.40 to show.
Trained by Ricky Courville, Un Ojo earned 50 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby on May 7. The colt has two wins in six career starts.
Earlier Saturday, Lukas-trained Secret Oath won the $300,000 Honeybee Stakes by 7 1/2 lengths at Oaklawn. With her third straight victory, Secret Oath earned 50 points toward eligibility in the Kentucky Oaks on May 6.
Secret Oath ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.74 and paid $2.60 to win. She has four wins in six career starts.
