$1,094,350 Horse Racing Sensation Punches Ticket to Kentucky Derby, Makes Heads Turn With Maiden Race of 2024

Published 02/25/2024, 5:30 AM EST

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The coveted Kentucky Derby is just around the corner and horse racing stars across the country are gearing up for a special showdown. The longest-running American sporting event is also seeing the nation’s top racing names vying to secure their spots at the Grade I tournament. Along with the human riders, the four-legged equine celebrities are also displaying their prowess in all its glory, as last night’s Rebel Stakes witnessed.

Hot Springs, Arkansas was at the center of the spotlight as the USA’s top horses locked horns in an attempt to qualify for one of the world’s most prestigious horse racing events slated to take place in May this year. With high stakes on the table, one Thoroughbred stole the show with a heavy-octane performance.

Horse racing star woos fans with style

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In the latest post on X (previously called Twitter) by the official Horse Racing Nation account, Timberlake, the three-year-old Colt’s exploits have been shed light upon. Taking a queue from the famous Billy Idol song, the caption of the post reads, “Rebel yell.“. The 4-5 favorite punched its ticket to the Kentucky Derby with an impressive two-length win over the second-placed Common Defense to cross the finishing line first at the $1.25 million race.

Timberlake powers home to victory in Rebel Stakes at @OaklawnRacing, virtually assures himself of@KentuckyDerby bid“, elaborates the post further in order to make the fans aware of the mare’s electrifying feat. The accompanying image shows an ecstatic rider helping Timberlake express his emotions in style as the lane 7 horse looked to be full of poise even after claiming the top spot on the podium.

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With the 50 points in the bag, Timberlake now stands at the helm of things with 66 points to his name. The latest win also pushed the Thoroughbred to the top of the qualifying standings. While the WinStar Farm-owned horse started the race slow, he quickly gained momentum after the first half-mile and came back strongly to overtake all the others. However, his challenges aren’t over just yet.

A match-made-in-heaven moment awaits racing connoisseurs

Ahead of the Rebel Stakes, Timberlake was poised as one of the favorites for the race, owing to the fact that his trainer Brad Cox assured fans of the horse’s capabilities. And still, with wild card entries looking to shake things up at the Kentucky Derby, the steep climb ahead of Timberlake is shaping up to be quite the task. For the unaware, the Royal Ascot claimed last year that some of its racers might make an appearance at the “most exciting two minutes sports” event in May, and Timberlake will have to buckle up to retain his winning ways.

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Written by:

Diptarko Paul

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Diptarko Paul is a senior Olympic Sports Correspondent at EssentiallySports. This state-level swimmer decided to dive deep into the world of Olympics. From writing various aspects of swimming to diving deep in the world of NCAA division 1 Volleyball, Diptarko covers it all.
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Edited by:

Suman Varandani