Silent Tactic will be pointed to the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) March 1 at Oaklawn following his victory in Friday’s Southwest Stakes, Mark Casse, the colt’s dual Hall of Fame trainer, said Sunday morning.

Silent Tactic received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 88, a career high, following his 3 ¼-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Southwest, a $1 million Grade 3 event that was Oaklawn’s second of four Kentucky Derby qualifying races.

Under two-time Oaklawn riding champion Cristian Torres, Silent Tactic ($26) passed nine horses in the final three-sixteenths of a mile to win going away. The Southwest was Casse’s third consecutive victory in a Kentucky Derby qualifying race at Oaklawn, following last season’s $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) with Sandman and the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 3 with Strategic Risk. Silent Tactic closed to finish second in the 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones.

“The thing, too, it wasn’t like when Sandman won the Arkansas Derby,” Casse said. “There was a pace meltdown. There wasn’t a pace meltdown (Friday). I think the impressive thing about Silent Tactic is he ran down an average pace.”

Casse said he also plans to run Strategic Risk in the 1 1/16-mile Rebel. Strategic Risk was a sparkling 4 ½-length winner of the Smarty Jones, but he spun his wheels late in the Southwest and finished 10th, beaten 10 ½ lengths.

Casse said Strategic Risk’s performance may have been impacted by a winter storm late last month that delayed the Southwest six days and closed the track for training for nine days (Jan. 24-Feb. 1).

“I really don’t know what happened with him,” Casse said. “If you’re watching, he looks like he’s struggling. Maybe that little time off maybe bothered him more than the others. I’m going to run back in the Rebel as long as he’s fine.”

Casse said Top Level, who broke his maiden sprinting in Friday’s fifth race, will be considered for the Rebel. One of four winners on the card for Casse, Top Level was making his second career start after finishing seventh in a 1 1/16-mile turf race Dec. 26 at Gulfstream Park.

“Possibly, but more than likely not,” Casse said, referring to the Rebel. “Top Level was as impressive as anything.”

The Rebel is Oaklawn’s third Kentucky Derby qualifying race and will offer 105 total points (50-25-15-10-5, respectively) to its top five finishers toward starting eligibility for the first leg of the Triple Crown. Blackout Time, runner-up in the Breeders’ Futurity Stakes (G1) Oct. 4 at Keeneland, is also targeting the Rebel, co-owner Lance Gasaway said Saturday morning.

Oaklawn’s Kentucky Derby qualifying series concludes with the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles March 28.

Source: Oaklawn Park, Compiled by Robert Yates