Reb Five Surges Late For Palisades Triumph

Vekoma colt overtakes runner-up Throckmorton in closing strides for 16-1 upset in listed stakes race at Keeneland

Apr. 19, 2026 at 11:22pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the dynamic motion of horses and jockeys racing on a turf course, with overlapping planes of vibrant green, brown, and blue hues.Reb Five's late surge to victory in the Palisades stakes race showcases the unpredictable excitement of Thoroughbred racing.Throckmorton Today

CJ Stables' Reb Five, trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Jose Ortiz, surged past Throckmorton in the final 20 yards to win the $300,000 Palisades (L) for 3-year-olds at Keeneland by a neck. Reb Five completed the 5 1/2 furlongs on firm turf in 1:04.06, earning $172,050 to increase his career earnings to $288,413.

Why it matters

The Palisades is a prestigious listed stakes race for 3-year-olds at Keeneland, one of the top Thoroughbred racetracks in the United States. Reb Five's upset victory over the favored Throckmorton showcases the colt's potential and the unpredictability of horse racing, where longshots can sometimes prevail over the top contenders.

The details

Reb Five, a Kentucky-bred son of Vekoma, was far back early as Monster opened up a daylight lead through a quick opening quarter-mile. On the turn, Throckmorton took over from the tiring Monster, but Reb Five, with Jose Ortiz aboard, made a strong move to the outside and collared Throckmorton in the final yards to win by a neck.

  • Reb Five completed the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.06 on Sunday afternoon at Keeneland.
  • Monster set the early pace, clicking off the opening quarter-mile in :21.05.

The players

Reb Five

A 3-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Vekoma out of the Palace Malice mare Ill Will, owned by CJ Stables and trained by Mark Casse.

Jose Ortiz

The winning jockey, who earned his second victory in the Palisades after previously winning the race in 2024 on Fandom (GB).

Throckmorton

The runner-up, who took over the lead from the tiring pacesetter Monster but was caught late by Reb Five.

Mark Casse

The trainer of Reb Five, who earned his second Palisades victory.

Luis Saez

The jockey of runner-up Throckmorton.

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What they’re saying

“I knew my horse was making a very good run. The rail was open but it wasn't a big space, and I had the opportunity to angle right, so I did that. The horse responded very well. I knew I was clear from horses outside of me, so I did that and the horse took care of the rest. I'm just very thankful to (trainer) Mark (Casse) and the whole team, who gave me the opportunity to ride him.”

— Jose Ortiz, Winning Rider of Reb Five

“That was a pretty nice trip. It was a good play in front. We were available to have a great spot right there. Coming into the stretch, we thought we were going to win. But (Reb Five) came and beat us”

— Luis Saez, Rider of Runner-Up Throckmorton

“The way the race developed, it was perfect for him. He finished really well. He got a piece (of the purse) and galloped out really strong.”

— Javier Castellano, Rider of Third-Place Finisher Azizam (GB)

“I had a good trip. I think my horse was having a really hard time getting a hold of the track today. From the little rain yesterday, it's a little bit soft. He seemed to spin his wheels more than anything else.”

— John Velazquez, Rider of Favorite and Seventh-Place Finisher Schwarzenegger

What’s next

The connections of Reb Five will likely look to enter the colt in another stakes race in the coming weeks or months, as he has now proven his ability to win at the listed stakes level.

The takeaway

Reb Five's come-from-behind victory in the Palisades demonstrates the unpredictability and excitement of horse racing, where a longshot can sometimes pull off an upset over the heavily favored contenders. The win also showcases the training skills of Mark Casse and the riding talents of Jose Ortiz, who were able to guide the Vekoma colt to a thrilling triumph.