GRANTS PASS, OR—MAY 17, 2020—Jl Rebel broke best under jockey Jaime Lopez then held off post-time favorite Cm Boom Shakalaka by a neck to win the $15,000 Mail Tribune Handicap Monday evening at Grants Pass Downs.

Conditioned by owner-trainer Jaime Lopez, Sr. Jl Rebel completed the 350 yards in :17.418 seconds, equaling a 99 speed index with an 8mph tailwind. It was the seventh career win for the son of Cancino Dash and the $7,500 winner's purse boosted his lifetime mark to nearly $28,000. Yaqueline Ibarra bred the sorrel gelding in Oregon from the Shazoom mare Afterglow.

JL Rebel was making his first start of the year, after winning two consecutive allowance races at the Grants Pass 2020 "Fall Meet" before finishing fourth in the Rogue River Handicap in his last start November 2nd. The Mail Tribune Handicap was only the second career stakes appearance for JL Rebel.

JL Rebel has won five eight starts at Grants Pass Downs for Lopez.

Stakes winner Cm Boom Shakalaka, also making his 2021 debut after finishing second in the John Ward Overnight Handicap at Los Alamitos last October, broke in an bumped at the start under jockey Luis Gonzalez. Nick Lowe trains the son of champion Carters Cartel for owner Chris Sutton.

Bred by Randy Dickerson, from the Dash Ta Fame mare Mi Fames A Dandy, the 6-year-old gelding has compiled a (31) 12-4-3 record and the $3,750 second-place check in the Mail Tribune brings Cm Boom Shakalaka's earnings mark to $161,557.

Another stakes winner, L Bar D Genuine Red, was a nose back in the blanket-finish to earn $1,800 for third. Trainer Juan Sanguino named Erick Garcia to ride the Genuine Strawfly gelding for owner Jose Escobedo.

Darrell and Linda Sanders bred L Bar D Genuine Red in Oregon from the Ought To Go First mare Be First Rose. Winner of the Far West Futurity at 2, L Bar D Genuine Red has earned $77,432.

Heza Southern Cartel, Loosin My Lover, Jess Ozzy, Approval Given, Mighty Tony T and Warhock completed the field.