Fourteen horses were entered for the $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2)
At 0h02, on February 18, 2025 • By Oaklawn Park
Oaklawn’s third Kentucky Derby qualifying race was popular at the entry box Sunday, as were the four other stakes races carded for the 12-race card Saturday, Feb. 22.
Fourteen horses were entered for the 8 ½- furlong $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2), including winners of Oaklawn’s first two Kentucky Derby points races.
The Rebel headlines a blockbuster program that begins at 1:00 p.m. Probable post time for the Rebel, the 11th race, is 6:23 p.m.
The four other stakes races on the program also drew large fields. The $500,000 Honeybee (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles sports a field of 13, while the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) for older runners attracted 14 entries and the first running of the $145,000 Trivista Overnight Stakes drew 11. The six-furlong $150,000 Carousel Stakes for older filly and mare sprinters has a field of nine.
The Rebel will offer 105 total points (50-25-15-10-5, respectively) to the top five finishers toward Kentucky Derby starting eligibility. Oaklawn’s four-race Kentucky Derby qualifying series concludes with the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles March 29.
If the 14-horse Rebel field remains intact, it will equal the second-largest in race history. The 1980 edition had 15 starters, with the winner, Temperence Hill, emerging as the country’s champion 3-year-old male.
Rebel entrants from the rail out: Coal Battle for trainer Lonnie Briley, Admiral Dennis (Brad Cox), Sandman (Mark Casse), Hypnus (Kenny McPeek), Madaket Road (Bob Baffert), Publisher (Steve Asmussen), Dreaminblue (Randy Morse), Innovator (D. Wayne Lukas), Smoken Wicked (Dallas Stewart), Bullard (Michael McCarthy), Speed King (Ron Moquett), Brereton’s Baytown (Paul McEntee), Tiztastic (Asmussen) and Hot Gunner (Scott Young).
Although Speed King is entered, co-owner Ted Bowman and trainer Ron Moquett said it’s not certain the lightly raced son of Volatile will start.
“If everything just goes good, the plan is to run,” Bowman said. “Things change – weather and then training. A lot of those shippers, I don’t know when they’re planning on coming in. It’s probably a little later in the week.”
Bowman said Speed King will await the Arkansas Derby if he skips the Rebel.
In his last start, Speed King, after breaking from post 9, scored a front-running one-length victory in the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) Jan. 25. The 1 1/16-mile Southwest was Oaklawn’s second Kentucky Derby qualifying race and third career start for Speed King. Speed King drew post 11 for the Rebel.
