The most lucrative stop on the Kentucky Derby trail so far in 2025 takes place Sunday in Oaklawn’s $1.25 million Grade 2 Rebel Stakes, the race moved back a day due to a pending winter storm. The 1-1/16 miles test in the final local tune-up for the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and boasts a capacity field of 14. Among those are the Smarty Jones winner and the Southwest 1-2-3 finishers already having starred in the series.
Horseplayers at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet can enjoy up to a $10 money-back special on win bets in the Rebel Stakes Stakes – as well as Turfway’s John Battaglia Memorial Stakes – if their selection finishes second or third.
Let’s Meet the Contenders for the Race 11 Rebel on a card that features four additional stakes:
#1-COAL BATTLE: Rides a 3-stakes winning streak after victories in the Jean Lafitte at Delta, the Springboard Mile at Remington Park and the Smarty Jones on Jan. 4 at Oaklawn (pictured). The Smarty Jones winner looks to become the first to add the Rebel since Will Take Charge in 2013. Sire Coal Front won Oaklawn’s 2019 Razorback in his only local performance. Most successful horse for 72-year-old trainer Lonnie Briley.
#2-ADMIRAL DENNIS: Trainer Brad Cox won this race last year with Timberlake and looks for this Constitution colt’s first stakes win. He’s won 2 of 4 starts, favored in all 4, and his fourth-place finish in the Gun Runner at Fair Grounds in December was flattered last Saturday when that race’s alumni Magnitude and Built returned to finish first and third, respectively, in the Risen Star Stakes.
#3-SANDMAN: Became an instant buzz horse with a troubled, runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Southwest over this track Jan. 25. He’ll look for a cleaner start under jockey Cristian Torres, who seeks to pilot back-to-back Rebel winners (Timberlake ’24). Torres leads the Oaklawn standings by a dozen victories coming into the racing week. This $1.2 million Tapit colt has won 2 of 6 for Mark Casse while 3: 0-1-1 so far in stakes.
#4-HYPNUS: Easily the least experienced Rebel entrant, this Jan. 18 Fair Grounds debut winner caught the eye in his lone start with a strong rally. Well-bred Into Mischief-Dream Tree colt goes for last year’s Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Kenny McPeek. He won the roses a year ago with Mystik Dan, who started in each leg of the Arkansas Derby series except the Rebel.
#5-MADAKET ROAD: Trainer Bob Baffert owns a Rebel record 8 victories all-time, most recently Concert Tour in 2021. He continues to separate his Santa Anita-based prospects; Getaway Car traveled to win last weekend’s Sunland Park Derby. This $650,000 son of Quality Road debuted second to Rebel return rival Bullard at Del Mar, but since added a Santa Anita maiden sprint win and an even third to Champion 2-Year-Old and stablemate Citizen Bull in the 2-turn Robert B. Lewis Memorial. Baffert and Irad Ortiz Jr. rarely pair but did team up to win the 2020 Pegasus World Cup and Whitney.
#6-PUBLISHER: A week after the dazzling Risen Star victory by Magnitude put him squarely in the Derby picture, trainer Steve Asmussen looks to build his supporting cast. The 4-time Rebel winner would be a longshot with this Southwest Stakes sixth-place finisher, who was 53-1 that day. Did have a troubled trip and lures stakes maven Flavien Prat to the saddle, but the son of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah remains a maiden through 5 starts.
#7-DREAMINBLUE: Son of sprinter Street Bross exits a local maiden breaker over 6 furlongs and makes a class and distance rise. Trainer Randy Morse loses regular rider Cristian Torres to Sandman on Saturday, turning to Franciso Arrieta. Damsire Curlin won the 2007 Rebel in his stakes unleashing.
#8-INNOVATOR: 89-year-old trainer D. Wayne Lukas has had a couple of narrow defeats on the Kentucky Derby trail so far in 2025, including Sunday’s runner-up by Caldera in the Sunland Park Derby and this colt’s front-running third in the Lecomte at Fair Grounds. Innovator has hit the board in 6 of his last 7, but is 3: 0-1-1 in stakes. Lukas has saddled Rebel winners in 1989 (Manastash Ridge) and 2013 (Will Take Charge). He turns to 17-year-old apprentice jockey Tyler Bacon.
#9-SMOKEN WICKED: Louisiana-bred has won 3 straight, including Fair Grounds’ Futurity and Juvenile for the state-bred sprinters. Dallas Stewart charge has won 4 of 8, all starts around 1 turn to date, and figures to be part of the pace under Tyler Gaffalione. Son of stakes-winning sprinter Bobby’s Wicked One lands Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle.
#10-BULLARD: Trainer Michael McCarthy has Los Alamitos Futurity winner Journalism set for next week’s San Felipe, so Santa Anita-based Bullard hits the road this week. The $675,000 son of Gun Runner won Del Mar’s Bob Hope over 7 furlongs before a flat third in the San Vicente at Santa Anita behind Kentucky Derby Future Wager individual favorite Barnes. This will be his first trip around 2 turns and first outside of California as regular rider Umberto Rispoli guides.
#11-SPEED KING: Southwest Stakes winner is a half-length from perfection in 3 starts, the only loss when runner-up to Rebel rival Coal Battle in the Springboard Mile at Remington Park. Led all the way in the Southwest from the far outer draw (9) and will be wide again under Rafael Bejarano. The last Southwest winner to add the Rebel was Secret Circle in 2012. Ron Moquett trains the colt by Volatile.
#12-BRERETON’S BAYTOWN: Turfway-based runner for Paul McEntee is cross-entered in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at his home track on Saturday. He has won road trips to Charles Town and Laurel against weaker, most recently over $40,000 claimers. Both wins were on wet tracks.
#13-TIZTASTIC: Trainer Steve Asmussen owns 4 Rebel victories, the most recent with Long Range Toddy in 2019, and looks to add to last week’s Risen Star score by Magnitude. This son of Belmont winner Tiz the Law won a pair of turf tilts at Kentucky Downs 10 days apart last summer but is 4: 0-1-2 on dirt. Jose Ortiz, leading rider at the concurrent Fair Grounds meeting, reunites. Tiztastic was running well late in the Southwest Stakes and rematches with Speed King and Sandman.
#14-HOT GUNNER: Longshot was sixth at 64-1 in the Smarty Jones Stakes to Coal Battle in January, but since returned to pick up a Sam Houston allowance victory. He’s 2-for-2 with Lasix but 0-6 without it, which will be the case on Saturday. $1,200 bargain buy is sired by Preakness winner Exaggerator. Scott Young trains and Harry Hernandez rides.
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