2025.02.16 Oaklawn Racing Updates

Racing Press Release
Compiled by Robert Yates —-

Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025

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 12 noon, CST. Probable post time for the Rebel, the 11th race, is 5:23 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.

“I think there’s a lot of speed on the inside,” Bowman said. “We were in the 9 (hole) last time looking at the speed and we went ahead and went. Still don’t feel like we have to go to the lead. We think he’ll rate and we’ll just see

how it (develops). If no one goes, we’ll go.”

Coal Battle is unbeaten in four career dirt starts, including the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 4 in his last start. The 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones was Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Derby qualifying race.

Another notable returnee from the Southwest is Sandman, who rallied to finish second after spotting the field several lengths at the start when he broke in a tangle.

Bullard, who has never raced outside California, has won 2 of 3 starts, including the $100,000 Bob Hope Stakes (G3) at seven furlongs Nov. 17 at Del Mar. Bullard, by 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner, has never raced around two turns. Madaket Road, second in the Bob Hope in his career debut, is trying to give Baffert his record-extending ninth Rebel victory.

Cox won the 2024 Rebel with Timberlake.

The Honeybee drew 13 entrants, including the unbeaten Cox-trained Muhimma, who will be making her 3-year-old debut. Muhimma concluded her 2-year-old campaign (3 for 3) with a front-running one-length victory in the $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes (G2) at 1 1/8 miles Dec. 7 at Aqueduct.

The Honeybee, which has a record purse after a $100,000 bump in the offseason, is Oaklawn’s second of three Kentucky Oaks qualifying races. The Honeybee will offer 105 total points (50-25-15-10-5, respectively) to the top five finishers toward starting eligibility to the Kentucky Oaks, the country’s biggest race for 3-year-old fillies.

Muhimma collected 10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points for her Demoiselle victory. Muhimma won her first two starts, both sprints at Churchill Downs, by a combined 13 lengths.

Take Charge Milady and Quietside, finished 1-2, respectively, in Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Oaks qualifying race, the $300,000 Martha Washington Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 25. Both return for the Honeybee.

Arkansas lumberman John Ed Anthony (Shortleaf Stable) bred and owns Quietside and fellow Honeybee entrant

Jenkin, unraced since winning the one-mile $175,000 Year’s End Stakes for 2-year-old fillies Jan. 29 at Oaklawn.

Quickick, another top Honeybee contender, was among the nation’s top 2-year-old fillies after finishing second in the $600,000 Alcibiades Stakes (G1) at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 4 at Keeneland and third in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at 1 1/16 miles Nov. 1 at Del Mar. The Honeybee will mark the 3-year-old debut for Quickick, who is based at Fair Grounds with trainer Tom Amoss.

The Honeybee also drew Look Forward for the Southern California-based McCarthy. Look Forward exits a victory in the seven-furlong $100,000 Santa Ynez Stakes Jan. 5 at Santa Anita. Five G, who is trained by George Weaver, was a nine-length winner of the $165,000 Cash Run Stakes at 1 mile Jan. 1 at Gulfstream Park in her last start.

The Razorback also drew 14 entrants, including multiple graded stakes winner First Mission for Cox. First Mission was a powerful winner of the $600,000 Essex Handicap (G3) at 1 1/8 miles last season at Oaklawn. Other entrants include graded stakes winners Red Route One (Asmussen), Crupi (Todd Pletcher) and Skinner (Cherie DeVaux). The Razorback is a major local prep for the $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) at 1 1/8 miles April 19.

Oaklawn’s tote board can accommodate 14 individual betting interests for stakes races, according to Jason Milligan, the track’s Vice President of Racing.