Expert Pick of the Week: 2025 Rebel Stakes

Feb 18, 2025 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

A full field of 14 three-year-olds will travel 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park in Saturday’s $1.25 million Rebel S. (G2). The 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series contest will reward the top five finishers of the lucrative race with qualifying points towards the Run for the Roses on a 50-25-15-10-5 structure.

Grade 3 winner Bullard ships in from the Golden State for conditioner Mike McCarthy and seems poised to give a nice account of himself while making his route debut in this event. By Gun Runner, the dark bay colt brought $675,000 at auction as a yearling and showed why in his debut offering when closing fast en route to an impressive score at Del Mar on September 1. He then powered home to a 4 3/4-length tally in the Bob Hope S. (G3) at the same venue on November 17, prior to coming home third in the San Vicente S. (G2) at Santa Anita in his most recent appearance.

Bullard has posted five well-spaced morning moves in preparation for his route bow, and I feel that he will handle the transition to two turns with relative ease. The stout late runner lands in a field with a bevy of early speed which will benefit him a great deal, and I expect him to receive an ideal trip throughout with regular pilot Umberto Rispoli coming in to ride.

🐎 Del Mar 2-year-old watch 👀

The Michael McCarthy trainee Bullard uncorked a strong rally to run down the Bob Baffert hotpot Kalea Bay on Sunday. The $675K yearling is a Gun Runner 1/2 brother to Mundaye Call.

Add Bullard to your #StableAlerts ⬇️ https://t.co/EbKnsv9cSC pic.twitter.com/69VRmHTd25

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) September 4, 2024

Trainer Bob Baffert has saddled the winner of this race on eight occasions and will look to make it nine with Robert B. Lewis S. (G3) third Madaket Road. The gray son of Quality Road ran into the powerful Citizen Bull in his latest showing and was also defeated by Bullard in the Bob Hope, but the $650,000 yearling buy is training in swift fashion as of late and will benefit from having a prior route race under his belt in this contest. The Kentucky-bred colt will be stalking the action early prior to making his move nearing the turn for home with top rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. coming in to guide him.

Mark Casse’s Sandman is an improving sort who is coming off of a nice runner-up effort in the Southwest S. (G3) on the course last time out. The $1.2 million son of Tapit has really taken to the Oaklawn strip this campaign, and the late runner will get a swift and contested pace to rally into, as well. Christian Torres will guide the colt and ask him for his best work in the stretch.

Expert Pick

An exacta with #10 Bullard on top of #3 Sandman and #5 Madaket Road in the 2025 Rebel Stakes is the Best Bet of the Week.