Lucrative Rebel attracts 14; Muhimma headlines Honeybee

Feb 17, 2025 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

The $1.25 million Rebel (G2) is annually one of the most lucrative of Kentucky Derby (G1) preps. The 2025 edition Sunday at Oaklawn Park has the added bonus of being one of the deepest in terms of numbers and talent seen this cycle.

Fourteen colts and geldings were entered for the 1 1/16-mile Rebel, though there could be a defection or two of a couple that look overmatched on paper. Brereton's Baytown, for example, was cross entered to the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park on Saturday night.

Coal Battle, who drew the inside post, has already bagged two Road to the Kentucky Derby series preps in recent months. After landing the Remington Springboard Mile by a half-length over Speed King in December, Coat Battle was a more comfortable winner of the Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn, scoring by four lengths after showing unexpected speed.

'After the (Smarty Jones), we go to the test barn, get back to the barn with him, and he's bucking and kicking down the shed row,' trainer Lonnie Briley said. 'Next day, it was like he didn't even run.'

The aforementioned and aptly named Speed King is back for a rematch, having captured his interim start in the Southwest (G3) as a 14-1 chance. The son of Volatile has won two of three, his only setback being the Remington loss to Coal Battle.

The Rebel has traditionally been a magnet for West Coast-based three-year-olds, and the present strength of the Southern California form will get a good test on Saturday. Madaket Road, trained by eight-time Rebel winner Bob Baffert, was most recently third to stablemate and champion Citizen Bull in the Robert B. Lewis (G3).

Also shipping in is Bullard, who easily defeated Madaket Road in the Bob Hope (G3) before finishing third to current Kentucky Derby favorite Barnes in the San Vicente (G2). The Rebel will mark the son of Gun Runner's first attempt around two turns.

The Rebel field includes the second- and third-place finishers from the Southwest, Sandman and Tiztastic, as well as Innovator, who ran Barnes close in a maiden race last fall and exits a third in the Lecomte (G3) in which he only yielded late after setting the pace.

Hypnus, an eye-catching debut winner on the Lecomte Day program at Fair Grounds for Kenny McPeek, jumps right into stakes company following that win, which was run nearly a full second faster than the Lecomte. Also coming up from New Orleans are the allowance winner Admiral Dennis and Smoken Wicked, a Grade 2-placed colt who has won a couple sprint stakes restricted to Louisiana-breds.

Dreaminblue, a recent maiden winner in fast time for trainer Randy Morse, and Publisher, a maiden who was placed sixth in the Lecomte, are also in the mix.

The scheduled post time for the Rebel is 6:23 p.m. ET. Kentucky Derby qualifying points of 50-25-15-10-5 will be awarded to the respective top five finishers.

The $500,000 Honeybee (G3), a Kentucky Oaks (G1) prep for three-year-old fillies, will have the same points on offer and has a scheduled post time of 5:07 p.m. Although 13 were entered, Muhimma figures to be a solid favorite.

Owned by Shadwell Stable and trained by Brad Cox, Muhimma enters unbeaten from three starts. She was favored at 2-5 in her stakes debut Dec. 7 in the Demoiselle (G2) at Aqueduct, and the daughter of Munnings prevailed by a length in the nine-furlong test.

Take Charge Milady, dazzling winner of the Martha Washington S. at Oaklawn last month, is back for the Honeybee as is that race's runner-up Quietside, who placed in twice in Grade 1 company last season. Quickick also placed twice at the highest level last term, finishing second to champion Immersive in the Alcibiades (G1) and third to that same rival in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

Also taking a shot are last-out stakes winners Five G, Look Forward, and Jenkin.