Rebel Stakes Handicapping Picks
Horse racing gamblers are you looking for 2025 Rebel Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping Odds…plus some predictions? Need some advice on who to take? The 2025 (G2) Rebel is set for February 23 at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, AK. Here’s a preview of our top contenders.
Rebel Stakes Preview
- Race: Rebel Stakes
- Purse: $1.25 million
- Distance: 1 1/16 miles
- Track: Oaklawn Park
- Date: February 23, 2025
- Post Time: 6:23 PM (ET)
- Live: Rebel Stakes Odds: Click Here
Before we can give you our expert 2025 Rebel Stakes free pick, we have to break down the entries! In fact, we’d love to hear from you after you’ve given this post a read to see if you see an angle that we don’t!
2025 Rebel Stakes Handicapping
Some unusual severe winter weather in the southern US has resulted in a shift of the racing schedule at Oaklawn Park this weekend, and the (G2) Rebel Stakes will be run on Sunday rather than Saturday as originally scheduled.
The Rebel is a Kentucky Derby qualifying race with points awarded on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale to the top five finishers. Run at 1 1/16 miles on the Oaklawn dirt, the race has drawn a field of 13, with one scratch.
In what looks like an excellent betting race with lots of value, the top four contenders have been assigned morning line odds that range from 4-1 to 8-1.
Odds listed here are provided by the Oaklawn oddsmaker.
2025 Rebel Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Sandman Race Odds: 4-1
A solid closer who has hit the board in four of six lifetime starts, Sandman ran second last out in the (G3) Southwest Stakes at this track and distance.
This was despite having trouble at the break and having to close into a late pace that was not overly fast. He should get a little more speed to run at here, and if he gets a clean trip he could be dangerous as they make the run for the wire.
2025 Rebel Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Speed King Race Odds: 5-1
The aptly named Speed King has gone straight to the lead in all of his three lifetime races and managed to hang on and win two of those, coming second in the other.
Last out in the Southwest he drew the far outside post, giving jockey Rafael Bejarano little choice but to leave the gate running. He managed to clear the field and take them all the way, holding off a hard-charging Sandman at the wire.
Coal Battle Race Odds: 10-1
Early in his career Coal Battle was pointed towards turf racing, winning his first start over a sloppy track that actually came off the turf and then trying two more on the grass with little to show for it.
Since switching to dirt, he’s now won three straight including a last out gate-to-wire win in the Smarty Jones Stakes at the track and distance. Although he got away with controlling very slow fractions in that one, it’s noted the third-place finisher was a next out winner.
Admiral Dennis Race Odds: 12-1
The post-time favourite in all four of his lifetime starts, Admiral Dennis has had mixed results so far, with two wins and two defeats on his record.
He tracked a very slow pace last out in an allowance optional claimer 1 1/16 miles event at Fair Grounds, taking over in the stretch and then just hanging on at the wire. He faces a tougher field here at what might be the limit of his distance.
Here’s My 2025 Rebel Stakes Free Pick.
Clearly there is no overwhelming favourite in this race and it’s a handicapping puzzle in trying to decide which of these are going to take the next step forward and grab the 50 points that will likely put them in the Kentucky Derby starting gate.
While I wouldn’t be shocked to see Speed King steal another one on the front end, I think he’s going to face more pace pressure than he did in the Southwest and that leads me to look at someone coming from off the pace in Coal Battle or Sandman. Since Coal Battle has shown enough early speed to get a good stalking position, while Sandman is a stone-cold closer, I’m going to put Coal Battle on top and use Sandman in the exacta.
Full Field: 2025 Rebel Stakes Odds
By post position
- #1 – Coal Battle 10-1
- #2 – Admiral Dennis 12-1
- #3 – Sandman 4-1
- #4 – Hypnus 10-1
- #5 – Madaket Road 9-2
- #6 – Publisher 20-1
- #7 – Dreaminblue 15-1
- #8 – Innovator 15-1
- #9 – Smoken Wicked 8-1
- #10 – Bullard (scratched)
- #11 – Speed King 6-1
- #12 – Bereton’s Baytown 50-1
- #13 – Tztastic 8-1
- #14 – Hot Gunner 50-1
2025 Rebel Stakes Racebooks / Betting Apps We Like!
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