Rebel Stakes 2023 Field, Odds and Picks for Saturday 2/25/23

The Road to the Kentucky Derby continues with a Championship Series race Saturday at Oaklawn Park. The $1 million Rebel Stakes his one of the biggest stakes races during the Oaklawn meet that also includes Saturday's Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes - a Kentucky Oaks prep race for fillies.

The Grade 2 Risen Star is Saturday, Feb. 25 and the top 5 finishers earn Kentucky Derby points (50-20-15-10-5). At the completion of all the Kentucky Derby points races, the top 20 points leaders on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard earn a spot at the starting gate for the May 6 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

The Rebel Stakes is also a prep race for the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby April 1, which awards 100-40-30-20-10 points to the top 5 finishers. A number of horses are worth watching and wagering on as these 3-year-olds continue to grow and develop in hopes of a chance to run in the 1 1/4 mile Kentucky Derby.

Winning Kentucky Derby Prep Race Picks

Kentucky Derby prep winning picks in February on multiple races including:
- Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs (Litigate: 3/1)
- Withers Stakes at Aqueduct (Hit Show: 7/5)
- Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita (Newgate: 6/5)
- Holy Bull at Gulfstream (Rocket Can: 5/2)

FanDuel Racing has you covered for the biggest racing days and events, and you can watch and wager on FanDuelTV. Saturday's Rebel Stakes is Race 11 and the 1 1/16 mile race headlines three stakes, including $300,000 Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes for 3-year-old fillies in Race 10.

The Rebel Stakes has a post time of 6:23 p.m. ET. Monitor the weather and track conditions as rain is in the forecast.

Rebel Stakes Field and Odds

Rebel Stakes Pick

The $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) drew a deep and competitive field of 11, and don't be surprised in the Kentucky Derby winner comes from this group. Sham Stakes winner Reincarnate (7/2) drew post 6 and Southwest Stakes runner-up Red Route One (10/1) drew post 3, and he's one of three runners for HOF trainer Steve Asmussen that includes Powerful (20/1) and Gun Pilot (8/1). EPO trainer Brad Cox is favored to add his fifth Derby Prep win of 2023 as he saddles the two favorites, Verifying (2/1) by Triple Crown winner Justify, and Giant Mischief (5/2) by tremendous sire Into Mischief with top jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. riding.

Event Detail (30/1) is an improving longshot to watch in his stakes debut, but the pick is West Coast shipper and recent Sham Stakes winner Reincarnate (7/2). He's a son of two-time Grade 1 winner and Kentucky Derby runner-up Good Magic. Top jockey John Velazquez rides again after taking him wire-to-wire in his two-turn maiden win in Nov. before continuing his improvement and growth with a 103 speed figure in the Sham - outdueling his stablemate and next-out winner Newgate through brutally fast fractions. Betting the come on an improving and growing 3-year-old stud.

Pick: Reincarnate (7/2)