Sandman, Speed King back in 14-horse Rebel; Muhimma tops Honeybee

Delayed one day due to weather, Sunday’s $1.25 million Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park will include an exciting cast of 14 Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls competing for a total of a 105 qualifying points (50-25-15-10-5 scale for top five finishers). Speed King and Sandman, the 1-2 finishers from the Jan. 25 Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn, are back for the 1 1/16-mile race, and multiple graded-placed Madaket Road has shipped from Southern California for eight-time Rebel winner Bob Baffert.

Two races earlier, unbeaten Demoiselle (G2) winner Muhimma highlights a field of 13 fillies in the $500,000 Honeybee (G3), a Road to the Kentucky Oaks Challenge series event.

Sandman has been installed as a tepid 4-1 morning line favorite in the Rebel following his troubled runner-up effort in the Southwest, rallying dramatically to miss by a length after missing the break. Christian Torres retains the mount on the son of Tapit for Mark Casse, and the late-running gray colt will look to capitalize on a projected hot pace.

Speed King recorded his first stakes win in gate-to-wire fashion, upsetting the Southwest at 14-1, and he promises to be attending the pace Sunday with Rafael Bejarano. A close second in the Springboard Mile two back, the Ron Moquett-trained colt flattered the form of Coal Battle, who followed his Springboard Mile win with a frontrunning victory in the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn on Jan. 4. Lonnie Briley has given Coal Battle a 50-day freshening in advance of the Rebel, and the son of Coal Front figures to be up close to the pace with his tactical ability. Juan Vargas rides.

Madaket Road had no pace to close into when third in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita on Feb. 1, but the stalker figures to receive a better set up here. A gray son of Quality Road, Madaket Road broke his maiden two starts back, and Irad Ortiz Jr. will be in to ride for Baffert. Bullard has shipped in for Michael McCarthy, and the dark bay son of Gun Runner will make his first attempt at two turns. A convincing winner of the Bob Hope (G3) two back, Bullard exits a third in the seven-furlong San Vicente (G2), and regular rider Umberto Rispoli will accompany the late runner.

Smoken Wicked promises to add speed to mix following a pair of romping six-furlong stakes wins over Louisiana-bred rivals at Fair Grounds. Innovator exits a close third in the Lecomte (G3) in which he set the pace. Other runners include Hypnus, an eye-catching debut winner from off the pace at Fair Grounds for Kenny McPeek; and Admiral Dennis, who will seek to make a late impact after recording an entry-level allowance tally for Brad Cox.

The Rebel will be the second Road to Kentucky Derby Challenge series qualifier to award 50 points to the winner this year, following last Saturday's Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds.

Muhimma looms as an imposing 7-5 early choice in the Honeybee following her impressive front-running win in the Demoiselle at Aqueduct in early December, traveling the 1 1/8-mile distance more than a half-second faster than the Remsen (G2) winner two races later. Trained by Cox, the gray daughter of Munnings will look to work out a trip from the innermost post with regular rider Florent Geroux.

Martha Washington winner Take Charge Milady enters with a two-race win streak and listed as the 9-2 second choice. Julien Leparoux guides the stalker for Kenny McPeek. Santa Ynez (G3) winner Look Forward will make her first start outside of California for McCarthy, and the Bolt d’Oro filly will be hustling from the starting gate with Mario Gutierrez.

Alcibiades (G1) runner-up Quickick, a non-threatening third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), will open her three-year-old season for Tom Amoss. Multiple Grade 1-placed juvenile Quietside, second as the odds-on favorite in the Martha Washington, is also entered.

Southwest third Tiztastic, second in the Street Sense (G3) and third in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) last fall, is also back for the Rebel, and Fair Grounds leading rider Jose Ortiz will take over riding duties aboard the late-charging colt for Steve Asmussen.