Meet the Contenders: 2026 Rebel Stakes
Blackout Time breaks his maiden at Ellis Park. (Photo by Coady Media)
February 25th, 2026
Meet the horses running in the 2026 Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park. For each horse, we're listing a pro, a con, and a rating of potential. The star rating of 1 to 5 represents their opportunity to perform well. Be sure to follow these contenders by adding them to your stable alerts.
Bravaro wins at Belmont at the Big A. (Photo by Coglianese Photo)
#1 Bravaro
***SCRATCHED***
Litmus Test justified 3-5 favoritism in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) (Photo by Benoit Photo)
#2 Litmus Test ****
Pro: Ended juvenile season on a high note, winning the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2).
Con: Lacks recency and sure to be overbet, given the Baffert connection.
TwinSpires
#3 Class President ****
Pro: Likely to improve stretching out after runner-up effort in Swale S.
Con: Faces more seasoned and accomplished rivals here.
Blackout Time breaks his maiden at Ellis Park. (Photo by Coady Media)
#4 Blackout Time *****
Pro: Strong second to champion Ted Noffey in Breeders’ Futurity (G1).
Con: Vet scratch from Breeders’ Cup; might need a race off the bench.
Honey's to Blame wins at Oaklawn Park. (Photo by Coady Media)
#5 Honey’s to Blame *
Pro: Perfect in two starts here this winter, including allowance score.
Con: Doesn’t appear quick enough on paper without significant improvement.
.@BeemieAwards looks ahead to the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn and welcomes in reporter Carlos Morales from @agentes305 to talk about his life in racing, bringing Spanish-language racing content to the masses, and much more! 🎙️
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) February 25, 2026
🏇 Listen here: https://t.co/HX0oxPlMAb pic.twitter.com/1iJ2h4q49m
Strategic Risk wins the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park. (Photo by Coady Media/Andrew Stauffacher)
#6 Strategic Risk **
Pro: Ran well below par in Southwest (G3) but useful on best form.
Con: Benefited from the slow pace in Smarty Jones S.; unlikely to see that here.
Silent Tactic wins the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park. (Photo by Coady Media)
#7 Silent Tactic *****
Pro: Visually impressive in Southwest and a repeat threat with any kind of pace.
Con: That win didn’t come back all that fast on speed ratings.
Rancho Santa Fe wins at Ellis Park. (Photo by Coady Media)
#8 Rancho Santa Fe **
Pro: Ran an improved race in Southwest after a dud in the Smarty Jones.
Con: Looks a slight cut below the better locally based three-year-olds.
Time For Music wins at Keeneland. (Photo by Coady Media)
#9 Time for Music *
Pro: Barn has won this race four times, including with Curlin.
Con: Hard to like after losing last two by a combined 35+ lengths.
Soldier N Diplomat wins at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Coady Media)
#10 Soldier N Diplomat ***
Pro: Showed improved rating ability when second best in the Southwest.
Con: Must overcome another wide draw while improving several lengths.
