Rebel Stakes

Rebel Stakes Race Facts

• Location: Oaklawn Park, Hot Springs, AR
• Inaugural Race: 1961
• Current Distance: 1 1/16 miles
• Track Type: Left-Handed Dirt
• Age Qualifications: Three-year-olds
• Status: Grade 2
• 2024 Purse: $1,250,000
• 2024 Race Date: Saturday, February 24th

The Remsen Stakes is any early race in the Road to the Kentucky Championship Series . Usually held each year early in March, winners of the contest are awarded 50-25-15-10-5 points respectively.

2023 Rebel Stakes Race Results

Exotic Payoffs:

• $1 Exacta (7-3) Paid: $134.00
• $0.50 Trifecta (7-3-6) Paid: $709.70
• $0.10 Superfecta (7-3-6-1) Paid: $419.79

The History of the Rebel Stakes

First run in 1961, the Rebel Stakes is an important part of the Oaklawn Park spring 3-year-old series, and an important lead-up to the Arkansas Derby. It’s a dirt surface race on a left-handed track for three-year-olds. Inaugurated in 1961 as the Rebel Handicap, the race was initially contested at 1 mile & 70 yards but it was increased slightly to 1 1/16th miles when the event was changed from handicap to stakes allowance in 1984 and renamed. The average number of of starters is 10.2, with the 15-horse field in 1980 being the largest ever for the event. It’s also included in the first part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship series. The first five home are given points on a 50-20-15-10-5 basis.

The race considered an important prep race for the $1 million Arkansas Derby. Since the first running, a total of 14 horses have won both the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby in the same year. Nine horses have won both the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby and one American Classic race: Curlin, Smarty Jones, Victory Gallop, Pine Bluff, Sunny’s Halo, Temperance Hill, American Pharoah, Magnum Moon, and Omaha Beach.

Of these horses, Temperance Hill, Sunny’s Halo, Pine Bluff, Victory Gallop, Smarty Jones, Curlin, and American Pharoah would all go on to win legs of the Triple Crown, as did 2010 winner Lookin At Lucky. American Pharoah holds the distinction of winning both and the Triple Crown in 2015.

The biggest margin of victory at the Rebel Stakes is seven lengths. The record is co-owned by Etony (1968) and Manatash Ridge (1989). The record for fastest winning time at 1 1/16th miles is 1:41.00, set by Vanlandingham in 1984. The record set at 1 mile & 70 yards is 1:40 4/5, which was set by Betemight in 1967.

The record for most wins by an owner is five (Loblolly Stable – 1980, 1984, 1987, 1992, and 1993). The record for most wins by a jockey is five (Mike E. Smith – 1986, 1993, 1999, 2014 and 2019), and the most wins by a trainer is Bob Baffert, who won the event a whopping eight times (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, and 2021)

Rebel Stakes Past Winners