Best Horse Racing Bets Today | Oaklawn Park

Now only ten weeks away from the 2025 Kentucky Derby, Sunday’s $1,250,000 Rebel Stakes should offer further insight into the prospects of a host of potential starters on the first Saturday in May. A full field of 14 has entered the 1 1/16-mile test and several among them can be considered legitimate contenders for America’s most prestigious race. Among those hoping to prove themselves on Sunday include the morning line favorite Sandman who regrouped from a terrible start last time to finish second in Oaklawn Park’s Grade 3 Southwest Stakes.

The other two graded stakes races of the afternoon offer $500,000 each and also boast deep fields. In the Grade 3 Honeybee, Muhimma will look to build upon her unbeaten juvenile season when she makes her highly anticipated sophomore debut. One of the early favorites for the Kentucky Oaks, she will face a dozen other 3-year-old fillies on Sunday. In the Grade 3 Razorback, Banishing is the morning line favorite after three straight wins. He will face 13 older males in this one. Without further ado, let’s get to my top picks and plays from this excellent card of racing from Oaklawn Park.

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Race #4 Carousel Stakes $150,000 6-Furlongs Dirt- 2:31 pm EST

Looking to make it two straight wins for her new barn, Justique is the morning line favorite against eight other older sprinting females in the $150,000 Carousel Stakes on Sunday at Oaklawn Park.

She hasn’t won often in her career, but the 5-year-old daughter of Justify has kept very good company throughout her time in Southern California. Transferred to the barn of Cherie DeVaux late last year, Justique was an impressive winner against allowance company at Fair Grounds in her first start for her new trainer. A stakes winner earlier in her career and many times graded stakes placed, she should fit in at this level. 

Another horse who began her career in Southern California is Benedetta. A daughter of City of Light, she moved to the Midwest with success for trainer Steve Asmussen. In fact, she has won four straight races, including the American Beauty Stakes at Oaklawn Park just three weeks ago. Like Justique, she has the ability to pass horses and that is a plus in a race with an expected fast early pace. 

You certainly could also make a case for another filly who can come from behind in Lady Moscato. Each of her three career victories have come at Oaklawn Park. Most recently in the local Bugler Overnight Stakes. Her record over this oval makes her one to fear on Sunday. Overall, however, I believe most in Benedetta. She likes to win and she likes this 6-furlong distance. Benedetta is the top pick.

My Play

• $20 Win & Place - Benedetta = $40

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Race #9 Honeybee Stakes (Grade 3) $500,000 1 1/16-Miles Dirt- 5:07 pm EST

Perhaps destined for bigger and better things, Muhimma will look to stretch her perfect record to four when she headlines a field for the $500,000 Honeybee Stakes (G2) on Sunday at Oaklawn Park. 

Trained by Brad Cox, the robust Munnings filly was a dominant winner of her first two starts while sprinting at Churchill Downs. Stretched out to 1 1/18-miles for the Grade 2 Demoiselle (G2) at Aqueduct, she made every pole a winning one on the way to a game one-length score. The sky's the limit for this talented filly, but there are several fillies in the field who could test her on Sunday.

Perhaps the one who has the best chance for the upset here is Take Charge Milady from the barn of Kenny McPeek. She certainly did not start her career the way Muhimma did, but she has improved with each start and was a good looking winner of the local Martha Washington Stakes last time at the expense of the highly regarded Quietside, who is also entered in the Honeybee.

Other dangers in here include the romping winner of Gulfstream Park’s Cash Run Stakes, Five G; the speedy California stakes winner Look Forward; and the third place finisher in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) Quickick. All three are interesting, but I believe Take Charge Milady is the one with the best shot to upset the favorite. She is the top pick.

My Play

• $5 Daily Double Part Wheel - Take Charge Milady with Skinner, Crupi, Banishing, First Mission, and Red Route One = $25

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Race #10 Razorback Stakes (Grade 3) $500,000 1 1/16-Miles Dirt- 5:45 pm EST

Banshing is clearly a horse who has found new life since joining the barn of David Jacobsen. His class and winning streak will be put to the test when he takes on 13 other older males in Sunday’s Grade 3 Razorback Stakes.

A well bred son of Ghostzapper, the 5-year-old gelding comes into this 1 1/16-mile test a winner of three straight. The last two came over the track, but both were at the 6-furlong distance. As well as he is going right now, he is a threat to win again here, but not only will the distance be a question for him, the depth and stakes experience of this field should be a real test.

Much of the same could be said about the second choice on the morning line. Baddest Good Boy has looked like a nice horse in winning his first two career starts, but the son of Bernardini now moves way up into the big leagues in this one.

Several others in here are graded stakes winners, including Crupi, First Mission, Skinner, and Red Route One. They are all dangerous, but Skinner is the one who most interests me. A solid performer in Southern California, and a graded stakes winner there two starts back, he was transferred to trainer Cherie DeVaux following that win. Although he was third in his debut for the new barn, it was a good effort and one he can move forward off. He’ll also get plenty of speed to run at this time. Skinner will be my top pick.

My Play 

• $20 Win & Place - Skinner = $40

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Race #11 Rebel Stakes (Grade 2) $1,250,000 1 1/16-Miles Dirt- 6:23 pm EST

In the richest Kentucky Derby prep of the season so far, Sandman was named a tepid 4/1 morning line favorite in a wide-open edition of the $1,250,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Sunday.

The top three finishers from last month’s local Southwest Stakes all return in this one. Speed King went gate to wire and has been very good in each of his three career starts. Tiztastic finished strongly down the center of the course to be third, but it was the second-place finisher, Sandman, who garnered the most talk. He broke horribly out of the gate and still turned in a remarkably good race to be within a length of Speed King on the wire. 

While the three from the Southwest all look good, there are far more horses to consider here. Both California shippers are interesting. Trainer Bob Baffert has a great history here and his lightly raced Madaket Road won’t need to improve much off a third-place effort in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) to be a factor here. Bullard also ships in with solid stakes experience after winning the Bob Hope (G3) and running third in the San Vicente (G2) in his last two.

Finally, there is Coal Battle. Undefeated in four tries on the dirt, he has won three consecutive stakes races since switching back from the turf. Two starts back, he ran down Speed King to win the Springboard Mile. Last time out, he dominated the Smarty Jones Stakes over the Oaklawn Park track. At 10/1 on the morning line, I believe his value is too good to pass up. He is my top pick.

My Plays

• $5 Exacta Box - Coal Battle, Sandman, and Bullard = $30

• $5 Exacta Box - Coal Battle, Sandman, and Tiztastic = $30

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