February 20, 2025
TORONTO — By Matthew Lomon
Who Wants it?
Oaklawn Park has hosted two Kentucky Derby points races so far this season.
The first tilt, the Smarty Jones Stakes went to Coal Battle on Jan. 4, while the second, the Southwest Stakes (G3), was claimed by Speed King three weeks later on Jan. 25.
On Sunday, the pair of 3-year-old colt’s will meet with more Kentucky Derby points on the line in the $1.25 million Rebel (G2).
Coal Battle enters in top form having found the winner’s circle in three straight contests, all at the stakes tier (Smarty Jones, Springboard Mile, and Jean Lafitte). Overall, the Lonnie Briley charge is 4-0-0 through six appearances.
His counterpart, Speed King, has only competed thrice. However, the Ron Moquett trainee is a graded stakes champion with over $200,000 more banked ($669,000 to $453,875).
Speed King (6-1) has the early advantage over Coal Battle (10-1) on the opening line, entering as the fourth choice in the field of 14.
Let’s Dance
The second graded stakes feature set for Oaklawn Park on Sunday has something its peripheral events do not, and that is a clear early favorite.
By all accounts, the $500,000 Honeybee (G3) is unbeaten 7-5 choice Muhimma’s to lose. The dynamic 3-year-old filly capped off a perfect 3-0-0 rookie campaign with a smooth one-length Demoiselle (G2) triumph after leading all the way through.
Muhimma’s greatest threat appears to be 4-1 second choice Five G, who recently collected her second and most impressive tally to date with a monstrous nine-length victory in January’s Cash Run Stakes.
Before that, the George Weaver pupil finished a half-length off the leader in the Tepin Stakes on Nov. 17.
So, if you skipped to the last line, understand that both horses enter the Honeybee in peak form.
Leave the Leather Jacket
If the ‘bad boy’ archetype has run its course for you, may we suggest Baddest Good Boy instead?
The 4-year-old gelding is amongst the 14 hopefuls lining the gate for Sunday’s $500,000 Razorback (G3) at Oaklawn Park.
Going off as the third heavyweight tilt on the Hot Springs, Arkansas oval’s Sunday card, the Razorback also represents Baddest Good Boy’s first taste of stakes action after a perfect two-for-two start at the lower levels.
Despite the relative stakes inexperience, the Norm Casse charge opens as the second choice on the opening line behind 7-2 favorite Banishing, who is 6-1-2 from 15 career starts.
The foes with diametrically opposing career paths will assume posts two (Banishing) and eight (Baddest Good Boy).
Rest and Relaxation
A sixth-month hiatus appears to have done the trick for 4-year-old filly Patricia Ann, who enters Saturday’s $150,000 Heavenly Prize Invitational amidst a two-race win streak.
Following a tough outing last May that resulted in rider Jose Gomez being unseated (no injuries to anyone), Patricia Ann’s connections opted to take a step back.
It was a move that proved prudent, as the Carlos Martin charge regained her form en route to consecutive allowance level conquests.
Her most recent outing, a hard-fought half-length decision, yielded her most impressive Beyer Speed Figure of 89.
Patricia Ann makes her stakes debut at 3-1 behind only Weigh the Risks (6-5).
Sprint Hard
It’s been a while since Nakatomi got his ‘Hans’ dirty (had to be done), but the reigning Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1) champion is ready to return to action this Saturday in the $140,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint.
Following a sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Spring (G1) on Nov. 2, Nakatomi’s connections decided to give their 6-year-old gelding a well-deserved break.
Enough time has passed for them to feel comfortable bringing their $1.2 million earner back for what would be his third stakes victory, if successful (aforementioned Vanderbilt and 2021 Bowman Mills).
Oddsmakers are also intrigued by the refreshed Wesley Ward trainee’s prospects, listing Nakatomi as the 6-5 top dog on the opening line.
