Oaklawn to Split Rebel Stakes if Enough Interest

With racing suspended indefinitely at Santa Anita Park, Oaklawn Park's lucrative Rebel Stakes (G2) could provide a landing spot for Southern California horsemen with top 3-year-olds.

The Oaklawn Jockey Club announced March 6 that it stands ready to split the $1 million Rebel Stakes March 16 into two divisions should 20 or more horses enter the 1 1/16-mile test. The announcement came just hours after Santa Anita officials suspended racing indefinitely at the Arcadia, Calif., racetrack. 

If the Rebel is split, each division would carry a purse of $750,000 as the track is prepared to commit an additional $500,000. Each division would offer 63.75 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). A Road to the Kentucky Derby race, the Rebel is scheduled as an 85-point race—50-20-10-5 to the top four finishers. Should it be split, the points awarded to the top four finishers in each division would be 37.5-15-7.5-3.75. 

In making the announcement, Oaklawn president Louis Cella said he hopes the situation in Southern California quickly resolves itself, precluding any reason to split the Rebel. "But if that is not the case, Oaklawn stands ready to help horsemen around the country," Cella said. 

Cella added, "From a financial standpoint, splitting the race makes no sense whatsoever. If we split it, it will be strictly on the basis of sportsmanship and what is best for the sport and best for top 3-year-olds trying to get to Kentucky."

Cella said both divisions of the Rebel would need to attract a minimum of 10 runners in order to justify the split.

According to Oaklawn general manager Wayne Smith, track officials were on the phone all day Wednesday with horsemen around the country. "Plus, we reached out to Arkansas Racing Commission chairman Alex Lieblong and to Bill Walmsley, president of the Arkansas division of the (Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association). Both gentlemen were completely supportive of our offer."

The deadline for nominating to the Rebel Stakes has been extended from midnight March 7 to midnight March 8, according to racing secretary Pat Pope.

Oaklawn said that if the Rebel is split, it will be the first time in American racing history for a million-dollar race to be split and run in two divisions.