Kentucky Derby Prep Race

Rebel Stakes 2024 Picks

Timberlake wins 2023 Champagne Stakes (Susie Raisher Photo)

By Jarrod Horak

The road to Kentucky Derby 2024 continues at Oaklawn on Saturday, February 24, and I have included Rebel Stakes 2024 picks below. The Grade 2 event for 3-year-olds has a $1,250,000 purse and the thirteen entrants will be journeying 1 1/16 miles on the main track. The Rebel is the 11th race on Feb. 24 and the top five finishers will earn Kentucky Derby points (50-25-15-10-5). 

Rebel Stakes 2024 Picks & Final Time Ratings

Dimatic raced wide from the outside post and finished 6th of 11 in his extended sprint bow. He stretched out and was a clear show finisher at Fair Grounds second time out, and rallied for the win as the favorite in a local special weight route in the slop on Feb. 3. Steve Asmussen’s improving colt adds blinkers and Tyler Gaffalione is his new rider. 

Timberlake added blinkers and romped in his second career start at Ellis Park last summer. He had an uncomfortable trip when landing the place in the Hopeful (G1), and removed blinkers and rolled to a big win in the Grade 1 Champagne in the slop last fall. He ended 2023 with an even effort in the BC Juvenile. Brad Cox’s $350k Into Mischief colt fired a bullet for this on Feb. 10 and appears poised to run a big race in his first start as a sophomore. 

Just Steel ran well in his last three stakes starts. He stalked and scored in the Ed Brown Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Churchill last fall, and landed the place in the Smarty Jones and Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn. The $500k Justify colt figures to stalk the pace from an outer post. 

The Rebel field also includes Carbone, Northern Flame, Common Defense, Tejon Pass, Remington Springboard Mile show finisher Magic Grant, Del Mar Futurity (G1) show finisher Next Level, Lagynos, Mena, Woodcourt, and Time for Truth. 

Rebel Stakes 2024 Picks

The Rebel is my 22nd video on the road to Kentucky Derby 2024, and my top choices have six wins, four runner-up finishes, and five show finishes. I will cover each points race on the Kentucky Derby trail. Check out my Rebel Stakes 2024 picks video below.