2/21/26 Barn Notes
Compiled by Robert Yates
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert bids for his record-extending ninth victory in the Rebel Stakes (G2), when he sends out Litmus Test in the $1 million race for 3-year-olds March 1 at Oaklawn.
Entries were taken Saturday for both the Rebel Stakes and the $750,000 Honeybee (G3). Entries for the rest of the March 1 card will taken Monday.
Litmus Test, who will be making his 3-year-old debut, is one of 10 horses entered in the 1 1/16-mile Rebel, which is Oaklawn’s third Kentucky Derby qualifying race.
Litmus Test finished a strong fourth behind eventual champion Ted Noffey in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) Oct. 31 at Del Mar, then concluded 2025 with a victory in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) Dec. 13 at Los Alamitos. Both races were 1 1/16 miles.
The nine other Rebel entrants are: Blackout Time for trainer Kenny McPeek, Honey’s to Blame (McPeek), Strategic Risk (Mark Casse), Silent Tactic (Casse), Soldier N Diplomat (Steve Asmussen), Time for Music (Asmussen), Rancho Santa Fe (Brad Cox), Class President (Todd Pletcher) and Bravaro (Saffie Joseph Jr.).
Post positions for the Rebel are to be drawn following Saturday’s eighth race ($150,000 Nodouble Stakes) at Oaklawn.
Casse is seeking his fourth consecutive victory in a Kentucky Derby qualifying race at Oaklawn. He won the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) last season with Sandman and captured the first two legs in 2025-2026 – $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 3 with Strategic Risk and the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 6 with late-running Silent Tactic.
Soldier N Diplomat and Rancho Santa Fe finished second and fourth, respectively, in the Southwest. Lightly raced Class President (1 for 2) was second in the Swale Stakes at seven furlongs Jan. 31 at Gulfstream Park in his last start.
Blackout Time is unraced since finishing second to Ted Noffey in the Breeders’ Futurity Stakes (G1) at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 4 at Keeneland.
The Honeybee is Oaklawn’s second Kentucky Oaks qualifying race. It drew 10 entrants.
Honeybee entrants from the rail out: Take Charge Macy, Ramon Vazquez to ride, 20-1 on the morning line; Sneaky Good, Irad Ortiz Jr., 8-1; Grace Is Free, Kelsi Harr, 30-1; Newtown Pike, Abel Cedillo, 10-1; Knickleandime, Rafael Bejarano, 12-1; Search Party, Cristian Torres, 9-2; Counting Stars, Francisco Arrieta, 15-1; Classic Glide, Jaime Torres, 30-1; Explora, Flavien Prat, 7-5; and Taken by the Wind, Brian Hernandez Jr., 5-2.
Program favorite Explora was one of three finalists for an Eclipse Award as North America’s champion 2-year-old filly.
Trained by Baffert, Explora finished second, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 31 at Del Mar. She was exiting a victory in the Oak Leaf Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 4 at Santa Anita.
Taken by the Wind is unbeaten in three lifetime starts for McPeek, including the $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes at 1 mile and 70 yards Jan. 17 at Fair Grounds.
Casse has already won two stakes at the 2025-2026 Oaklawn meeting with Counting Stars and took its first Kentucky Oaks qualifying race, the $300,000 Martha Washington Stakes Feb. 6, with Search Party.
Newtown Pike and Knickleandime were second and third, respectively, in the 1 1/16-mile Martha Washington.
The Honeybee has a record purse in 2026 after previously being worth $500,000.
The Rebel and Honeybee will both offer 105 total points (50-25-15-10-5, respectively) to the top five finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks.
Milestone for Vazquez
Jockey Ramon Vazquez became the 11th rider in Oaklawn history to reach 500 local victories when Cur Non captured Friday’s sixth race, a $16,000 claiming sprint for fillies and mares.
Vazquez, 40, has ridden regularly at Oaklawn since 2012. He was previously based in Kentucky before deciding to move his tack on the advice of Steve Elzey, who was then his agent.
“I had never been here before,” Vazquez said Saturday morning. “He told me to try it and now I’m in love with this track.”
Vazquez rode Cur Non ($12.60) for trainer Boyd Caster and owners JT Stables (Joe and Theresa Moore). It was Vazquez’s second victory on the card and ninth in the last three racing days at Oaklawn. He rode five winners Monday to equal a local career high and two Thursday to reach 498.
Vazquez’s recent flurry vaulted him to second in the standings with 28 victories through 23 days of racing. Cristian Torres topped the standings with 29. Vazquez is seeking his first Oaklawn riding title after a string of top five finishes.
Vazquez finished second in 2015, 2016 and 2017, third in 2019 and fifth last season. Vazquez has collected riding titles at Santa Anita, Los Alamitos, Prairie Meadows, Lone Star Park and Remington Park.
“Second, third, second,” Vazquez said, referring to his Oaklawn career resume. “That’s my dream, honestly. Just one year be the leading rider here.”
Vazquez, barring injury, will surpass the retired Don Howard as Oaklawn’s 10th-winningest rider in history before the 2025-2026 meeting ends May 2. Howard rode 509 winners at Oaklawn.
Vazquez makes Oaklawn, Lone Star Park and Remington Park his year-round circuit. He has a home near Oaklawn. Vazquez is represented by agent Cody Autrey, who also books mounts for Torres.
Retired Hall of Famer Pat Day (1,264 victories) is the winningest rider in Oaklawn history.
Finish Lines
Dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse ($2,004,057) became the first trainer at the 2025-2026 meeting to reach $2 million in purse earnings Friday. Through the first 23 racing days, Casse had an 18-9-4 mark from 44 starts and a meet-high eight stakes victories. … Jockeys Johan Rosado and Francisco Arrieta, who escaped serious injury in a Monday spill, both recorded victories Friday. Rosado won the second race aboard Wowsers ($26.20) for trainer Allen Milligan. Arrieta won the eighth race, the $150,000 Downthedustyroad Breeders’ Stakes, aboard heavily favored Haulin Ice ($2.40) for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. … Arkansas Derby winner Sandman will make his next start in the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) for older horses at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 28, Caden Arthur, who oversees Casse’s Oaklawn division, said Friday morning. Sandman finished fifth in his 4-year-old debut, a Feb. 7 allowance race at Oaklawn. Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope assigned Sandman 120 pounds for the Razorback. Millionaire multiple Grade 1 winner White Abarrio was assigned top weight of 124 pounds. White Abarrio is pointing for the $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) April 18, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said Tuesday afternoon. Entries will be accepted and post positions drawn Sunday for the Razorback. … Dirty Rich recorded a five-furlong bullet workout (:59.60) Saturday morning for trainer Peter Miller. The track was fast. Dirty Rich won the $150,000 Advent Stakes for 2-year-old sprinters Dec. 12 under Ramon Vazquez, who was aboard for Saturday’s work. Dirty Rich galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.60. … The infield is scheduled to be open for the first time this season Feb. 28.
