The Road to the Kentucky Derby runs through Oaklawn Park Saturday, for the $1.25 million dollar, Grade 2 Rebel Stakes.

An ambitious field of 13 entrants is set to line up for this 1 1/16-mile event, with 50 qualifying Derby points going to the Winner.

The race was inaugurated in 1961 as the Rebel Handicap, and was changed to the Rebel Stakes in 1984. That same year, the distance was adjusted from one mile and 70 yards to 1 1/16 miles.

In 1990, the race was given Grade 3 status, but was ungraded in 2003 and 2004. It was upgraded to Grade 2 in 2008.

In recent years, this race has seen dramatic purse increases. In 2011, the race carried a purse of $300,000. By 2016, the purse had tripled to $900,000. It was held as a $1 million race for the first time in 2020 and increased again by a quarter of a million dollars in 2024.

Thanks to its lofty purse, as well as its 50-25-15-10-5 allocation of Derby qualifying points, the Rebel is guaranteed to be one of the season’s major Kentucky Derby prep races.

Here is a look back at just two of the more recent high-profile Winners of the event:

CURLIN (2007) CURLIN was on the national racing scene from the moment he made his debut. He Won his first start at Gulfstream Park in February 2007 by 12 ¾ lengths, going seven furlongs in 1:22.25.

For his second start, CURLIN went off as the second betting choice in the Rebel Stakes. Against a tougher field and stretching out around two turns for the fist time, he was just as impressive. He made a big, four-wide sweep on the turn and powered away in stretch for a dominant 5 ¼-length Win. With that, CURLIN became one of the Kentucky Derby favorites.

In his final tune-up for the Run For The Roses, he Won the Arkansas Derby by 10 ¼ lengths. Despite not racing at age 2 and with only three starts under his belt, CURLIN was the 5-1 second choice in the Kentucky Derby. He finished 3rd in the Derby behind STREET SENSE, but avenged that defeat with a Win in the Preakness Stakes.

CURLIN then lost a thrilling Belmont Stakes to the filly RAGS TO RICHES, but later that year he Won the Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Breeders’ Cup Classic to clinch the Horse of the Year title.

As a 4-year-old in 2008, CURLIN added another Horse of the Year title to his résumé, notching four Grade or Group 1 wins. He also became the first American-based horse to pass $10 million in career earnings.

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AMERICAN PHAROAH (2015)

Despite not racing in the Breeders’ Cup, AMERICAN PHAROAH was voted Champion 2-year-old male of 2014 based on two Grade 1 Wins in California. He made his 3-year-old debut in the Rebel Stakes, where he was made the overwhelming 2-5 favorite in the field of seven.

In the Rebel (on a sloppy track) AMERICAN PHAROAH recovered quickly from a bad break and went immediately to the front. By the time he reached the opening quarter, he was 1 ½ lengths in front and setting very moderate fractions.

None of his rivals had much hope of catching him and he opened up more and more with every stride. He sloshed across the finish line 6 ¼ lengths clear of the others, stopping the clock in 1:45.78.

The Rebel Stakes proved to be a launching pad for an awe-inspiring campaign. That spring, AMERICAN PHAROAH swept the Triple Crown, becoming the first horse to Win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes since AFFIRMED in 1978.

As the icing on the cake, he completed his year with a dominant Breeders’ Cup Classic win. With that Victory, AMERICAN PHAROAH became the first horse since UNBRIDLED in 1990 to Win the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup Classic in the same year.