Rebel Stakes 2015 Results: Winner, Payouts and Order of Finish

American Pharoah laid down a major marker ahead of the 2015 Kentucky Derby. The three-year-old ran out to an easy victory in the Rebel Stakes Saturday at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Heading into the race, American Pharoah was one of the top favorites, and many wondered how he'd perform in this major test before heading to Churchill Downs.

Speaking before the race, trainer Bob Baffert didn't downplay how he felt about his horse, per Jennie Rees of The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky:

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Baffert has used words like "special" in describing American Pharoah.

"I don't really have to say anything; everybody has seen it," Baffert said. "That's why he was voted 2-year-old champion. What he did was pretty impressive, the way he disposed of those horses. The only time he's ever surprised me is when he got beat the first time."

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Between American Pharoah's pedigree and Baffert's record at Oaklawn—four Rebels Stakes wins in five years—the legendary trainer had plenty of reasons to be optimistic on Saturday.

American Pharoah's performance left little room for doubt. He held the lead essentially from the opening gate, holding the competition back a link or two for the duration of the race up until the final furlong. That's when he and jockey Victor Espinoza made their move, breaking away from the pack and coasting to the finish line.

What the race lacked in drama, it made up for with the impressive nature of American Pharoah's triumph.

Here's a look at the top three finishers from the race:

Pos.	Horse	Win	Place	Show
1	American Pharoah	$2.80	$2.20	$2.10
2	Madefromlucky	---	$3.40	$2.80
3	Bold Conquest	---	---	$2.80

The Rebel Stakes wasn't so much a race as it was a glorified exhibition for American Pharoah. He was so much better than everybody else it wasn't fair. He established his dominance early on and never let his foot off the gas.

Jay Privman of Daily Racing Form joked that it was a "paid workout" for the horse:

Bruce Beck of WNBC in New York City is putting American Pharoah atop his list of challengers for the 2015 Derby:

"Once he got to the first turn and he was just in his groove, galloping, I just thought 'Well, if he's the horse we hope he is, he's in good shape,'" said Baffert after the race, per Claire Novak of Blood-Horse. "You're always hoping that he's going to run like that. He showed us in the mornings he does that, so it was just a perfect kind of race for him to come back."

According to Equibase, this is American Pharoah's fourth win in five starts. The lone exception was his first competitive race back in August 2014. He's now won four in a row, building some much-needed momentum going into May.

With Saturday's victory, American Pharoah now has 60 points in the Road to the Kentucky Derby, which all but guarantees him a place in the field for Churchill Downs.

Given how great he looked in the Rebel Stakes, American Pharoah has established himself as one of the top contenders for the Run for the Roses.