Speed King faces an important opportunity to live up to his name Saturday in the $1 million Southwest S. (G3), Oaklawn’s second of four Kentucky Derby qualifying races.

Feb. 25 at Gulfstream Park brings together a field of 12 in what should be an exhilarating race at the distance of 1 1/8 miles, with seven of the 12 entrants having earned $1 million or more.

Raised to seven figures for the first time after previously being worth $800,000, the Southwest will offer 42 total points (20-10-6-4-2, respectively) to the top five finishers to ...