LEE’S LOCK Candy Dandy in the third
BEST BET Ribbon of Darkness in the sixth
LONG SHOT Another Gear in the fourth
FRIDAY’S RESULTS 2-9 (22.2 percent)
MEET 68-207 (32.9 percent)
*Educated guess
** Things to like
*** Plenty to like
**** Confident choice
Exotic wager possibilities
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette handicapper Rick Lee seeks out horses who make good “key” horses in multihorse and/or multi-race wagers, commonly called exotic wagers.
The 50-cent Pick 3 starting in Race 2 is enticing with a big and competitive first leg and a potential “single” in Candy Dandy in the second leg, and the final race (fourth) is another race with several overlay opportunities. The ninth race drew a big field of 12, and the 10-cent superfecta can pay big if the “key” horse is a nonfavorite like Emraan, and it is always wise to spread out liberally for the minor placings.
1 Purse $19,000, 1 mile, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $5,000
**MOJO WORKIN overcame a wide trip in a clear victory against similar rivals, and the veteran typically holds his form well. TIZ READY finished second behind the top selection while sent to the post as a solid favorite, and he drew inside and has a winning record on a wet track. FLEXNOW won consecutive $5,000 claiming races at Remington and is back where he belongs after being overmatched in in his Oaklawn debut.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
3 Mojo Workin Loveberry Caldwell 3-1 2 Tiz Ready Hamilton Hartman 4-1 6 Flexnow Vazquez Biehler 6-1 10 Beware the Tiger Birzer Von Hemel 8-1 12 Slick Pardoned Me Thompson Glyshaw 5-1 11 Practice Tee Court Holthus 12-1 5 Ratatat Felix Mason 12-1 8 Whiskeyontherocks De La Cruz Puhl 12-1 7 Joint Tenant Canchari Lauer 20-1 4 Stone Harbour Flores Loetscher 20-1 9 Sommer’s Choice Borel Gustafson 20-1 1 Mizzen Maze Wethey Jackson 20-1
2 Purse $19,000, 1 mile, fillies and mares, 3-yearolds up, maiden claiming $12,500
**PRADA’S BLING has lost a late lead in three recent route races, and she is dropping to the bottom of the local maiden ranks and deserves one more chance at a front-running victory. PARADE OF SAINTS circled rivals on the turn and finished well in a third-place sprint debut, and she is bred to route and receives a positive rider change. DON’T MAKER MAD rallied from far back in a useful third-place sprint tuneup, and she showed two-turn ability at Remington.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
2 Prada’s Bling Corbett Durham 7-2 8 Parade of Saints Borel Wiggins 9-2 6 Don’t Maker Mad Santana Asmussen 3-1 10 Ms Morris Code LQuinonez Von Hemel 9-2 5 Myrna Anne Laviolette Smith 9-2 11 Suavecita Wethey Van Berg 12-1 3 Lessie Gibson Felix Smith 15-1 1 Stormy Trail Mello Rouck 20-1 7 Lettheparadebegin Court Medrano 30-1 9 Iamagirlygreeley Birzer Jackson 30-1 4 Voodoo Canchari Litfin 30-1
3 Purse $19,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, claiming $10,000
****CANDY DANDY has not raced since last April, but he showed exceptional speed in the Bachelor Stakes and likely didn’t miss any training while being stabled over the winter at Houston. MYSTERIOUS PROMISE is taking a slight drop in class following a front-running fourth-place finish, and his best race to date came over a wet track. CHIEFS EXPECTATION chased the pace in a competitive third-place finish at this level Feb. 7, and he has improved noticeably since moved to the barn of trainer Jack Van Berg.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
10 Candy Dandy Santana Asmussen 6-1 7 Mysterious Promise Rocco Autrey 3-1 4 Chiefs Expectation Wethey Van Berg 15-1 3 Heroic Act Berry Hartman 15-1 12 Dehaven Court Morse 6-1 2 Love Your Humor Canchari Robertson 10-1 5 Slapshot Man LQuinonez Sharp 15-1 8 Yankee Dime Laviolette Smith 10-1 1 Fast Fourteen Loveberry Irwin 15-1 11 Conquestor Thompson Glyshaw 12-1 9 Shore to Shore Vazquez Villafranco 8-1 6 Cross Hammers Hamilton Hartman 15-1
4 Purse $19,000, 1 mile, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $5,000
**ANOTHER GEAR has raced evenly in two $10,000 claiming races at the meeting, and he figures to be closer to the pace and will be difficult to deny at this bottom claiming price. FLYIN TREY is a career 15-race winner who possesses excellent route speed and appears to be rounding back into peak form. GALLANT EAGLE was one-paced as a beaten post-time favorite at Fair Grounds, but he is taking blinkers off and taking a drop in class for a high-percentage barn.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
4 Another Gear Vazquez Biehler 8-1 3 Flyin Trey BQuinonez Holthus 6-1 5 Gallant Eagle Rocco Sharp 6-1 6 Perfectly At Home Borel Johnson 7-2 2 Lotto Cat De La Cruz Puhl 12-1 11 Red Lead Berry Hartman 5-1 9 My Tip Rodriguez Talley 9-2 1 Baloch Or Felix Duncan 20-1 7 D.C. Gene Loveberry Compton 12-1 8 J. Burle Hill Caldwell 12-1 10 Sadler’s Warrior Court Medrano 20-1
5 Purse $61,000, 1 mile, fillies, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight
***MALIBU BREEZE had to overcome a slightly troubled start and may have been too close to a fast pace in a deceptively sharp third-place debut, and she has a license to show marked improvement with a clean getaway. DISTRACTION lost a clear lead inside the final furlong in a photo-finish defeat, which was raced over a wet track. LUVIN BULLIES was beaten a nose in a $50,000 maiden claiming sprint, and she is bred to route and represents a winning stable that will catch fire soon.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
10 Malibu Breeze Santana Catalano 5-2 6 Distraction Hamilton Hartman 4-1 9 Luvin Bullies Canchari Robertson 8-1 8 Harlans Belle Court Cox 9-2 5 Retro Citizen Felix Smith 12-1 1 Haute Prospect Castanon Danner 10-1 11 Wicked in Heels Johnson Hartlage 10-1 4 Riding First Class Vazquez Autrey 20-1 7 Star Canyon Ocampo Moquett 10-1 3 Poly One Flex Rocco Arnold 12-1 2 U V A Law School Corbett Smith 20-1
6 Purse $63,500, 1 mile, fillies and mares, 4-yearolds and up, allowance optional claiming
***RIBBON OF DARKNESS has crossed the finish line first in three of her past five races, and the razor sharp mare is dropping in class following a photo-finish loss. SEANS SILVERDANCER was forwardly placed and held on well to be third-best in her return from an 11-month vacation, and she has drawn inside and is likely to move up. BOURBON WARFARE was competitive at this condition in her local debut, and she received wet track experience and drew the rail.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
10 Ribbon of Darkness Vazquez Villafranco 5-2 3 Seans Silverdancer Ocampo Autrey 3-1 1 Bourbon Warfare Santana Gorder 7-2 6 Elaine Kowaleski Thompson Margolis 5-1 7 Battle Tale LQuinonez Von Hemel 10-1 9 Miracle Run Rocco Arnold 12-1 4 Carnival Kid De La Cruz Puhl 20-1 2 Cocoa Cowgirl Corbett Von Hemel 15-1 8 Valseuse Birzer Lukas 20-1 5 Devilish Reason Court Jackson 20-1
7 Purse $61,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight
***MR. TICKLE recorded a nice 5-furlong breeze since a second-place return to the races, and the lightly raced and improving 3-year-old owns the fastest Beyer figure and deserves favoritism. CRAFTY NAVIGATOR rallied from far back in a second-place finish Jan. 31, and he was given a confidence boost when the winner repeated in the eighth race Thursday. KING OF NEW YORK finished with energy in four consecutive in-the-money finishes in New York, and he races on Lasix for the first time and trainer Kenny McPeek is heating up.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
10 Mr. Tickle Hill Margolis 7-2 3 Crafty Navigator Canchari Williamson 6-1 7 King of New York Castanon McPeek 9-2 2 Dreamsdocometrue Birzer Sims 8-1 6 Lawless West Ocampo Boyd 9-2 1 Dr Anderson LQuinonez Von Hemel 10-1 8 Raagheb Esquivel Peitz 15-1 9 Rue de Grande Johnson Lukas 15-1 12 Oakton Rocco Casse 15-1 11 Liberty First Santana Asmussen 12-1 5 Smed Borel Moquett 12-1 4 Summer Heavens Loveberry Ice 15-1
8 The Spring Fever. Purse $100,000, 5 1/2 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
**SPRING INCLUDED was pressured every step of the way before getting caught by the heavily favored winner in the American Beauty, and she is proven on wet footing and cutting back a tad in distance. HAVEYOUGONEAWAY followed a close third-place finish in the American Beauty with a sharp allowance victory, and the pace should again complement her late charge. HEYKITTYKITTYKITTY was visually impressive defeating quality optional claiming rivals, and she has the look of a horse for course.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
7 Spring Included Rocco Hobby 7-2 5 Haveyougoneaway Loveberry Milligan 4-1 6 Heykittykittykitty Santana Moquett 4-1 2 Boss Barney’s Babe Berry Calhoun 4-1 4 Lasting Bubbles LQuinonez Peek 5-1 8 Flower Spell Felix Mason 6-1 1 Gratzie Canchari Robertson 15-1 3 Chortle Vazquez Williamson 12-1
9 Purse $61,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight
**EMRAAN failed to leave the gate running but finished up well in a useful career debut sprinting, and he had a swift subsequent 5-furlong breeze and the son of Bernardini should show improvement at a route of ground. CONQUEST COBRA finished third behind a recent allowance winner (Magic of Believing), and he has only two starts and is experienced around two turns. ESCALATE had to overcome a wide trip in a nonthreatening second-place route finish at Fair Grounds, and he picks up leading rider Ricardo Santana.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
9 Emraan Esquivel Peitz 6-1 8 Conquest Cobra Vazquez Casse 3-1 5 Escalate Santana Asmussen 4-1 4 California Coast Hill Catalano 5-1 7 Perfectly LQuinonez Von Hemel 6-1 1 Promise Me Freedom Berry Hawley 8-1 6 Summer Chase Borel Moquett 10-1 3 Over Ridin Royalty Castanon McPeek 12-1 10 American Road Rocco Hobby 20-1 11 Silent Critic Ocampo Ice 30-1 2 First Place Flirt Loveberry Caldwell 30-1 12 Deacon Blue Johnson Lukas 30-1