Rick Lee’s Oaklawn Park selections and analysis

LEE'S LOCK Toews On Ice in eighth.

BEST BET Tappin Vegas in sixth.

BEST LONG SHOT Shut the Gate in first.

SUNDAY'S RESULTS 4 of 9 (44.1 percent)

MEET 8 of 27 (29.6 percent)

*educated guess

**things to like

***plenty to like

****confident choice

1 Purse $21,000, 6 Furlongs, Fillies & Mares, 40 and up, Claiming $7,500.

SHUT THE GATE** finished a solid fourth in a "key" $12,500 claiming race at Remington, and she keeps her regular rider and gets a slight nod in a contentious field. HEATHER'S ROSE has raced competitively in restricted allowance races at Hawthorne, while earning Beyer figures that are on par with $7,500 claimers at Oaklawn. LACEY THE SPARTAN was beaten a neck at a similar level at Hawthorne, and she has raced well in three previous races at Oaklawn.

PP;HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

3;Shut the Gate;BQuinonez;Young;8-1

5;Heather's Rose;Emigh;Dobbs;6-1

8;Lacey the Spartan;Sanjur;Manley;5-1

9;Miss Goodthing;Santana;Asmussen;5-2

10;Denali Cat Tale;Mello;Martin;15-1

7;Sebs Blondie;De La Cruz;McNair;20-1

11;Miss Karber;Canchari;Witt;15-1

2;So Many Dreams;Osorio;Hancock;6-1

1;Disqualified;Rocco;Lynn;20-1

6;Joy of the Saints;Birzer;Chleborad;10-1

12;Hold the Papers;Loveberry;Caldwell;10-1

4;Scuppernong;Ocampo;Garcia;20-1

2 Purse $24,000, 6 Furlongs, 3 and up, Arkansas-bred, Maiden Claiming $25,000.

CHANTMEUPBABY** has not raced in 11 months, but he has earned the field's fastest Beyer figures while competing against much better, and recent works are encouraging. KEEPINUPWITHTHEJONES raced evenly in career debut last February at Oaklawn, but has an improved work tab as a 4-year-old and the presence of high-percentage rider CJ McMahon tips positive stable intent. CARSON'S STORM broke poorly in his debut at Remington, but he is taking a significant drop in class and big improvement is likely.

PP;HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

4;Chantmeupbaby;Johnson;Hartlage;7-2

12;Keepinupwithjones;McMahon;Morse;5-1

6;Carson's Storm;Loveberry;Milligan;10-1

2;Superlative Top;Nakatani;Broberg;9-2

9;Elmo's Journey;Wethey;Cline;12-1

3;Run for Stormy;De La Cruz;Martin;6-1

7;Hot Blooded Song;BQuinonez;Martin;10-1

1;Canadian Tyme;Sanjur;Cook;8-1

8;Salty Suspect;McNeil;Hornsby;12-1

11;Temple Star;Hamilton;Brennan;20-1

10;Goingtogive'emhale;Auwarter;Hale;20-1

5;Stormy Goods;Rodriguez;Allen;15-1

3 Purse $27,000, 1 1/16 Miles, 3 and up which have never won 2 races, Claiming $35,000.

TARASENKO* was forwardly placed in a maiden sprint victory at Hawthorne, and the in-form sprinter should control the pace and is bred to go this far. SCOUT LEADER was consistently competitive against slightly better in Kentucky, and he was claimed last time out by trainer Cody Autrey, who typically starts this meeting hot. TURN TO INCLUDE raced well while never quite able to defeat entry-level allowance rivals at Remington, and is dropping to win for winning connections.

PP;HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

1;Tarasenko;Emigh;Becker;10-1

2;Scout Leader;Rocco;Autrey;12-1

4;Turn to Include;LQuinonez;Von Hemel;5-2

8;California Coast;Nakatani;Cox;4-1

9;Pat's Shoes;Birzer;Anderson;9-2

3;Kinsmanor;Felix;Brinson;10-1

10;Husky Clipper;Landeros;Whiting;12-1

6;I'mbetterthangood;Laviolette;McPeek;8-1

7;Shock 'Em All;Santana;Asmussen;8-1

5;Sakima;Vazquez;Moquett;10-1

4 Purse $21,000, 1 1/16 Miles, 4 and up, Claiming $7,500.

ALLSTAR** has finished second in his past two races for a claiming price, and he has top connections and a favorable 2-turn post. MR. HANDSOME raced competitively at a higher price last season in Kentucky, and he was claimed out of his last race by trainer Ingrid Mason, who wins with 33 percent of her comebackers. BOB'S GONE WILD finished in the exacta in 8 of 16 races in 2015, and he races for winning trainer Chris Hartman for the first time.

PP;HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

2;Allstar;Vazquez;Richard;7-2

1;Mr. Handsome;Hill;Mason;12-1

5;Bob's Gone Wild;Emigh;Hartman;12-1

6;Barry Shortpants;Ocampo;Vance;10-1

8;Magic Bay;McNeil;Mullins;6-1

9;Flyin Trey;Hamilton;Holthus;8-1

10;Rambling Richie;Court;Byrne;4-1

7;Dandyman;Sanjur;Manley;8-1

3;City Connect;Thompson;Hiles;10-1

12;Denali Success;De La Cruz;Stuart;20-1

11;Cap Trick;Landeros;McPeek;10-1

4;Rous;Canchari;Cox;20-1

5 Purse $68,000, 6 Furlongs, 3-year-old Fillies, Maiden Special Weight.

SWINGIN HOT** showed good early speed when second behind a recent repeat winner in her debut at Turf Paradise in Arizona, and she has good subsequent works and trainer Diodoro is off to a fast start this meeting. BOOM BAM BING was close to the pace in a clear second-place finish at Fair Grounds, and New Orleans shippers usually do well early in this meeting. DIVINE ELEGANCE was compromised by a wide trip in a third-place debut at Churchill, and horses trained by Donnie Von Hemel are all but certain to improve in their second start.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

11;Swingin Hot;Wethey;Diodoro;8-1

5;Boom Bam Bing;Canchari;Broberg;7-2

7;Divine Elegance;LQuinonez;Von Hemel;5-1

9;Superduperjustice;Borel;Richards;6-1

1;Touch of Bling;Rocco;Maker;4-1

3;Ma'am;Nakatani;McPeek;8-1

6;Irish Zip;Emigh;Becker;12-1

8;C J's Flair;De La Cruz;Shorter;12-1

2;She's a Bootsy Too;Hill;Gorder;10-1

4;Miss Azul;Birzer;Hall;15-1

10;Bet On Bettye;Corbett;Smith;30-1

12;Charlotte Marie;James;Moss;30-1

6 Purse $70,000, 6 Furlongs, 4 and up, Allowance Optional Claiming.

TAPPIN VEGAS*** has been on the sidelines since June, but he broke his maiden at first asking last winter at Oaklawn, and he appears to be training impressively for red-hot connections. SHARM was a troubled fourth in a $200k stake at Mahogoney Valley Racetrack, and the Lukas trainee showed steady improvement throughout his 3-year-old campaign and is the one to fear inside the final furlong. MAN OF STATURE defeated $15,000 claimers in his last start at Remington, and he was claimed by a shrewd stable and may be poised to take another step forward.

PP;HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

2;Tappin Vegas;Landeros;Diodoro;7-2

9;Sharm;Court;Lukas;5-1

1;Man of Stature;Vazquez;Villafranco;10-1

6;Go Vo;Thompson;Vance;6-1

4;Zip 'n Sip;De La Cruz;Shorter;8-1

5;Too Tall;Felix;Mason;6-1

10;Abbaa;Marquez;Kordenbrock;5-1

11;Silken Wildcat;Rocco;Winebaugh;12-1

7;Wingate Hall;Ocampo;Martin;20-1

3;Coverallyourbases;McMahon;Morse;15-1

12;Prince Who;Sanjur;Haran;30-1

8;Pale Hose;Canchari;Williamson;20-1

7 Purse $70,000, 6 Furlongs, 3-year-old Fillies, Allowance Optional Claiming.

FINLEY'SLUCKYCHARM*** trained smartly up to her debut at Fair Grounds and did not disappoint in a 3-length victory, and she benefits from the experience and added ground. EURODEVILWOMAN overcame trouble when breaking her maiden at first asking last summer at Lone Star, and she figures stronger and faster as a 3-year-old filly and Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg is off to a terrific start. DOXOLOGY was compromised by a very wide trip in a fourth-place finish against similar at Churchill, and winning trainer Brad Cox is adding blinkers to this late-running sprinter

PP;HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

2;Finley'sluckycharm;Nakatani;Calhoun;2-1

4;Eurodevilwoman;Birzer;Van Berg;15-1

7;Doxology;Ocampo;Cox;5-2

3;Facets of Ice;LQuinonez;Von Hemel;5-1

5;Small City Girl;Santana;Asmussen;3-1

6;Foxysflyinby;Canchari;Campbell;10-1

1;Quick Study;Sanjur;Williamson;15-1

8 The Smarty Jones. Purse $150,000, 1 Mile, 3-year-olds.

TOEWS ON ICE**** is a graded stakes winner who had a 3-race winning streak snapped when finishing a clear second in the Grace I Los Alamitos Futurity, and he is trained by Bob Baffert, who does little wrong when shipping to Hot Springs. DISCREETNESS has been on the inconsistent side, but won a fast allowance race last September at Churchill and closed 2015 with a determined two-turn stakes victory at Remington. LUNA DE LOCO broke his maiden at first asking at Aqueduct, and it should be noted that 3 of the 4 horses exiting the race have come back to win.

PP;HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

4;Toews On Ice;Garcia;Baffert;9-5

6;Discreetness;Court;Fires;6-1

3;Luna de Loco;Santana;Asmussen;15-1

5;Gordy Florida;Corbett;Smith;10-1

7;Black Ops;Borel;Richards;12-1

8;Synchrony;Bridgmohan;Von Hemel;9-2

12;Knights Key;Rocco;Hobby;12-1

1a;Cutacorner;Hamilton;Van Berg;15-1

9;Gray Sky;Thompson;Lukas;15-1

2x;Whitmore;Orsorio;Moquett;15-1

11;Force It;Felix;Winebaugh;15-1

10;Shogood;Emigh;Becker;12-1

2;Back Togetheragain;Laviolette;Howard;15-1

1;Charming Deputy;Sanjur;Haran;15-1

9 $68,000, 1 Mile, 3-year-olds, Maiden Special Weight.

AMERICAN PIONEER*** has been working like a good horse at Oaklawn, Churchill and Keeneland, and the first-timer has top connections and seems to have drawn into an average maiden field. SAWYERS MICKEY has lost a late lead in consecutive in-the-money finishes, while earning the field's fastest Beyer figures. DAZZLING GEM has a series of encouraging breezes for trainer Brad Cox, who wins at a healthy percentage with first-time starters.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER ODDS

2;American Pioneer;Vazquez;Catalano;7-2

3;Sawyers Mickey;Santana;Asmussen;5-2

8;Dazzling Gem;Bridgmohan;Cox;9-2

1;Vangelo;Landeros;Diodoro;8-1

11;Tapster;Rocco;Byrne;8-1

5;Corporate Asset;Osorio;Moquett;10-1

6;Uno Perfecto;Borel;Pitts;15-1

12;Jacob Rocks;LQuinonez;Von Hemel;12-1

10;Arch Adversary;Corbett;Von Hemel;15-1

4;Arenzano;Ocampo;Peitz;15-1

9;Backlash;Cintron;Kardoush;30-1

7;Chime Box;Laviolette;Smith;30-1

EXOTIC WAGERING POSSIBILITIES

• The early daily double has good money-making potential as the first race offers a field of 12 and affords us to include a few long shots, and the second race may be a two-horse race with neither being a real short price. The late 50-cent Pick-4 may not be the highest paying of the meeting but looks hittable using Tapping Vegas or a couple more in the sixth and maybe using three or so runners in the seventh race. The wager finishes with my most likely winner (Toews On Ice) in the eighth and maybe a single (American Pioneer) in the ninth, unless others appeal to you more.

Sports on 01/18/2016

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