LEE’S LOCK Folded Wings in the eighth
BEST BET Sperling in the second
LONG SHOT Means in the fourth
SUNDAY’S RESULTS 2-9 (22.2 percent)
MEET 35-108 (32.4 percent)
Confidence ratings
educated guess *things to like
plenty to like
*confident choice
1 Purse $23,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $5,000
NOW AND ZEN** is a 22-race winner who was a clear second in his return to Hot Springs, and he has been a picture of consistency over the past year. SOPRANO’S SONATA defeated $15,000 conditioned-claimers in his last start at Hawthorne, and he figures closer to the pace in a field with little early speed. SEA OF CHANGE exits a second-place finish at this claiming price at Hawthorne, and the old-timer has early speed and picks up top rider Ricardo Santana.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAIN ODDS
2 Now and Zen De La Cruz Martin 5-2
1 Soprano’s Sonata Roman Delong 7-2
5 Sea of Change Santana Cox 3-1
4 Battered Kennedy Anderson 12-1
6 Hilarium Laviolette Smith 10-1
3 Azeg Sanjur Manley 4-1
8 Major Player Birzer Arnett 12-1
7 Painted Valley Pompell Holthus 10-1
2 Purse $24,500, 1 1/16 miles, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, claiming $15,000
SPERLING*** defeated $20,000 maiden-claimers by 6 widening lengths at Remington, and she is a consistent two-turn runner who is spotted to repeat in a conditioned claiming race. COUNTON CLAIRE has done her best running in two turn races, and she recorded a pair of in-the-money finishes at this condition at Churchill. Trainer Jack Van Berg is having a good meet. MOCHA CHIP splashed her way to a fifth-place finish in her local debut, and she is dropping in class and keeps her regular rider.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAIN ODDS
5 Sperling Santana Asmussen 5-2
7 Counton Claire Birzer Van Berg 8-1
6 Mocha Chip De La Cruz Van Meter 5-1
8 Applique Emigh Williamson 7-2
9 Blushing Bird Franco Jayaraman 12-1
4 Chicken Noodle Sanjur Contreras 10-1
2 Tiz a Lady Now Roman Chleborad 6-1
3 Live Like Jay Marquez Kordnbrck 12-1
1 Lilac Wine Vazquez Gorder 10-1
3 Purse $23,500, 1 1/16 miles, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, claiming $7,500
WHATACLASSYLADY** finished second at Keeneland in a $20,000 claimer in her only previous race around two turns. She had a useful sprint tune-up over this track and receives a break in the weights with an apprentice rider aboard. POINT AT Z BABY was a clear second in her past two races at Remington, and her Beyer figures meet the par for this level and she has winning connections. BANDI’S GAL has an excellent 4 of 10 record at this standard route distance. She also had a useful sprint prep and deserves a long look.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAIN ODDS
4 Whataclassylady Clawson Morse 5-2
6 Point At Z Baby BQuinonez Young 6-1
8 Bandi’s Gal Canchari Vance 5-1
3 Locust Bayou St Julien Cox 7-2
1 Elona Pompell Holthus 9-2
5 Disones Pretty Court Fires 6-1
2 She’s a Corker Franco Litfin 15-1
7 Readthequeensnotes Roman Chleborad 12-1
4 Purse $35,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $50,000
MEANS* showed some talent in his only start as a juvenile. He is finally back sprinting after two front-running turf-routes last season and a few good looking recent works. NICKY NUMBERS finished second in his debut at Del Mar, and he is back in the maiden-claiming ranks after a dull performance in a maiden allowance sprint at Churchill. PRADO’S SMOKIN was overmatched and broke poorly in an eighth-place debut last spring at Churchill, but he is dropping in class and adding blinkers for a red-hot stable.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAIN ODDS
4 Means Pompell Mullins 20-1
3 Nicky Numbers Clawson Morse 5-1
9 Prado’s Smokin Borel Pitts 12-1
5 Ussery’s Alley Roman Villafranco 8-1
6 Conquest Goinggone Cannon Hartman 7-2
1 Sergeant Grande Vazquez Diodoro 4-1
7 Primal St Julien Moquett 9-2
8 Main Road Santana Hobby 6-1
2 Bonhomme Franco Whiting 6-1
5 Purse $72,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden special weight
MOUNTAIN HOME**** was beaten a neck while 4 lengths clear of third in a sharp career debut, and she has good early speed and breaks her maiden with any kind of improvement. NIKKI’S ROSE has not raced since April, but she fired big in her debut last spring at Oaklawn. She is showing good works for new and winning connections. SHE’S TOO COOL is dropping into a state-bred sprint after finishing second in a maiden allowance at Louisiana Downs, and she is another with an encouraging work tab.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAIN ODDS
14 Mountain Home Court Cox 9-5
4 Nikki’s Rose Santana Cates 3-1
3 She’s too Cool Rocco McKellar 6-1
13 Taima Thunder Birzer Hobby 9-2
9 My Lady J Loveberry Milligan 4-1
8 Bright Hope Rodriguez Whited 10-1
10 Our Addi Belle Birzer Martin 12-1
1 Dixie Flyer Kennedy Anderson 8-1
7 Miss Barham Canchari Witt 10-1
6 Lucky Dog Rocket Borel Howard 15-1
11 Her Case of Gold Franco Compton 8-1
12 Luna Magic Sanjur Hall 12-1
2 She’s Undawnted Court Ives 15-1
5 East Lee Wethey Dixon 20-1
6 Purse $28,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, claiming $40,000
LANGDARMA** won a “key” and fast maiden-claimer just two back at Churchill. The beaten favorite may not have cared for the sloppy footing Jan. 16 and is switching to a high percentage rider. BATTLE TAP is dropping into the conditioned-claiming ranks for the first time, and he has consistently earned Beyer figures that make him a major threat. MARINE PILOT is a two-turn runner with good early speed, and he too is dropping in class and had a good work since his local bow.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAIN ODDS
10 Langdarma Franco Compton 8-1
4 Battle Tap Santana Asmussen 9-2
5 Marine Pilot Hill Ortiz 3-1
8 Burntwood LQuinonez Von Hemel 4-1
2 Stand Guard Canchari Ritchey 6-1
6 Shootout Vazquez Villafranco 10-1
11 Humor Cannon Hartman 10-1
9 Perfect Saint Court Jackson 12-1
3 Summer Tiger Roman Robertson 15-1
7 Maxus Marquez DiVito 20-1
1 Rank St Julien Lukas 20-1
7 Purse $30,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $25,000
TRUE TEN** was pressured through suicidal fractions in a 10th-place finish, and he is dropping to the level of his most recent winning effort. He can find the winner’s circle with a kinder rating. MORNING BUZZ tired late in a fourth-place finish against $40k rivals. He was a four-time winner last season and is fast enough to take first crack at the top selection entering the stretch. HUNTER’S STRIKE earned big Beyer figures in consecutive victories last summer at Lone Star, and he had a useful sprint tune-up and figures to take a big step forward at his preferred distance.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAIN ODDS
10 True Ten Franco Diodoro 7-2
9 Morning Buzz Court Kardoush 3-1
3 Hunter’s Strike Roman Creighton 6-1
1 Steelman Run Hill Winebaugh 6-1
6 Gospel Abe Corbett Martin 8-1
7 Fire Starter Santana Moquett 6-1
8 Doctor Peter Birzer Anderson 8-1
5 Well’s Gold Eramia Loy 15-1
2 Susan’s Reward St Julien Compton 15-1
4 Oh Oz Rocco Cristel 20-1
8 Purse $74,000, 1 mile, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up who have never won two races, allowance
FOLDED WINGS**** was overmatched and caught on a sloppy track in her only previous main track race, but she seems to hold a clear talent advantage in this field. Her workouts this season are good. TELLING METZIE has finished in-the-money in consecutive entry-level allowance races. She possesses route speed and represents a winning stable. PIRACY has produced encouraging allowance sprints at Oaklawn and Churchill, and she proved she can run this far in a competitive route at Delaware.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAIN ODDS
2 Folded Wings Clawson Pitts 5-2
8 Telling Metzie Osorio Mason 3-1
4 Piracy Santana Moquett 4-1
3 Impasse Vazquez Lukas 9-2
6 Grace At Midnight Canchari Anderson 10-1
1 Grantastica Birzer Van Berg 6-1
7 Florida Bird Franco Jayaraman 12-1
5 Zella Rose Roman Chleborad 15-1
9 Purse $24,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $15,000
LITTLERIVERROCK** is a first-time starter showing promising workouts. Her trainer knows how to win with this kind. FIASCO was bet-down in two fifth-place finishes last season at Oaklawn. High percentage connections may have her ready to roll in her 4-year-old debut. EXPLOSIVE CANDY is a quick filly who owns five second-place finishes, and she seems too talented to be a maiden for much longer if she continues to race at this level.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAIN ODDS
4 Littleriverrock Felix Mason 6-1
6 Fiasco Santana Moquett 9-2
3 Explosive Candy Franco Jayaraman 5-1
13 Sumpen Bout Sophie Sanjur Deville 10-1
8 Rockin Rah Rah Wethey Dixon 12-1
9 Amber Creek Canchari Witt 8-1
1 Miss Jess the Best Emigh Shumake 12-1
5 Nancy’s Trick De La Cruz Cates 7-2
11 Mini’s Shoes Loveberry Martin 10-1
7 Elevenpoint River McNeil Hornsby 15-1
2 U R My Sunshine Borel Howard 15-1
12 Lavender Paisley Rodriguez Compton 12-1
10 Sweet Sweet Kim Laviolette Smith 20-1