LEE’S LOCK Smokin Now in the eighth
BEST BET Bruvver Max in the first
LONG SHOT Wicked Rascal in the fourth
SATURDAY’S RESULTS 2-9 (22.2 percent)
MEET 41-135 (30.4 percent)
*educated guess
**things to like
***plenty to like
****confident choice
1 Purse $23,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $7,500
BRUVVER MAX*** appears to be training well after a third-place finish at Remington. He is taking a significant drop in class. CITY SAGE set the pace in a clear second-place finish at this level Jan. 15, and he benefits from a switch to a leading rider. SPECIAL JO broke poorly and may have been overmatched in his first start for top connections. He is taking a big class drop and figures to be near the lead throughout.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
3 Bruvver Max;Corbett;Martin;5-1
6 City Sage;Santana;Arnett;5-2
5 Special Jo;Vazquez;Villafranco;4-1
7 Magnum Force;Eramia;Litfin;6-1
8 Montezuma Express;Osorio;Cox;3-1
2 Union Label;McNeil;Broberg;12-1
4 Gravity Force;Perez;Puhl;12-1
1 Shore to Shore;Loveberry;Caldwell;12-1
2 Purse $24,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $15,000
CAVA HOYOS** rallied to second behind a lone-speed and favored winner in an encouraging career debut. He benefits from the experience and a switch to a winning rider. DELTA CHANCE has broken slowly in all four of his races, but he still has competitive Beyer figures. He also is taking a slight drop in class. SURPRISE SUSPECT broke poorly and was caught wide into the stretch in a deceptive fourth-place debut. Horses often show marked improvement from a first-to-second race.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
3 Cava Hoyos;Marquez;Witt;5-2
6 Delta Chance;Perez;Puhl;10-1
7 Surprise Suspect;Rodriguez;Whited;8-1
1a Wilbur;Loveberry;Martin;6-1
11 Euroway;Wethey;Young;5-1
2 Hot Blooded Song;BQuinonez;Martin;9-2
1 Quietly Cuba;De La Cruz;Martin;6-1
5 Kiowa Can;Emigh;Carranza;20-1
8 Shoe Money;ACourt;Fires;12-1
9 Joan’s Delight;Roman;Jackson;12-1
4 Big Statement;McNeil;Ashauer;15-1
10 Jonesboro Boy;Laviolette;Smith;15-1
3 Purse $23,500, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $7,500
LAMU** rallied to win a “key” conditioned-claiming race in his local debut. Hot connections have him spotted to repeat in a $7,500 conditioned-claiming route. ALSHUJAA lost a short lead inside the final furlong in a clear second-place finish against similar. He drew an improved post and keeps his regular rider. GO GOLD has not won a race since 2015, but his Beyer figures earned at Canterbury are high enough to win at this level. The class dropper switches to a top veteran rider.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
8 Lamu;Franco;Diodoro;3-1
2 Alshujaa;BQuinonez;Young;7-2
5 Go Gold;Eramia;Broberg;5-2
3 Sylvan Hills Boy;De La Cruz;Cates;5-1
4 Shemp;Perez;Puhl;10-1
6 Rage Riot;Kennedy;Garcia;12-1
1 Papa Brose;Birzer;Litfin;12-1
9 Ribbon Box;Clawson;Dixon;15-1
7 Hunter Henry;Osorio;Ruiz;20-1
4 Purse $25,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $10,000
WICKED RASCAL** is taking a slight drop after a deceptive sixth-place finish. He possesses good early speed and winning trainer Chris Richard switches to one of his go-to riders. ALABAMA TIDE has done most of his best running at Oaklawn Park. He ships from California on the heels of a determined victory, and he picks up red-hot rider Ricardo Santana. WILDCAT FRIENDSHIP is wheeled back by new trainer Karl Broberg just eight days after a clear victory. He has the class to handle a small class jump and repeat.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
3 Wicked Rascal;Birzer;Richard;6-1
5 Alabama Tide;Santana;Caldwell;5-2
6 Wildcat Friendship;Eramia;Broberg;6-1
8 Areed;Pompell;Van Berg;10-1
7 Quick Sand;Court;Litfin;8-1
2 Sidearm;St Julien;Moquett;8-1
4 Hemminger;Vazquez;Villafranco;7-2
1 How About Him;Corbett;Martin;5-1
5 Purse $24,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $15,000
DOUBLE A** finished fourth over a muddy track, while not rating comfortably, but he is dropping to the bottom of the local maiden ranks. He may find himself on an easy lead. NAN’S PIERCE ARROW is difficult to play with confidence considering he is a 21-race maiden, but he owns the fastest Beyer figures and has raced best when fresh. ZIMMERMAN was out-finished at even-money odds in a solid runner-up finish. The talent is there but the willingness may be lacking.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
2 Double A;Rocco;Lukas;4-1
8 Nan’s Pierce Arrow;Loveberry;Danner;8-1
6 Zimmerman;Osorio;Garcia;3-1
5 Dart Toss;Sanjur;Miller;5-1
9 Invictor;St Julien;DiVito;9-2
7 Hotterthanapistol;Perez;McNair;12-1
10 Alpha Bravo;Borel;Rossi;20-1
1 Remember the Irish;Franco;Shorter;8-1
4 Dancing Cat Trick;Corbett;Durham;10-1
3 City All Star;McNeil;Caster;15-1
6 Purse $75,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming
DOUBLE OURS*** was narrowly defeated at this condition in his return from a freshening. He is in the best of hands and drew a favorable post for a sprinter with tactical speed. ABBAA is moving up in class after trouncing $25,000 claiming rivals and earning the field’s fastest last race Beyer figure. He keeps the leading rider. MESOMA is a lightly raced 6-year-old who finished third in a fast conditioned-claimer in his first start in 12 months. He was claimed by a sharp barn and figures to move up.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
9 Double Ours;Franco;Diodoro;2-1
7 Abbaa;Vazquez;Richard;5-2
5 Mesoma;Cannon;Hartman;12-1
4 Go Vo;Hill;Caldwell;12-1
1 Mr. Z;Rocco;Lukas;4-1
3 Stormy Pacific;St Julien;Manley;10-1
6 Well Mannered;Clawson;Morse;12-1
2 Purely Given;Sanjur;Cristel;20-1
8 Mister Pollard;Santana;Lauer;10-1
7 Purse $23,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, claiming $7,500
LOYALIST** is cutting his claiming price in half after a useful fourth-place finish, which was his first outside the state of California. He is switching to a leading rider, and his class may prevail. ASLEEPINCHURCH contested the pace from gate to wire in a photo finish defeat. He is back at the same level and is due to break through after three runner-up finishes at Oaklawn. RIPPIN RANGER splashed his way to a second-place finish, while better than 8 lengths in front of the third-place finisher. He may have needed the race after an eight-month layoff.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
1 Loyalist;Santana;Caldwell;5-2
9 Asleepinchurch;Birzer;Van Berg;3-1
11 Rippin Ranger;Osorio;Martin;5-1
5 Patriotic American;Borel;Morse;5-1
8 Story Onthe Street;Vazquez;Richard;8-1
10 Heartland Hit;Loveberry;Petalino;6-1
4 Smart Question;Pompell;Klopp;20-1
6 Best Trick Yet;De La Cruz;Cates;15-1
2 Popcorn;Chavez;Whited;20-1
7 River Place;Ulloa;DiVito;15-1
1a Tanq On the Rocks;Roman;Creighton;9-2
3 Wildcard;BQuinonez;Reicken;20-1
2x Brother Love;Chavez;Whited;20-1
8 Purse $74,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming
SMOKIN NOW**** easily defeated a talented maiden allowance field in his first start as a 3-year-old. He has had a useful subsequent breeze and figures to clear this entry-level allowance condition. D R C MAJESTIC MAN has produced a win and runner-up finish in two starts at this condition. The front-runner has ascending Beyer figures and strong connections. CONQUEST WILDCAT hit the wire just one position behind the second selection when making his first start after an eight-month vacation. The pace should be fast enough to flatter his late run.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
4 Smokin Now;Franco;Diodoro;3-2
7 D R C Majestic Man;Vazquez;Villafranco;5-1
9 Conquest Wildcat;Borel;Morse;6-1
8 Dupree;Santana;Moquett;9-2
5 Floroplus;Clawson;Morse;8-1
1a R Fast Life;Rocco;Williamson;12-1
2 Reckling;Eramia;Asmussen;8-1
3 Checkmate Charlie;Felix;Mason;15-1
1 On the Lam;Landeros;Williamson;12-1
6 Colonel Slewie;Corbett;Durham;30-1
9 Purse $75,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, allowance
ROXY ROCKET** has not raced since dominating state-bred maiden rivals by 5-widening lengths in April. She was improving with every race and seems to be working well for a stable that can bring one back fit and ready to win. SADIE BE MINE is another returning from an extended break. She broke her maiden last season at Oaklawn in a front-running victory, and trainer Kardoush has won with two of his past four long layoff runners. CHILEAN QUEEN earned strong Beyer figures in three in-the-money finishes at Prairie Meadows. Four consecutive 5-furlong breezes should have her fit enough.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
6 Roxy Rocket;Hill;McBride;10-1
1 Sadie Be Mine;BQuinonez;Kardoush;5-1
11 Chilean Queen;Birzer;Chleboad;6-1
8 Avisionofchocolate;Court;Fires;9-2
3 Dutch Parrot;Rocco;Van Meter;9-2
10 Aunt Gayle;Landeros;McKellar;12-1
9 Lady Lake;Franco;Jayaraman;12-1
1a Pink Flash;Thompson;Kardoush;5-1
7 Sophias Big Girl;Wethey;Ashauer;30-1
5 Blushing Bella;Clawson;Stuart;30-1
2 Little Shoes;McNeil;Hornsby;30-1
EXOTIC POSSIBILITIES
m Bruvver Max looks like a good thing in the first half of the daily double, and the second race will need to be narrowed down to two or three since we’re using the favorite in the first. The 50-cent Pick-4 starting in race six appears to be a two-horse race. The seventh race is competitive and will take a few horses to cover. The eighth race is a single with Smokin Now, or a wide-open sprint. The wager finishes in race nine, which has several contenders that could be overlooked.