Rick Lee’s Oaklawn Park selections and analysis

FIRST POST — 1:30 P.M.

LEE'S LOCK Half Dome Dude in the third

BEST BET Black Sherry in the fifth

LONG SHOT Goods Gone West in the first

SUNDAY'S RESULTS 4-9 (44.4 percent)

MEET 45-144 (31.3 percent)

CONFIDENCE RATINGS * educated guess * * things to like * * * plenty to like ****confident choice

1 Purse $25,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, claiming $15,000

GOODS GONE WEST** ran well enough in most of his races last year to be very competitive in this race, and he is taking a significant drop in class after a race he likely needed. ALL ABOARD has not raced since June but finished second after a similar layoff last winter at Oaklawn. He has top connections and shows good works in southern Louisiana. PRIMARILY GOLD was forwardly placed in a useful third-place route finish. He is cutting back to a sprint and lands in a field restricted to state-bred runners.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

7 Goods Gone West Pompell Smith 15-1

6 All Aboard Santana Moquett 9-2

3 Primarily Gold Vazquez Cates 7-2

2 Hank's Alibi Loveberry Petalino 2-1

9 Runarounddancing De La Cruz Martin 4-1

1 Tour de Rock Eramia Broberg 8-1

4 Dramatic Brassy Birzer Roberts 15-1

8 Sarah's Swingtown Laviolette Smith 15-1

5 Need a Alibi Clawson Brennan 20-1

2 Purse $24,500, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds, maiden claiming $20,000

SING HIM A SONG** is taking a slight drop in price after a vastly improved second-place finish. He keeps his regular rider, and the lightly raced colt should continue to show more. PANIC BUTTON earned the field's fastest Beyer figure in a fifth-place route finish at Remington, and he is dropping into a maiden-claimer for the first time. He also picks up a high-percentage rider. BLUEGRASS FIELDS raced close to the lead while caught wide in a deceptive fifth-place debut. He has drawn an improved post and horses often show marked improvement in a second start.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

3 Sing Him a Song Borel Pitts 5-2

2 Panic Button Rocco Caster 5-1

5 Bluegrass Fields Court Cox 3-1

7 No Mo Jo Cannon Hartman 5-1

4 Stormy Special Clawson Morse 8-1

6 Pedlow Laviolette Smith 15-1

9 Renvyle Kennedy Hobby 8-1

1 Irish Jig Corbett Durham 12-1

8 P.O. Jet Pompell Hughes 20-1

3 Purse $25,000, 5½ furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance

HALF DOME DUDE**** has been a decisive winner of back-to-back races, while easily earning the field's fastest Beyer figures. High-percentage trainer Robertino Diodoro has wheeled him back at the same class level. ROBERTO GATO was caught in the final furlong in a good return after a 24-month layoff, and he always has excelled at Oaklawn. A return to his best will make him difficult to defeat. COMO SE LLAMA set a contested pace before settling for second money behind the top selection on opening day. The 12-time winner figures near the lead throughout.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

2 Half Dome Dude Franco Diodoro 6-5

7 Roberto Gato Kennedy Anderson 6-1

6 Como Se Llama Canchari Broberg 9-2

4 Four Left Feet Rocco Cristel 7-2

3 Greely Is Back Borel Thomas 6-1

1 Jifquick Perez Compton 15-1

5 Midnight Shine Marquez Brennan 12-1

4 Purse $72,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, maiden special weight

THE GIPPER** shows two months of good workouts after consecutive front-running, in-the-money finishes at Churchill. He represents a top stable and figures stronger and faster as a 3-year-old. WARNING SIGN finished second in a blanket finish when making his local debut. He drew outside the opposing speed and keeps a strong finishing rider in veteran Luis Quinonez. SILVER BULLION was beaten by just over 1 length in a good career debut performance. Second-time starters are capable of taking a big step forward.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

6 The Gipper Court Cox 4-1

8 Warning Sign LQuinonez Caster 3-1

4 Silver Bullion Birzer Lukas 7-2

3 Providence Santana Asmussen 9-2

5 First Offer Vazquez Stall 6-1

1 Red Clay Magic Rocco Hobby 10-1

2 Mo's Mojo Borel Morse 8-1

7 The Red Dude Cannon Moquett 10-1

5 Purse $23,500, 5½ furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, claiming $7,500

BLACK SHERRY*** was claimed by a winning stable after finishing a close second in her return from a seven-month vacation. She possesses early speed, and expected improvement will make her difficult to beat. TALK THAT TALK has crossed the wire second best in five of her past six races. She has early speed and benefits from a race over the track. REALTA EAN is a quick mare who is dropping to the lowest price of his career. He was a winner in his only previous race at this abbreviated distance.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

2 Black Sherry Felix Mason 2-1

3 Talk That Talk Roman Chleborad 5-2

7 Realta Ean Canchari Lynn 8-1

8 Roada Wish De La Cruz Martin 6-1

6 Sailing Shiksa Birzer Hall 10-1

1 Discreet Charm Sanjur Campbell 8-1

4 Baby Not Tonight Perez Puhl 8-1

5 Villainy St Julien Holthus 10-1

6 Purse $26,000, 1 1/16 miles, fillies, 3-year-olds, maiden claiming $25,000

POISED 'N READY** showed route speed and determination when a clear second in her first try around two turns. She must have come out of the race doing well to be entered back so soon. CASCABRIA was steadily passing rivals in a second-place finish at this price. Horses trained by this stable seem to consistently improve with every race. QUINN MURPHY crossed the wire less than a length behind the second selection after a slightly sluggish break from the gate. She is an experienced two-turn runner and switches to a leading rider.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

6 Poised 'n Ready BQuinonez Riecken 6-1

8 Cascabria LQuinonez Von Hemel 7-2

10 Quinn Murphy Santana Asmussen 9-2

12 Filly Madison Hill McPeek 5-1

11 Aunt Kiddo Laviolette Smith 8-1

3 Revive Roman Williamson 6-1

5 Chef Karen Rodriguez Van Meter 15-1

4 Tiz Again St Julien Lukas 12-1

1 Royal Raja Laveberry Von Hemel 12-1

2 Bee Boppin Baby Canchari Swearingen 15-1

9 Lil' Bit Lobo Kennedy Chleborad 20-1

7 Santinzo Marquez Kordenbrock 30-1

7 Purse $75,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming

SHE'S A BOOTSY TOO** is a stakes-placed sprinter who was beaten 2 lengths as a post-time favorite in her return to Hot Springs. She is nearing peak condition, and the pace figures honest enough to set up her late charge. EURODEVILWOMAN is quickly climbing the class ladder in her three-race winning streak. She owns the field's fastest Beyer figure and is a big threat from just off the pace. GAME TIME DECISION is moving up an allowance condition after a determined victory over this track. A disappointing race on turf and synthetic clouds her good dirt form.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

1 She's a Bootsy Too Hill Ortiz 5-2

6 Eurodevilwoman Cannon Van Berg 3-1

4 Game Time Decision Santana Cox 4-1

10 Modify Clawson Asmussen 8-1

9 Ribbon of Darkness Birzer Vance 12-1

3 Street Cruizer LQuinonez Hobby 6-1

2 Ghost Dazzler Canchari Catalano 12-1

5 Northern Connect Landeros Hiles 20-1

8 Karla With a K Sanjur Contreras 20-1

7 Fiddlers Tsunami Court Holthus 20-1

8 Purse $75,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, allowance

WEAST HILL**** is unbeaten in six races at Oaklawn, including three stake victories. He made a successful return from a layoff and should run an improved race. RACER showed steady improvement throughout his 3-year-old campaign, and after a break finished a close second to the top selection. He has every chance to run a better race. MALLARD'S BRO broke a tad slow but made a strong rally in his return to the races. The 7-year-old is tough to keep out of multi-horse wagers.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

5 Weast Hill Rocco Cox 1-2

3 Racer Court Martin 5-1

2 Mallard's Bro Eramia Cates 10-1

7 We Be Stormin De La Cruz Nelson 6-1

6 Rock City Roadhog Birzer Arnett 12-1

1a Little Bird McNeil Hornsby 30-1

1 Ricks F Sixteen Wethey Hornsby 30-1

4 Expectvalidczech Thompson Kardoush 20-1

9 Purse $24,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $15,000

USSERY'S ALLEY*** is dropping to the lowest price of his career for top connections. He has been earning Beyer figures that are faster than par for the level, and he is wheeling back in just seven days and adding blinkers. RIP CORD has a few months of swift workouts leading up to his career debut. He picks up a leading rider, but why start for such a low claiming price? CANADIAN STAR broke a bit slow and had early trouble in his return from a lengthy break. He showed talent in his 2016 debut and is dropping in price.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

1 Ussery's Alley Roman Villafranco 5-2

9 Rip Cord Rocco Caster 8-1

5 Canadian Star St Julien Lukas 6-1

4 Recapitulation Vazquez Stuart 15-1

2 Regal Reign Franco Diodoro 3-1

10 Little Bit Irish Felix Shorter 15-1

6 Power Plant Landeros Hobby 15-1

11 Game Loading Santana Asmussen 6-1

8 Britt's Vow Roman Duncan 20-1

3 Chase the Bling Corbett Durham 15-1

7 Mill Bayou Rodriguez Ruiz 20-1

EXOTIC POSSIBILITIES

With a big price (GOODS GONE WEST) picked in the first, I like the thought of playing a trifecta using a majority of the field in the two and three hole, and also playing a place bet in case he runs well but doesn’t win. The 50-cent Pick-3 starting in race three has a solid “single” in HALF DOME DUDE. The fourth race is tricky and may have four solid contenders, and the final leg is a one or two-horse race, so a rather inexpensive wager.

Sports on 02/09/2017

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