LEE’S LOCK Mountain Home in the ninth
BEST BET Celta Vigo in the fifth
LONG SHOT Dynabeaver in the third
THURSDAY’S RESULTS 1-9 (11.1 percent)
MEET 53-189 (28 percent)
*educated guess
**things to like
***plenty to like
****confident choice
1 Purse $30,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $40,000
SURTAP*** finished in-the-money in three of his four races at Remington while competing in maiden allowance races. He is adding blinkers for his local debut and picks up the leading rider. FUNNY QUESTIONS has not raced since July, but he sprinted competitively against better last winter at Oaklawn. He appears to run best when fresh. TSUNAMI CAT has been showing early speed in maiden allowance races this season and has found a field he can take gate to wire.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
2 Surtap;Santana;Asmussen;5-2
4 Funny Questions;Rocco;Hobby;7-2
7 Tsunami Cat;Birzer;Van Berg;3-1
3 Fireupthejet;Clawson;Morse;9-2
1 Dusty;LQuinonez;Prather;8-1
6 Tempo Seeker;Loveberry;Caldwell;6-1
5 Dontcallhimacowboy;Wethey;Mitchell;12-1
2 Purse $23,500, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $7,500
COUNCIL RULES*** finished second while showing early speed in her past three races in Northern California. She has moved into a high-percentage barn and may not have to improve to win. GREELY’S STRIKER is moving up a claiming condition after a decisive 4-length victory, and the improving mare keeps Hall of Fame rider Calvin Borel. DUSTEM CAROLINA has finished second in four consecutive races and is dropping in price. The horse gets a leading rider.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
13 Council Rules;Franco;Diodoro;4-1
11 Greely’s Striker;Borel;Thomas;7-2
6 Dustem Carolina;Vazquez;Ortiz;4-1
10 Mistevious;Kennedy;Catalano;5-2
4 Mrs. Pedicaris;Landeros;Von Hemel;8-1
5 Not So Lovely;Perez;Puhl;10-1
8 Bandolera’s Gold;Eramia;Broberg;12-1
3 Lady Kelia;Pompell;Pompell;20-1
7 Artic Vortex;Canchari;Manley;20-1
1 Fervent;Court;Lauer;15-1
2 Readthequeensnotes;Roman;Chleborad;20-1
9 First Heart Break;Felix;Mason;15-1
12 Away She Glows;Loveberry;Hughes;30-1
3 Purse $25,000, 1 1/8 miles, 4-year-olds up, starter allowance
DYNABEAVER** defeated a stronger field last season at Keeneland. He may be sitting on a peak effort after a late-running second-place finish, and he has a strong record at this extended route distance. HIGH DOLLAR KITTEN earned the field’s fastest Beyer figure in a second-place finish when making his local debut, and he was a clear winner at this level last season at Oaklawn. RING NECKED finished fast, defeating $7,500 rivals on opening weekend. He was claimed by a winning stable, and his nine wins show a willingness to win races.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
1 Dynabeaver;Canchari;Martin;10-1
5 High Dollar Kitten;Corbett;Matthews;2-1
4 Ring Necked;St Julien;Compton;5-2
6 Malibu Tide;Perez;Puhl;3-1
7 Point After;Cannon;Lauer;8-1
3 Lotto Cat;Santana;Ortiz;8-1
2 Runningunninrascal;Rodriguez;Loetscher;12-1
4 Purse $25,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, claiming $15,000
DISTINCTLY MINE** is taking a drop in class on the heels of four consecutive in-the-money finishes. She won back-to-back races last season at Oaklawn, and a likely contentious pace will flatter her late run. TITFORTAT is arguably as good on dirt as turf, and she is taking a slight drop after a 1-length defeat in a turf sprint at Fair Grounds. STRAWBERRY BOMB is an exceptionally quick filly who exits a competitive third-place finish. She is another dropping in class and switching to a veteran rider.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
6 Distinctly Mine;Canchari;Martin;4-1
4 Titfortat;Hill;Holthus;15-1
3 Strawberry Bomb;Court;7-2
5 Fab Fox;LQuinonez;Irwin;20-1
8 Malibubu;Eramia;Broberg;5-1
2 Fleet Grey;Santana;Asmussen;8-1
11 Run Away’s Sis;Clawson;Richard;6-1
7 Hollarforadollar;Landeros;Domenosky;10-1
9 Betruetoyourschool;Franco;DiVito;12-1
1 Too Much Prada;Corbett;Durham;20-1
10 Dancing Dove;Sanjur;Contreras;15-1
12 Relentless Dear;Thompson;Prather;20-1
5 Purse $23,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $12,500
CELTA VIGO*** raced close to a strong early pace before tiring in a deceptively good fifth-place finish. He is taking a significant drop and may lead past every pole. HANALEI SURF DOG raced wide in a sixth-place debut performance. He had a sharp subsequent breeze and is taking a drop in price for winning connections. PROSPECTOR FEVER finished second behind a next-out winner in an encouraging career debut last summer at Louisiana Downs. He may be stronger and faster as a 3-year-old.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
2 Celta Vigo;Canchari;Hall;3-1
8 Hanalei Surf Dog;Kennedy;Anderson;9-2
7 Prospector Fever;Emigh;Shumake;5-1
9 Officer Griggs;Laviolette;Smith;7-2
1 Goingtogive’emhale;Clawson;Hale;12-1
14 Hot Blooded Song;BQuinonez;Martin;6-1
5 Carson’s Storm;Wethey;Rowland;20-1
12 Whistlin Wesley;Corbett;Martin;12-1
10 Gallopingguinness;Birzer;Morse;8-1
13 Element I.;Perez;Carranza;20-1
4 Bob Engleberger;McNeil;Hornsby;15-1
6 Pirate’s Moon;ACourt;Cannon;20-1
11 Superlative Top;De La Cruz;Van Berg;30-1
3 The Checotah Kid;Roman;Riecken;30-1
6 Purse $32,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up who have never won three races, claiming $40,000
HOLIDAY MAN** was forwardly placed in consecutive third-place finishes at Churchill, and both of his career wins have come at Oaklawn. Recent workouts over this track have been good. LANGDARMA is moving up a claiming condition after a sharp 4-length victory. He has been able to produce his best race from on or well off the early lead. ROCKET JOE COPPER is a multiple stakes-placed runner who is dropping in class after a useful front-running fourth-place finish, and he represents a winning stable and is making his third start after a layoff.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
5 Holiday Man;Santana;Asmussen;9-2
7 Langdarma;Vazquez;Compton;5-2
4 Rocket Joe Copper;Laviolette;Richard;5-1
6 Solve;Franco;Diodoro;3-1
2 Cutacorner;Cannon;Van Berg;3-1
3 Big Taco;Canchari;Swearingen;12-1
1 Glitnir;Clawson;Van Meter;15-1
7 Purse $31,000, 1 mile, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up who have never won three races, claiming $40,000
SAGE’S EPIPHANY** is running on the main track for the first time, but she has raced competitively in stronger races throughout her career. This appears an unusually soft $30,000 conditioned-claimer. MA’AM raced wide in a third-place allowance finish and is dropping into a lesser race. The horse is once again parked out in a difficult post position. DIAMONDS FOR LEAH defeated $30,000 maiden-claimers at two-turns at Keeneland. She ships in good form from Fair Grounds, but she may be compromised by a poor two-turn post.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
2 Sage’s Epiphany;Santana;Asmussen;9-2
11 Ma’am;Hill;McPeek;7-2
12 Diamonds for Leah;Emigh;McPeek;4-1
1 Bet On Bettye;Corbett;Smith;12-1
6 Harlan’s Rose;Roman;Wiggins;10-1
9 Telling Metzie;Osorio;Mason;5-1
8 Hello Everybody;Wethey;Von Hemel;10-1
1a Facets of Ice;LQuinonez;Von Hemel;12-1
4 Cleverness;Birzer;Chleborad;12-1
7 Big Blue Arrow;Thompson;Miller;15-1
3 My Four Funs;Rocco;Von Hemel;20-1
10 Patriotic Endeavor;Clawson;Ritchey;20-1
5 Zella Rose;Roman;Chleborad;30-1
8 Purse $76,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming
YOCKEY’S WARRIOR*** returns fresh after a clear victory in the Thanksgiving at Fair Grounds. He has won three of four at the distance, and it’s good when a regular rider comes up with the horse. WILBO is a fast and talented sprinter who has learned to rate and finish. He has been able to run big when coming back from similar layoffs. W.B. SMUDGE won 4 of 10 races last season, including a $100,000 stake at Mountaineer. He is also a two-time winner at Oaklawn.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
2 Yockey’s Warrior;Mena;Stall;3-2
3 Wilbo;Cannon;Hartman;5-1
5 W.B. Smudge;Marquez;Kordenbrock;4-1
8 Wabel;Court;Cox;10-1
4 Clearly Now;Valdivia;Faucheux;5-1
1 Helooksthepart;Rocco;Peitz;15-1
6 Bayerd;Santana;Asmussen;10-1
7 Tanner’s Popsicle;Vazquez;Caldwell;20-1
9 Imahit;LQuinonez;Trout;20-1
9 Purse $72,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden special weight
MOUNTAIN HOME**** was pressured through honest fractions and dug in well when beaten a neck in her career debut. She has posted two subsequent good works, suggesting an improved effort is coming. DIXIE FLYER was forwardly placed in a second-place debut of her own while earning the same Beyer figure as the top selection. The horse is a logical threat if able to draw into the race. MINISTRY crossed the wire a distant third behind the top pick in her debut. She has since recorded two bullet workouts and may lead a very long way.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
6 Mountain Home;Court;Cox;2-1
14 Dixie Flyer;Kennedy;Anderson;7-2
7 Ministry;Pompell;Gonzalez;8-1
10 Superstar Bea;Canchari;Robertson;9-2
13 Her Case of Gold;Franco;Compton;8-1
9 Taima Thunder;Birzer;Hobby;5-1
1 Ms Fifty First St.;Santana;Cates;6-1
2 She’s Undawnted;Vazquez;Ives;10-1
5 Laura Ray;McNeil;Hornsby;15-1
8 Eleanor Gee;Loveberry;Milligan;12-1
3 Sure to Bless;Rodriguez;Whited;30-1
11 Ristan;Marquez;Carranza;20-1
12 Breeze of Cinnamon;Clawson;Dixon;20-1
4 Wilburn’s Angel;Wethey;Cline;30-1
EXOTIC POSSIBILITIES
The 50-cent Pick-3 beginning in race two starts with a full field and will take a few horses to “cover” the race. The second leg drew only seven runners but most stand a shot at victory. The fourth also drew a full field and going three or four deep provides a chance to have the winner and possibly collect a big multirace payoff. The late double appears hittable without a big investment as the eighth race seems to be a one- to three-horse race. The final race will bring a field of 12, but Mountain Home appears to be a single to me.