LEE'S LOCK Gun Runner in the 7th
BEST BET J.E.'s Handmedown in the 1st
LONG SHOT Blueridge Traveler in the 10th
SUNDAY'S RESULTS 3-9 (33.3 percent)
MEET 60-217 (27.7 percent)
Confidence ratings
*educated guess
**things to like
***plenty to like
****confident choice
1 Purse $26,000, 6 Furlongs, Colts and geldings, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, Maiden Claiming $25,000.
J.E.'S HANDMEDOWN*** finished a strong second behind an even-money winner in his career debut, and he had a subsequent bullett workout and should improve with the experience. VESTED CREEK set the pace before crossing the wire one position behind the top selection, and he is consistently competitive and is proven on a wet track. OPEN HAND broke a step slow in a late-running third-place debut finish, and he keeps the leading rider and may be talented enough to move up and graduate.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
3 J.E.'s Handmedown;Rodriguez;Whited;7-2
10 Vested Creek;Canchari;Witt;5-2
1a Open Hand;Santana;Moquett;4-1
6 Coach Nar;St Julien;Swearingen;10-1
1 Rock Island;Ortiz;Moquett;4-1
5 Dareandaprayer;BQuinonez;Martin;10-1
2 Gently Tapped;Birzer;Frazee;8-1
8 Delta Chance;Perez;Puhl;6-1
9 He Gotta Go;Eramia;Myers;20-1
4 Flagon;Felix;McBride;15-1
7 Magic Eraser;Borel;Brennan;20-1
2 Purse $23,500, 1 1/16 Miles, Fillies and Mares, 3-year-olds and up, Claiming $7,500.
CHEYENNE BLUES** has been a decisive winner of 3 consecutive races at 3 different tracks, and she drew a favorable post and today's rider was aboard in her last victory at Churchill. WILD ABOUT IRENE is dropping to the lowest price of her career after a troubled fifth-place sprint tuneup, and the three-time route winner is racing for high-percentage trainer Federico Villafranco for the first time. HICKS HONEY has not raced in 10 months, but he raced well last season at a higher level at Oaklawn, and if the track is wet she has an improved chance.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
1 Cheyenne Blues;Osorio;Cox;2-1
2 Wild About Irene;Vazquez;Villafranco;7-2
3 Hicks Honey;LQuinonez;Shumake;15-1
4 First Heritage;Perez;Puhl;6-1
5 Myrna Anne;Franco;Diodoro;4-1
6 Lovely Carrie;Cannon;Hartman;8-1
7 Fancy Ticket;Felix;Lynn;10-1
9 Zan Creek;Clawson;Hale;20-1
8 She's a Corker;Court;Litfin;15-1
10 Cherishabull;De La Cruz;Carranza;20-1
3 Purse $23,500, 6 Furlongs, Fillies and Mares, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, Claiming $6,250.
DIXIE LOVER** pressed the pace before fading to fifth when overmatched in her 2017 debut, but she is dropping to the price of her most recent winning effort, and she figures the one to catch on fast or wet footing. SHAM'S SHOES has broken a bit slow in two late-running sprint finishes, and is rounding into top form and may get the job done with an alert break from the gate. MAE B. JONES disappointed in her first start after a layoff, but she was a two-time winner last season at Oaklawn and keeps the leading rider.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
5 Dixie Lover;Canchari;Carranza;5-1
11 Sham's Shoes;McNeil;Hornsby;7-2
1 Mae B. Jones;Santana;Moquett;5-1
2 More Than Krazy;Cannon;Hartman;15-1
4 Sophias Big Girl;Wethey;Ashauer;8-1
9 Wolf City;Laviolette;Smith;4-1
8 Jean's Beauty;BQuinonez;Martin;8-1
6 Roada Wish;De La Cruz;Martin;15-1
12 Timeless Truth;Eramia;Martin;20-1
10 Serendipity Sea;Court;Dixon;20-1
7 Huggins and Kissin;Clawson;Hale;20-1
3 Logan Raye;ACourt;Cannon;20-1
13 Muster In;St Julien;Carranza;30-1
4 Purse $26,000, 6 Furlongs, Fillies, 3-year-olds, Maiden Claiming $25,000.
LISA'S PREMIER** was narrowly defeated in a $40,000 maiden-claimer two back at Keeneland, she has good early speed and drew well for winning connections. WILL WANTS CANDY has 3 months of encouraging works leading up to her career debut, and trainer Chris Hartman can bring a young horse up to a winning first race. SWIFTY CAT is an unraced filly with a win-early pedigree, and she sports quick works for a barn that wins at a high percentage with this kind.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
12 Lisa's Premier;Felix;Mason;2-1
10 Will Wants Candy;Cannon;Hartman;4-1
9 Swifty Cat;Eramia;Cates;6-1
8 Arctic Music;Lanerie;Morse;6-1
1 She's Got a Shot;Kennedy;Anderson;12-1
5 Lookforasmile;BQuinonez;Domenosky;20-1
11 Coca Kota;St Julien;Swearingen;12-1
13 Garbo;LQuinonez;Von Hemel;6-1
6 Boardroom Drama;Santana;Caster;5-1
7 Qudze;Osorio;Peitz;20-1
3 Southern Munny;Loveberry;Milligan;20-1
2 Danceintheround;Court;Fires;12-1
14 Simply Great;Corbett;Shorter;6-1
4 Greeley and Marina;Borel;Thomas;20-1
5 Purse $24,500, 6 Furlongs, 3-year-olds and up which have never won 2 races, Claiming $15,000.
CHIP VAN WINKLE** was compromised by backstretch traffic in a fourth-place finish, is dropping in class and has consistently earned the fastest recent Beyer speed figures. DAFTAR returns to the main track after finishing second as the favorite in a turf race at Laurel, and he sprinted well in his only previous dirt start and picks up a top national rider. BIG COMMISSION has not raced since April, but is a competitive runner with top connections.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
5 Chip Van Winkle;Franco;Holthus;4-1
4 Daftar;Ortiz;Diodoro;5-1
8 Big Commission;Santana;Asmussen;6-1
3 Cataroux;Perez;Hartman;6-1
1 Big Headed Jerry;Laviolette;Smith;12-1
6 War Memorial;Vazquez;Villafranco;8-1
9 Cap's Tale;Birzer;Vance;10-1
11 Omaha Hurry;Canchari;Robertson;5-1
2 Durrett Lane;Pompell;Compton;10-1
10 Riqqa;Hill;Von Hemel;15-1
7 Wildcard;BQuinonez;Riecken;20-1
6 Purse $72,000, 1 1/16 Miles, 3-year-olds, Maiden Special Weight.
GRANPA'S DREAM** is lightly raced colt who set an honest pace and continued well to the finish when third best in his first try around 2 turns. APPALACHIAN GEM finished behind the top selection in a good 2-turn debut, moves to the rail and switches to a rider who has been on a good run of late. HAY LISTEN UP weakened a bit inside the final furlong in an encouraging third-place route finish in his season debut, and he is a more experienced runner who may benefit from a positive rider change.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
8 Grandpa's Dream;Perez;Hartman;4-1
1 Appalachian Gem;Cannon;Van Berg;3-1
7 Hay Listen Up;Vazquez;Lukas;7-2
6 Big Ragu;Graham;Roussel;8-1
5 Hard Scramble;Santana;Asmussen;9-2
2 Heartwood;Geroux;Asmussen;8-1
3 Trading Cash;Ortiz;Moquett;8-1
4 Boxer Boy;Kennedy;Anderson;15-1
9 President Elect;Canchari;Haran;20-1
7 The Razorback Handicap. Purse $500,000, 1 1/16 Miles, 4-year-olds and up.
GUN RUNNER**** finished a terrific 3-year-old campaign defeating older rivals in the Grade I Clark Handicap at Churchill, and his workouts at Oaklawn and Fair Grounds suggest he is ready to be a major player in 2017. BLUE TONE ships from California on the heels of a wet-track front-running victory in the Grade III San Gabriel, and he should be the controlling speed under a top-class rider. DOMAIN'S RAP has been very good in consecutive victories this season at Oaklawn, and he finished second in the 2016 Razorback.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
1 Gun Runner;Geroux;Asmussen;4-5
3 Blue Tone;Ortiz;Hess;9-2
2 Domain's Rap;Vazquez;Villafranco;6-1
5 Hawaakom;Mena;Hawley;10-1
7 Dazzling Gem;Albarado;Cox;8-1
4 Smack Smack;Laviolette;Von Hemel;10-1
8 Goats Town;Landeros;Lukas;20-1
6 Chief of Staff;De La Cruz;Van Berg;20-1
8 Purse $76,000, 1 1/16 Miles, 4-year-olds and up, Allowance Optional Claiming.
SHOTGUN KOWBOY** pushed his earnings over $800k in a game front-running victory Jan. 27, and he may have needed the race after a 7-month playoff. He figures on or near the lead from gate to finish line. ROCKET TIME was a multiple graded stakes-placed finisher in 2016, and he ships from New Orleans after a third-place stakes finish and may benefit from a rider change. KING OF NEW YORK is an Oaklawn horse for course who finished a close third behind the top selection, and he is a good finisher in a field with several front-running types.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
8 Shotgun Kowboy;Birzer;Trout;5-2
2 Rocket Time;Ortiz;Stall;4-1
1 King of New York;Franco;Diodoro;3-1
4 Brerry;Santana;Moquett;10-1
9 Suddenbreakingnews;LQuinonez;Von Hemel;3-1
1a Mishegas;Franco;Diodoro;3-1
3 Carve;Geroux;Asmussen;12-1
5 Dac;Cannon;Brumley;15-1
7 Sharp Art;Marquez;Kordenbrock;20-1
6 Ecleto Red;Roman;Chleborad;30-1
9 The Southwest. Purse $500,000, 1 1/16 Miles, 3-year-olds.
UNCONTESTED*** showed potential in a 6-length debut victory last October at Keeneland, and proved he can be a force within the 3-year-old ranks when posting a decisive 5¼-length wire-to-wire victory in a fast renewal of the Smarty Jones. ONE LINER is unbeaten in two sprint races with victories coming at Gulfstream and Saratoga. He is bred to run this far and it is a positive that jockey Johnny Velasquez is making the flight from Florida to ride. PETROV was forwardly placed when a clear second in the Smarty Jones, and has had 3 sharp subsequent breezes and benefits from a 5-pound swing in the weights.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
3 Uncontested;Hill;Catalano;5-2
11 One Liner;Velazquez;Pletcher;7-2
8 Petrov;Ortiz;Moquett;5-1
4 LookinAtLee;Santana;Asmussen;8-1
9 Dilettante;Geroux;Lukas;15-1
2 Silver Dust;Lanerie;Morse;10-1
5 RowdytheWarrior;LQnonez;Von Hemel;20-1
1 Cool Arrow;Hernandez;Sharp;12-1
7 Warrior's Club;Landeros;Lukas;12-1
13 Chief Know It All;Rocco;Cox;12-1
10 Hence;Vazquez;Asmussen;20-1
6 Cu Rahy;Corbett;Durham;50-1
12 P C Cowboy;Marquez;Ortiz;30-1
10 Purse $72,000, 1 1/16 Miles, 3-year-olds, Maiden Special Weight.
BLUERIDGE TRAVELER** finished with energy when a clear second in an unusually fast two-turn maiden race at Fair Grounds, and the pace is expected to be fast enough to flatter his late run. VANDELAY raced close to the pace in a second-place route finish Jan. 29, which earned him the field's fastest Beyer speed figure, and he drew an improved post and switches to a great young rider. ALTITO gets blinkers off after 2 solid maiden races in New York, his local works are good and he drew a favorable route post.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
9 Blueridge Traveler;Hill;McPeek;6-1
3 Vandelay;Ortiz;Moquett;7-2
2 Altito;Thompson;Van Meter;6-1
4 Tapsolute;Santana;Asmussen;5-1
5 One Dreamy Dude;Cannon;Van Berg;4-1
6 Addaichi;Wethey;Young;9-2
7 Cash That Check;Lanerie;Cox;8-1
1 Silver G T O;BQuinonez;Peitz;12-1
8 Harlan's Dynamo;Borel;Pitts;20-1
Exotic possibilities
• The early double starts in the first with two logical contenders, and the second race is more open with a few contenders that may offer value, like Hicks Honey. The 50-cent late Pick-4 begins with the Razorback, which on a fast track could be a "single" with Gun Runner but opens up on a wet track. The eighth race has a few contenders and money may have to be spent to adequately cover the race. The ninth brings 13 runners together in the Southwest and how much to spend will depend on your opinion of Uncontested. The 10th is a two-horse race in my judgment, but if the track is wet it may become more contentious.
Sports on 02/20/2017