Rick Lee's Oaklawn Park Picks and Analysis

SATURDAY'S RESULTS 4-9 (44.4 percent)

MEET 47-153 (30.8 percent)

LEE'S LOCK K J's Nobility in the ninth

BEST BET Lil Vie in the sixth

LONG SHOT Langdarma in the eighth

*educated guess

**things to like

***plenty to like

****confident choice

1 Purse $25,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up who have never won three races, claiming $16,000

***DRIP BREW set a suicidal pace in a deceptively strong third-place finish, and she figures to go the distance with a race over the track and kinder rating. STAY SPICY passed the top selection in a fast-closing second-place finish, and the pace has a chance to set up her late run once again. AWAY TO TOWN was compromised by a wide trip when finishing narrowly behind the top two fillies, and she is another who benefits from a fast or contested pace.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

1 Drip Brew;Felix;Mason;5-2

3 Stay Spicy;Canchari;Williamson;7-2

7 Away to Town;Prescott;Hughes;8-1

2 Vested Venture;Morales;Pish;5-1

5 Indian Trick;Court;Van Berg;5-1

6 Elizabeth Rules;Cabrera;Martin;9-2

4 Launch Away;Sanjur;Hughes;6-1

2 Purse $22,000, 1 mile, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $16,000

**COVINGTON set a rapid early pace before finishing a tired third in a two-turn debut at Remington. He is dropping into a restricted race and is likely to lead all the way if the pace is more controlled. ZAPPER DAN earned the field's fastest Beyer figure in a fourth-place finish against better at Churchill, and he was beaten only a neck last season at Oaklawn when running at a similar condition. AVA'S PARKER has been forwardly placed in a pair of encouraging sprint races, and the lightly raced and improving runner is dangerous in his first try around two turns.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

7 Covington;Gazader;Moquett;5-1

11 Zapper Dan;St Julien;McBride;4-1

4 Ava's Parker;Cohen;Compton;7-2

9 A.P.'s Prince;Court;Dixon;6-1

6 Switchback Creek;Luzzi;Witt;10-1

1 Cat Got Even;Wales;Martin;9-2

3 Magic Eraser;Contreras;Brennan;20-1

12 Cornstalker;Canchari;Martin;15-1

2 Bandit Point;Wethey;Cline;12-1

8 What's in the Box;Laviolette;Smith;15-1

1a Arkyarch;Thompson;Martin;9-2

10 Fort Given;Quinonez;Irwin;12-1

5 Firenado;Goncalves;Nicks;30-1

3 Purse $23,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, claiming $16,000

**ITER finished a clear second in a slightly troubled return to Oaklawn. He is wheeled back at the same level, and he did break his maiden last winter in Hot Springs. MUTAJADED disappointed in his local debut after winning a fast maiden-claimer at Turfway. He possesses good early speed and may be trouble if able to get to the early lead. IT IS DEJAVU crossed the wire only one position behind the top selection Jan. 28, and the pace figures fast enough to set up his consistent late run.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

4 Iter;Mason;Felix;2-1

1 Mutajaded;Gazader;Peitz;5-2

3 It Is Dejavu;Hill;Ortiz;3-1

5 Distorted Ransom;McMahon;Kordenbrock;9-2

6 How's My Bud;Cabrera;Vance;12-1

2 Willow Ridge;Sanjur;Haran;12-1

7 Run for Charlie;Prescott;Manley;12-1

4 Purse $20,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $10,000

*SILVER TURNS GOLD raced well as a 2-year-old in a pair of maiden-allowance races at Ellis. She is having blinkers removed and dropping in class after two poor performances with blinkers on at Churchill. GOOD WISHES contested the pace in a competitive fourth-place finish, and she was given a confidence boost when the second-place finisher came back to win Thursday's first race. MAKE DADDY PROUD did not break well when finishing fourth on the drop to this level, and a better trip may get trainer Danny Pish into the Oaklawn winner's circle for the first time.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

2 Silver Turns Gold;Birzer;Van Berg;6-1

4 Good Wishes;Roman;Williamson;7-2

6 Make Daddy Proud;Loveberry;Pish;6-1

13 Emerald Candy;Felix;Mason;5-1

8 McKinli'sbabyblues;Laviolette;Catalano;5-1

9 Rhine Falls;St Julien;Von Hemel;8-1

3 Herald Square;Court;Holthus;6-1

10 It's Springtime;Morales;Mason;12-1

5 Sturn Donna;Pompell;Delong;12-1

1 Mystical Temple;Prescott;Cox;10-1

12 Raise a Ghost;Canchari;Martin;20-1

11 Lionslittlebit;Wethey;Loetscher;20-1

7 Tobrah;Bedford;Hale;20-1

5 Purse $28,000, 1½ miles, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance

***WILD ABOUT YOU ships from Fair Grounds after a late-running fourth-place finish at a higher level. He sports a good record at Oaklawn and has won three of four races at this marathon distance. BLANKET OF ICE earned strong Beyer figures while winning four of eight races in 2017, and he ships from Turf Paradise for winning connections. MALIBU PRO is dropping in class after a troubled fifth-place finish. He did place in a pair of stake races last season.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

6 Wild About You;De La Cruz;Haran;7-2

5 Blanket of Ice;Cabrera;Hartman;8-1

3 Malibu Pro;Canchari;Robertson;6-1

2 Husky Clipper;Pompell;Cox;5-2

4 Indy Awesome;Vazquez;Villafranco;8-1

7 Tales of War;Santana;Lauer;9-2

1 Star Dog;Stevens;Van Berg;8-1

8 Malibu Wood;Morales;McKnight;6-1

6 Purse $38,000, 6 furlongs, fillies, 3-year-olds, maiden claiming $50,000

***LIL VIE rallied to fourth behind a runaway odds-on winner in her Oaklawn debut. She is dropping into a maiden-claimer for the first time, and she keeps Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens. PRINCESSOF THE NYL was narrowly defeated while nearly 5 lengths clear of third in her first start in the maiden-claiming ranks, and she may have needed the race after a three-month freshening. ROYAL ROAD is dropping out of maiden-allowance company for the first time. Her Beyer figures are competitive and she represents powerful connections.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

5 Lil Vie;Stevens;Cox;3-1

9 Princessof the Nyl;Court;Van Berg;4-1

6 Royal Road;Santana;Asmussen;6-1

1 Stella Malone;Canchari;Robertson;5-1

4 Morning Belle;Cabrera;Hobby;5-1

2 Valiant Lady;Felix;Mason;8-1

3 Roll On Indy;Birzer;Gleason;12-1

7 Shanghai Tariff;De La Cruz;DiVito;8-1

8 Roll On Big Mama;Wethey;Young;15-1

7 Purse $76,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming

**FASCILITATOR finished determinedly in a fast maiden victory at Fair Grounds, and he recorded a useful subsequent breeze for a high percentage trainer-rider team. GRADE ONE was caught inside the final yards after carving out fast fractions in his first race over the track, and any kind of improvement will make him difficult to catch. INFINITY SQUARED is unbeaten in a two-race career. He has been a strong finisher and is trying to repeat at the same level as he raced Jan. 14.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

7 Fascilitator;Santana;Asmussen;2-1

3 Grade One;Canchari;DiVito;7-2

2 Infinity Squared;Cohen;Diodoro;5-2

5 Take Charge Dude;Sanjur;Campbell;6-1

6 Best of Greeley;Morales;Thomas;10-1

1 Drc All Inclusive;Vazquez;Villafranco;10-1

4 Flat Lucky;Contreras;Asmussen;15-1

8 P R Radio Star;Felix;Swearingen;20-1

9 Make Noise;Birzer;Van Berg;30-1

8 Purse $77,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming

**LANGDARMA finished second on a wet track in a fast starter allowance race, and he likely needed the race after a four-month layoff. He has done much of his best running at Oaklawn Park. MALIBU MAX earned the field's fastest last-race Beyer figure in a tough-luck defeat at Fair Grounds, and he picks up five-time Oaklawn leading rider Ricardo Santana. PINSON lost a clear lead into the stretch in a useful third-place return to Oaklawn. The winner of the race came back to repeat Friday, and this guy figures tough on or near the lead.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

5 Langdarma;Hill;Ortiz;12-1

6 Malibu Max;Santana;Robertson;7-2

9 Pinson;Court;Morse;5-1

4 Snickerboxer;Vazquez;Villafranco;6-1

2 Eton Ridge;De La Cruz;Compton;4-1

3 United Stand;Cabrera;Hartman;5-1

7 Got Even;Maldonado;Hollendorfer;5-1

1 Dangerfield;Thompson;Chleborad;10-1

8 Krewe Chief;Stevens;Sims;20-1

9 Purse $76,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, allowance

****K J'S NOBILITY finished third in an unusually fast conditioned-claiming sprint, and the beaten post-time favorite is dropping into a state-bred race and adding blinkers. CHANTMEUPBABY has not raced since May, but the strong finisher finished third in the Arkansas Breeders' in April at Oaklawn. His last two works are encouraging. J. E.'S HANDMEDOWN finished his 2017 campaign with a second-place finish in the Rainbow at Oaklawn, which followed an 11-length maiden victory.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

8 K J's Nobility;Cohen;Diodoro;9-5

13 Chantmeupbaby;Johnson;Hartlage;4-1

6 J. E.'s Handmedown;Vazquez;Altamirano;3-1

1 Bud's Mr. B;Gazader;Peitz;12-1

2 Uncle Goyle;Thompson;Morse;15-1

4 Joan's Delight;Birzer;Jackson;10-1

3 Bud Ro;Cabrera;Holthus;8-1

5 Hot Blooded Song;Canchari;Martin;15-1

10 Spotitude;McMahon;Cates;8-1

7 Vilonia Strong;Court;Fires;15-1

9 Bay's Commander;Wethey;Cline;20-1

11 Daddy's Gone;Quinonez;Irwin;20-1

14 Explosive Lake;De La Cruz;Jayaraman;30-1

12 Edgy;Contreras;Roberts;30-1

EXOTIC POSSIBILITIES

I love the speed of Drip Brew in the first and will single her in the early double. Since I'm singling a favorite in the first, I'll use only two in the second race. The 50-cent late Pick-4 starts in the sixth and may be narrowed down to two runners. The seventh race has three horses that need to be used, and the eighth race has an interesting price horse in Langdarma, but others are just as likely to win. K J's Nobility may be a single in the ninth for those operating on a short budget, which may be the case if the first eight races failed to cooperate.

Sports on 02/11/2018

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