SUNDAY'S RESULTS
MEET 60-190 (30 percent)
LEE'S LOCK Lionite in the sixth
BEST BET Dazzling Gem in the fifth
LONG SHOT Hawaakom in the eighth
*educated guess
**things to like
***plenty to like
****confident choice
1 Purse $78,000, 1 mile, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, maiden special weight
**LIL VIE had to overcome early trouble in a late-running fourth-place sprint tune-up. She is bred to route and was scratched Feb. 11 in favor of this race. TRIPLE KAPALUA finished third in a key two-turn race opening weekend, and the lightly raced and improving filly keeps Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens. MISS DARLEY is adding blinkers after an improved third-place finish, which did earn the field's fastest Beyer figure.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
2 Lil Vie;Saez;Cox;5-2
3 Triple Kapalua;Stevens;Stall;2-1
7 Miss Darley;Santana;Moquett;3-1
5 The Girl Factor;Van Dyke;Moquett;8-1
6 Miss Spot On;Hill;Catalano;9-2
1 Rulzrmadetobbroken;St Julien;Jacquot;15-1
4 Best Shoes;Court;Wiggins;20-1
2 Purse $24,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $12,500
**ALABAMA TIDE has been racing competitively at a higher claiming price, and his only previous race at this level produced a victory. SHOOT CRAPS won three of his last six starts in 2017, while earning Beyer figures that make him a major contender for winning connections. KING OF ANYTHING is winless since 2016, but he is dropping to the lowest claiming price of his career, and one of his better races may prove too much for this group.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
8 Alabama Tide;Contreras;Hartman;5-1
3 Shoot Craps;Prescott;Kobiskie;12-1
1a King of Anything;Cohen;Diodoro;3-1
6 Well Mannered;Vazquez;Loy;20-1
10 Tiz Showbiz;Eramia;Broberg;7-2
12 Vacanza;McMahon;Ortiz;9-2
1 Cougar Country;Cohen;Diodoro;3-1
13 Circle Unbroken;Sanjur;Garcia;8-1
9 J P Rocker;Canchari;Silva;8-1
11 Internet Success;Pompell;6-1
2 On the Lam;Stevens;Williamson;12-1
4 Midnight Shine;Felix;Vance;15-1
5 Flashy Indian;Court;Frazee;20-1
7 Small Town Hero;De La Cruz;Puhl;20-1
3 Purse $25,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance
**TOASTING MASTER was a decisive winner just two races back, and he is dropping in class after a solid fourth-place finish on a sloppy track. ROMA ROAD followed a photo finish loss with a sharp wire-to-wire victory, and he once again appears to be the controlling speed. ALTITO was a four-time winner in 2017, and he finished one position in front of the top selection in their Jan. 27 contest.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
4 Toasting Master;Thompson;Mason;6-1
1a Roma Road;Eramia;Broberg;3-1
5 Altito;Vazquez;Villafranco;5-1
8 Early Bid;Quinonez;Peek;5-1
7 Glinir;Court;Hiles;7-2
3 Memphisinmay;Canchari;Lauer;5-1
6 Mineyerownmalone;Lanerie;Hartman;8-1
2 Oh Newman;McMahon;Caldwell;10-1
1 Yeowzer;Eramia;Broberg;3-1
4 Purse $78,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight
**PROXIMUS has trained very well since arriving at Oaklawn in December, and the Calumet Farm home-bred has a trainer-rider team winning at nearly a 40 percent clip. WYATT'S TOWN was pressured through fast fractions in a 1-length defeat, and he may have needed the race after a five-month layoff. AUGIE battled for the lead throughout in a sharp second-place finish, and he has been good when able to work out a clean trip.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
1 Proximus;De La Cruz;Cox;7-2
8 Wyatt's Town;Santana;Asmussen;5-2
4 Augie;Albarado;Compton;3-1
2 Royal Edition;Saez;Lukas;6-1
7 Yankton;Prescott;Sims;15-1
6 Blasphemy;Van Dyke;Moquett;6-1
3 I've Got Heart;Morales;Anderson;10-1
5 Pop Culture;Hill;Milligan;10-1
5 Purse $81,000, 1 mile, 4-year-olds and up, allowance
***DAZZLING GEM has a strong record in allowance races, and he is well spotted after six competitive races in stake company. P C COWBOY is moving up an allowance condition after a dead-heat victory, and he was flattered when the co-winner (Operation Stevie) came back with a clear victory. ROYAL SQUEEZE raced evenly in the King Cotton, but he has been more effective at 1 mile or farther.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
1 Dazzling Gem;Stevens;Cox;8-5
4 P C Cowboy;Wethey;Young;7-2
7 Royal Squeeze;Lanerie;Morse;7-2
5 Goats Town;Saez;Lukas;6-1
8 Dan the Go to Man;Albarado;Ortiz;8-1
6 Hallelujah Hit;Quinonez;Trout;15-1
2 Racer;Court;Fires;12-1
3 Cu Rahy;McMahon;Durham;15-1
6 Purse $78,000, 1 mile, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight
****LIONITE was running faster as a 2-year-old than today's rivals have run at three. Connections thought enough of him to run in a Grade I at Keeneland while still a maiden. PRYOR had slight traffic trouble in midstretch when beaten only 1 length in his two-turn debut, and he moves from an outside to inside post position. LEINSTER rallied to third in an unusually fast maiden sprint race, and he is bred to improve at two-turn distances.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
3 Lionite;Santana;Asmussen;5-2
1 Pryor;Van Dyke;Moquett;4-1
8 Leinster;Saez;Lukas;6-1
5 Applewood;Stevens;Williamson;5-1
6 Yellow Wolf;De La Cruz;Cox;6-1
4 The Money Dance;Morales;Lauer;12-1
9 Single Gem;Birzer;Van Berg;15-1
10 Bemma's Boy;Lanerie;Asmussen;12-1
7 D'oros Ruler;Canchari;Anderson;20-1
2 Awesome Times Two;Albarado;Ortiz;10-1
7 Purse $79,000, 6 furlongs, fillies, 3-year-olds, allowance optional claiming
***MIZ K was a runaway maiden-allowance winner at Churchill. The well-bred filly has worked very well at Oaklawn and picks up high percentage rider Gary Stevens. THREE CHORDS was caught in the final strides after carving out fast fractions in her local debut, and she is certainly bred to be a fast filly. SWORN SILENCE has shown speed and determination in a pair of sprint victories, and red-hot connections add to her appeal.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
5 Miz K;Stevens;Hobby;3-1
4 Three Chords;Laviolette;Smith;9-2
9 Sworn Silence;Santana;Cox;7-2
1 Bo Peep;Court;Fires;6-1
6 Shanghai Tariff;De La Cruz;DiVito;5-1
2 Getupbabygetup;Hill;Catalano;8-1
8 Create a Star;Canchari;Trout;10-1
7 Cape Trios;Thompson;Martin;12-1
3 Foxy Mischief;Contreras;Hiles;20-1
8 The Razorback Handicap. Grade III. Purse $500,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up
**HAWAAKOM was a clear second behind Horse of the Year Gun Runner in the 2017 Razorback. He ships from New Orleans on the heels of a third-place stake finish, which he must have needed after a four-month freshening. LEOFRIC is unbeaten in four races at Oaklawn Park, and he may prove good enough to win his first stake. UNTRAPPED is a Grade III winner who has put together three strong races in succession. He drew an inside post and will be adding blinkers for trainer Steve Asmussen.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
3 Hawaakom;Lanerie;Hawley;10-1
5 Leofric;Saez;Cox;9-2
1 Untrapped;Santana;Asmussen;9-2
10 Futile;Contreras;Hartman;6-1
6 Sonneteer;Desormeaux;Desormeaux;4-1
4 J Boys Echo;Albarado;Romans;5-1
2 Far Right;Stevens;Catalano;12-1
8 Rated R Superstar;Hill;McPeek;12-1
7 Shotgun Kowboy;Quinonez;Trout;12-1
11 The Lieutenant;Van Dyke;McCarthy;15-1
9 Rocking the Boat;De La Cruz;Gorder;20-1
9 The Southwest. Grade III. Purse $500,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds
***MOURINHO appears to have worked well since a convincing victory in the Smarty Jones, and he proved in the Bob Hope that he can run a strong race without making the early lead. SPORTING CHANCE finished his 2-year-old campaign winning the Grade I Hopeful at Saratoga. The son of Tiznow has worked impressively since arriving at Oaklawn, and trainer Lukas trying to keep stable momentum after winning the Risen Star on Saturday at Fair Grounds. COMBATANT finished second as the second betting choice in the Smarty Jones. He is an experienced two-turn runner and benefits from a 7-pound swing in the weights.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
4 Mourinho;Van Dyke;Baffert;2-1
2 Sporting Chance;Saez;Lukas;9-2
10 Combatant;Santana;Asmussen;6-1
11 Ezmosh;Stevens;Cox;12-1
6 Seven Trumpets;Albarado;Romans;10-1
1 My Boy Jack;Desormeaux;Desormeaux;12-1
5 Road to Damascus;Velazquez;Pletcher;15-1
8 Zing Zang;Lanerie;Asmussen;15-1
7 Retirement Fund;Bridgmohan;Asmussen;15-1
9 Kentucky Club;Vazquez;Lukas;30-1
3 Principe Guilherme;Geroux;Asmussen;4-1
10 Purse $79,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds, allowance optional claiming
***ZULFIKHAR is an expensive son of Bodemeister who was heavily bet and did not disappoint in his only race as a juvenile. He has shipped to Oaklawn for team Baffert after a series of impressive works at Santa Anita. NEW YORK CENTRAL was narrowly defeated at odds-on favoritism in his Oaklawn debut, and a well-timed move from rider Ricardo Santana may get the job done. TRANSGRESS won a very fast maiden-sprint on opening weekend, but he faded to fourth as a heavy post-time favorite in his first try around two turns.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
8 Zulfikhar;Van Dyke;Baffert;5-2
5 New York Central;Santana;Asmussen;4-1
6 Transgress;Saez;Lukas;2-1
2 Dream Baby Dream;Lanerie;Asmussen;8-1
10 Plainsman;McMahon;Van Meter;6-1
9 Colour Guard;Cohen;Kobiskie;20-1
3 Tiz Our Turn;Court;Bindner;12-1
7 Shane Zain;Thompson;O'Neill;20-1
1 Bode's Maker;Hill;Milligan;30-1
4 Catdaddy;Birzer;Petalino;30-1
EXOTIC POSSIBILITIES
• The third race begins a 50-cent Pick three and the race appears to be a three-horse race. The fourth race has a firster I like (Proximus), but Wyatt's Town has too much promise to leave off the ticket. Dazzling Gem is a pretty confident selection in the fifth but may not be a single. The eighth race begins a Pick-3 and upsetter Hawaakom is a must-use for me. The ninth is the Southwest, and although Mourinho was impressive in the Smarty Jones, I still feel I need three runners to cover the race. The 10th may have a special colt in Zulfikhar, and I'll single here.
Sports on 02/19/2018