LEE'S LOCK Bebop Shoes in the eighth
BEST BET Undivided in the fifth
LONG SHOT Pickford in the seventh
THURSDAY'S RESULTS 3-9 (33.3 percent)
MEET 117-367 (31.9 percent)
****confident choice
***plenty to like
**things to like
*educated guess
1 Purse $24,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $8,000
**GET THAT BOX suffered a tough-luck defeat at a higher claiming price two races back, and he posted a good workout after being overmatched in a strong starter allowance field. YES I SEE raced competitively and defeated better in 2018. He is dropping significantly in price after a dull sprint effort. SNUGGLEY BEAR was not very good in two starts this winter. He ran some nice races last season and may rebound for new and winning trainer Federico Villafranco.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
8 Get That Box;Birzer;Smith;3-1
7 Yes I See;Cohen;Diodoro;2-1
1 Snuggley Bear;Vazquez;Villafranco;7-2
5 Gospel Abe;Eramia;Pish;4-1
4 Consultation;Padron-Barcenas;Hartman;12-1
3 Dynabeaver;Morales;Martin;12-1
2 Stan's Old Habits;Elliott;Hartman;12-1
6 Vanderbilt Beach;Richard;Riecken;20-1
2 Purse $24,500, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $12,500
**NOHO has not raced in 13 months, but she raced well against better last season. The trainer sports a good win percentage with horses returning from vacation time. ALL RIGHT WITH ME flashed speed before fading in a pair of races last summer in New York. He shows encouraging works at Louisiana Downs and may be stronger and faster as a 3-year-old. I'M JUST FANCY contested a moderate pace and stayed on well in a second-place finish. She may hold a fitness edge over the top two.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
4 Noho;Mojica;Moquett;3-1
9 All Right With Me;Santana;Asmussen;4-1
6 I'm Just Fancy;McMahon;Fawkes;7-2
1 Golden Paree;Canchari;Martin;8-1
5 Lady Gritt;Elliott;Hartman;9-2
3 De Queen;Thompson;Hall;12-1
8 Wild Desire;Richard;Riecken;15-1
10 Los Suenos;Padron-Barcenas;Milligan;10-1
2 Frugal Betty;Morales;Martin;12-1
7 Enticing Haven;WDe La Cruz;Martin;30-1
3 Purse $25,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, claiming $10,000
**JERI BELLA has been steadily improving while overmatched in three races at the meeting. She is taking a big drop in class and recorded a recent bullet workout. BLUSHING BELLA finished third in a return from a seven-month break, and she has consistently earned the field's fastest Beyer figures, but she is also winless in 15 races at Oaklawn. ROCKING SHOES appears to be the speed of the speed in this field, and a switch to veteran rider Terry Thompson may help.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
2 Jeri Bella;Hill;Fires;3-1
7 Blushing Bella;Sanjur;Contreras;5-2
6 Rocking Shoes;Thompson;Dixon;10-1
4 Jean's Beauty;Eramia;Martin;8-1
8 Fetch's Mon;Court;Fires;5-1
9 Miss Barham;Loveberry;Johnson;12-1
5 Spunky Town;Birzer;Smith;10-1
1 Seaside Surprise;Morales;Dobric;6-1
3 She's a Queen;Padron-Barcenas;Milligan;12-1
4 Purse $24,500, 1 mile, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $12,500
**SHELL LOCKET has finished with energy in four consecutive in-the-money finishes, and a better start should make her difficult to fend off. CANTON COMET earned a competitive Beyer figure when fifth best at a higher claiming price, and she figures closer to the early leaders in this field. FRIGID broke slow and raced wide in a deceptive fifth-place finish, and she drew an improved post position.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
9 Shell Locket;Roman;Von Hemel;5-2
6 Canton Comet;Hill;Wiggins;2-1
2 Frigid;Eramia;Petalino;6-1
1 Notorious Gal;Elliott;Compton;5-1
7 Honduras Pride;Riquelme;Deatherage;8-1
5 La Johnnie;Birzer;Smith;8-1
8 Boss Lady Melissa;McMahon;Cates;30-1
3 Lady Priest;Rodriguez;Deatherage;15-1
4 Lil' Shopper;Meche;Ruiz;20-1
5 Purse $24,000, 1 1/16 miles, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up which have never won two races, claiming $10,000
****UNDIVIDED easily earned the field's fastest last-race Beyer figure in a 2-length defeat. She is taking a drop in class and will run by this field if she holds form. SUNDEREYA finished one position behind the top selection in her last race, while being a shorter price, and she did draw an advantageous two-turn post position. MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM finished well after early trouble in a sprint tune-up, and she brings two-turn experience from Delta.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
4 Undivided;Sanjur;Matthews;3-1
1 Sundereya;Thompson;Barkley;5-1
9 Mysterious Kingdom;Padron-Barcenas;Milligan;6-1
10 Soaring Lil Sass;FDe La Cruz;McBride;9-2
8 Goldie Again;Canchari;Martin;20-1
2 American Royal;Hill;Morse;10-1
3 Button Mushroom;WDe La Cruz;Hornsby;8-1
11 Bendi Blu;Santana;McBride;6-1
6 Baby Lylly;Riquelme;Martin;20-1
7 Klassie Connect;Morales;Hiles;20-1
5 Wow Wow Now;Shepherd;Goodsell;20-1
6 Purse $40,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $25,000
***WHERE'S THE WIDGET is the class of the field with nearly $500,000 in earnings. He is dropping to the lowest price of his career, and workouts since his last race have been upbeat. HARDLY A SECRET has a win and runner-up finish at the meeting, while competing in similar races. He looms a major threat if able to hold form for new and winning connections. ALL ABOUT ASHLEY was a clear winner at this same claiming price March 8, and he has enough speed to be in perfect position turning into the stretch.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
6 Where's the Widget;Cohen;McKnight;3-1
5 Hardly a Secret;Elliott;Hartman;7-2
4 All About Ashley;Baze;Ortiz;4-1
3 Always a Catch;Santana;Asmussen;8-1
2 Bubbas Dixie;Hill;Catalano;5-1
8 Giant Influence;Vazquez;Villafranco;5-1
7 Discreetness;Court;Fires;12-1
9 St. Louie Guy;Canchari;Martin;20-1
1 Plentiful;Thompson;Duncan;30-1
7 Purse $50,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up which have never won three races, claiming $50,000
**PICKFORD was consistently competitive in his starts for trainer James DiVito in 2018, and he is back in his care after being overmatched last summer by different connections. DETERMINANT has raced competitively in a pair of allowance races at the meeting and is dropping in class after a dull performance wearing front wraps. HOME RUN TRICK set an honest pace in a third-place allowance finish. He has competitive Beyer figures and keeps his regular rider.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
1 Pickford;Canchari;DiVito;10-1
5 Determinant;Elliott;Holthus;3-1
8 Home Run Trick;WDe La Cruz;Martin;6-1
9 Armament;Cohen;Broberg;9-2
4 Arrival;Bridgmohan;Van Berg;5-1
2 Eisenstaedt;Santana;Moquett;5-1
10 P R Radio Star;Court;Swearingen;15-1
3 Golden Bullet;Quinonez;Milligan;6-1
7 Producer;Sanjur;Contreras;20-1
6 Zeke;Eramia;Lovell;20-1
8 Purse $91,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, allowance
****BEBOP SHOES showed good early speed when finishing second behind an odds-on winner in the Nodouble Breeders', and he is strictly the one to beat dropping into an entry-level allowance. DADDY'S GONE has rallied in consecutive second-pace finishes. He has ascending Beyer figures and may benefit from a contentious pace. RUSTY CAGE lost a big lead in a third-place allowance finish, and he is very quick and capable of an upset if the pace is moderate enough.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
5 Bebop Shoes;Court;Fires;7-5
4 Daddy's Gone;Santana;Asmussen;3-1
2 Rusty Cage;Loveberry;Witt;7-2
6 Bud Ro;Elliott;Vance;6-1
3 Just a Coinkydink;Vazquez;Hartman;8-1
1 Explosive Lake;WDe La Cruz;Martin;15-1
7 Candy's Little Tip;Birzer;Roberts;15-1
1a All for Truth;WDe La Cruz;Martin;15-1
9 Purse $24,500, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $12,500
**CALL ME DERBY added blinkers and showed improved speed in a slim defeat March 21, and he figures tough to beat if he can reproduce the effort. RI RI FRENCH FRY was passed by the top selection inside the final yards after contesting the pace, and he may go the distance today if left unattended on the lead. ARKANSAS RED has rallied in consecutive fourth-place finishes. He is a lightly raced three-year-old and eligible to show more.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
7 Call Me Derby;Elliott;Morse;5-2
8 Ri Ri French Fry;FDe La Cruz;Cates;3-1
5 Arkansas Red;McMahon;Johnson;6-1
2x Storm's a Suspect;WDe La Cruz;Martin;6-1
2 Late Act Jones;WDe La Cruz;Martin;6-1
6 Crafty Ike;Eramia;Jackson;5-1
3 Hesluck;Birzer;Roberts;12-1
1 Primary Heart;Loveberry;Hornsby;12-1
9 Scoot Dude;Canchari;Martin;20-1
11 Grahamstan;Court;Swearingen;15-1
1a Delta Reward;Loveberry;Hornsby;12-1
4 A.P.'s Prince;Thompson;Dixon;30-1
10 Blu Blaze;Harr;Cristel;30-1
EXOTIC POSSIBILITIES
UNDIVIDED is a good horse to key on top in a fifth race trifecta. As always, I recommend spreading in the middle, and using fewer horses in the third spot. The sixth race begins a 50-cent pick-4 and is one of the races that spreading out is advised. The seventh is also a contentious race and an upset winner is quite possible. The eighth race has a logical favorite in BEBOP SHOES, but players with big pockets may use three. The ninth race seems a two-horse race, but inexpensive horses are usually less reliable than classier runners.
Sports on 04/05/2019