LEE'S LOCK Mitole in the fourth
BEST BET Improbable in the 11th
LONG SHOT California Swing in the second
FRIDAY'S RESULTS
MEET 127-404 (31.4 percent)
****confident choice
***plenty to like
**things to like
*educated guess
1 Purse $96,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming
**SUMMER STORM easily defeated starter allowance rivals in her second start of the season, and the improving filly has a consistently competitive record. RANSOMED has been beaten less than 2 lengths in consecutive races at this condition, and she figures to work out an ideal stalking trip. CASH REGISTER crossed the wire only a neck behind the second selection, and she did win her only previous race on a wet track.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
5 Summer Storm;Morales;Van Berg;5-2
1a Ransomed;Cohen;Diodoro;7-2
3 Cash Register;Vazquez;Villafranco;4-1
6 Sweet Tatum;Eramia;Martin;5-1
2 V J's Bet;Rocco;DiVito;3-1
1 Served Cold;Cohen;Diodoro;7-2
7 Our Lucky Break;Loveberry;Thompson;10-1
4 Plum Gorgeous;Thompson;Dixon;12-1
2 Purse $50,000, 1 9/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up, Starter Allowance
**CALIFORNIA SWING was competitive in five races this season at Fair Grounds, including a pair of victories. He should benefit from a rail post in a three-turn race. STREET TRUST proved determined defeating a similar field at a shorter route distance, and the Steve Asmussen trainee is bred to excel on wet tracks. UCANTHANKMELATER exits a 4-length win at a marathon distance last month, and he once again will carry less weight with an apprentice rider in the irons.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
2 California Swing;Elliott;Hartman;8-1
8 Street Trust;Santana;Asmussen;3-1
6 Ucanthankmelater;Lara;Matthews;4-1
4 Indian Gulch;Court;Compton;6-1
5 Treasury Bill;Padron-Barcenas;Hall;5-1
7 Tales of War;Morales;Lauer;9-2
1a The Rougue Diesel;Vazquez;Cox;15-1
3 Yeowzer;Hill;Broberg;8-1
9 Samicean;WDe La Cruz;Stuart;15-1
1 Husky Cliper;Rocco;Cox;15-1
3 Purse $45,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance
**BOW AND ARROW was a bit slow to get away in a deceptive third-place finish. He raced well over a wet track in his previous race and switches to top rider Ricardo Santana. NEVER GIVE IN crossed the wire a length in front of the top selection March 17. He possesses good early speed, but he is also winless in 11 races at Oaklawn. IMMA BLING is taking a significant drop in class after a dull performance, but the multiple stake winner loves a wet track and may be overlooked.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
3 Bow and Arrow;Santana;Asmussen;5-2
6 Never Give In;Cohen;Diodoro;2-1
5 Imma Bling;Baze;Morse;5-1
2 Toasting Master;Wethey;Young;12-1
8 Fascilitator;Elliott;Holthus;8-1
4 Mines Made Up;Bridgmohan;Green;12-1
7 Basic Chance;WDe La Cruz;Martin;10-1
1 Dr. Koy;Canchari;Martin;12-1
4 The Count Fleet Sprint Handicap. Grade II. Purse $500,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up
****MITOLE has been a dominating winner in four consecutive races, and the multiple stake-winning sprinter ran his best race over a sloppy track when winning the Chick Lang last spring at Pimlico. WHITMORE closed a big 2018 campaign by finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. He made a successful return by winning the Hot Springs last month, which was the stake he won last spring before winning the 2018 Count Fleet. STORM ADVISORY has competed in four consecutive graded stake races, and the Gulfstream shipper is wearing blinkers for the first time.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
1 Mitole;Santana;Asmussen;4-5
4 Whitmore;Saez;Moquett;1-1
3 Storm Advisory;Cohen;Quartarolo;12-1
5 Operation Stevie;Elliott;Contreras;20-1
2 Bourbon Cowboy;Mojica;Diodoro;15-1
5 Purse $100,000, 6 furlongs, fillies, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight
***ANNIE AND CAROLINE has raced close to the pace in a pair of in-the-money finishes. She is switching to a top rider and is too talented to be a maiden for much longer. INDOMITABLE SPIRIT has a few months worth of good workouts leading up to her career debut, and trainer Wayne Catalano excels with this kind. FOX ALERT is an unraced filly with good workouts and a winning pedigree for leading trainer Steve Asmussen, who has saddled a few winners shipping from Houston.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
4 Annie and Caroline;Ortiz;Cox;5-2
7 Indomitable Spirit;Hill;Catalano;9-2
8 Fox Alert;Vazquez;Asmussen;8-1
2 Poets Dreamed;Santana;Asmussen;5-1
3 Unsweet Tea;Court;Fires;6-1
5 Punish;Saez;Moquett;10-1
10 Kiss More;Elliott;Vance;8-1
9 The Mallard Queen;Rocco;Hobby;15-1
1 The Emerald Queen;Meche;Ruiz;30-1
6 Savedbestforlast;Morales;Lauer;20-1
6 Purse $101,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds, allowance optional claiming
***ROWAYTON closed his 2-year-old campaign with in-the-money finishes in the Grade I American Pharoah and Del Mar Futurity, and his workouts leading into his 3-year-old debut have been very strong. PYRON tracked a fast pace and proved game at the finish, winning a fast maiden race in his career debut. He is a repeat threat if the top choice needs a race. LANDESKOG won his career debut in a fast clocking just two weeks back, and he came out of the race good enough to breeze and may be this good.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
7 Rowayton;Prat;Hollendorfer;9-5
6 Pyron;Santana;Asmussen;5-2
1 Landeskog;Court;O'Neill;3-1
4 Youvesaiditall;Vazquez;Asmussen;10-1
5 Cabot;Saez;Moquett;6-1
2 Jack Van Berg;Bridgmohan;Van Berg;10-1
3 Mason Dixon;Rosario;O'Neill;15-1
7 Purse $100,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight
**MALIBU MO has nearly five months of encouraging 5-furlong breezes, and he is bred to be a talented runner. Trainer Brad Cox wins with first-timers. BREAKING NEWS is a two-time beaten post-time favorite who has finished in-the-money in all three of his races, and he is certainly capable of defeating this field. ROCKNROLL ROCKET is a lightly raced gelding who is cutting back to a preferred distance, and his workouts for new trainer Robertino Diodoro have been more upbeat.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
12 Malibu Mo;Ortiz;Cox;7-2
5 Breaking News;Rosario;Moquett;5-2
4 Rocknroll Rocket;Mojica;Diodoro;10-1
8 Michael T;Rocco;DiVito;15-1
2 New Frontier;Santana;Asmussen;6-1
6 Surooj;Lara;Peitz;6-1
1 Around the Dial;Loveberry;Robertson;12-1
10 Linemaker;Elliott;Hartman;12-1
11 Lost in Limbo;Cohen;Morse;12-1
14 Josie Boy;Loveberry;Robertson;10-1
13 Majestic Day;Lara;Mason;20-1
3 Golden Sceptor;Thompson;Lund;12-1
9 Knowyouroptions;Eramia;Von Hemel;30-1
7 Uncle Chad;Birzer;Anderson;30-1
8 Purse $97,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming
**MERCER ISLAND easily defeated an entry-level allowance field on a muddy track just two races back, and he is switching to a world-class rider after a one-paced effort. HOLLYWOOD CRITIC was beaten a nose while 5 lengths clear of third when earning the field's fastest last-race Beyer figure. His running style always has him in position to win. MO'S MOJO is an in-form front-runner who finished second at this condition last month, and he has won two of three races on a wet track.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
4 Mercer Island;Rosario;Diodoro;4-1
7 Hollywood Critic;Mojica;Diodoro;3-1
2 Mo's Mojo;Cohen;Morse;7-2
5 Catdaddy;Birzer;Petalino;4-1
6 On Patrol;Elliott;Vance;10-1
3 McFeely;Eramia;Ney;12-1
1 Ike;Saez;Moquett;5-1
8 Extirpator;Baze;Turner;15-1
9 The Oaklawn Handicap. Grade II. Purse $750,000, 1⅛ miles, 4-year-olds and up
**QUIP won the Tampa Derby before finishing second in the 2018 Arkansas Derby, and he sharpened his speed when third in the Hal's Hope at Gulfstream. He likely needed the race, and he will appreciate stretching out to a two-turn distance. TENFOLD showed wet-track ability finishing a close third in the 2018 Preakness, and he did win twice last season at Oaklawn. He had a useful return to the races last month at Fair Grounds. GIANT EXPECTATIONS was beaten less than a length in the Essex Handicap, and he will be tough to beat if sitting on a top performance.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
7 Quip;Ortiz;Brisset;4-1
1 Tenfold;Santana;Asmussen;7-2
6 Giant Expectations;Rosario;Eurton;3-1
8 Lone Sailor;Prat;Amoss;5-1
4 Lookin At Lee;Smith;Asmussen;6-1
9 Rated R Superstar;WDe La Cruz;Contreras;8-1
2 Pioneer Spirit;Saez;Cox;10-1
5 Remembering Rita;Birzer;Anderson;15-1
3 Chris and Dave;Vazquez;Villafranco;20-1
10 Purse $96,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming
**COMBATANT is a multiple graded stake-placed colt who returns to his best surface after a disappointing graded stake try on turf. LIGHTHAWK was beaten only a head in a fast entry-level allowance race, and the steadily improving gelding receives a positive rider change. MEISTERMIND recorded good races at Saratoga and Churchill last season, and he is another moving back to the main track after a one-race experiment on turf.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
4 Combatant;Court;Asmussen;5-2
2 Lighthawk;Rosario;Moquett;3-1
1 Meistermind;Baze;O'Neill;8-1
10 Tiz McNamara;Ortiz;Cox;5-1
5 Single Gem;WDe La Cruz;Contreras;6-1
3 Gray Sky;Saez;Lukas;6-1
6 Last Bad Habit;Wethey;Westermann;20-1
7 Zing Zang;Santana;Asmussen;12-1
8 Sonny Smack;Eramia;Von Hemel;20-1
9 Coach Adams;Mojica;Compton;30-1
12 Purse $95,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up, maiden special weight
**ROTATION has finished second at Oaklawn and Fair Grounds this season, and the consistent runner has the best of connections and will graduate soon. VERVE'S HUMOR finished second behind a post-time favorite in his first route of the season, and adding blinkers has been a winning angle for this stable. COWBOY DIPLOMACY has finished in-the-money in both of his races, including a second-place sprint finish on a muddy track.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
3 Rotation;Santana;Asmussen;3-1
8 Verve's Humor;Smith;Stewart;7-2
6 Cowboy Diplomacy;Ortiz;Cox;5-2
5 Flatout Winner;Saez;Sharp;5-1
7 Speed App;Court;Lukas;10-1
4 Twobirdsonestone;Elliott;Lauer;15-1
10 Scat Big Dad;Cohen;McKnight;15-1
11 Sneads;Hill;Zito;20-1
2 Honoring Major;Borel;Fires;20-1
9 Gold Note;Quinonez;Von Hemel;20-1
1 Broke in a Flash;Baze;Turner;30-1
EXOTIC POSSIBILITIES
California Swing may be an overlay in the second race, and putting him with Bow and Arrow and Never Give In may be a winning daily double wager. The ninth race begins a 50-cent Pick-4, and several bring the credentials to win. The 10th race is at least three deep in contention, and the 11th race can likely be narrowed down to three. The 12th race brings a large field and a few contenders.
Sports on 04/13/2019