Rick Lee's Oaklawn selections and analysis

LEE'S LOCK Candy Cornell in the ninth

BEST BET So Alive in the seventh

LONG SHOT Big Affair in the fourth

THURSDAY'S RESULTS 2-9 (22.2%)

MEET 134-406 (33.0%)

CONFIDENCE RATINGS

****confident choice

***plenty to like

**things to like

*educated guess

1 Purse $23,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance

AROUND THE DIAL** won a fast and key allowance race at Delta. Subsequent works have been strong, and he seems vastly improved for trainer Tom Amoss. P R RADIO STAR has been a clear winner of consecutive claiming races, and he is racing for leading trainer Robertino Diodoro for the first time. ICATIRO has a win and a third-place finish in two local races at today's level, and he possesses a consistent late punch.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

8 Around the Dial Talamo Amoss 3-1

4 P R Radio Star Mojica Diodoro 5-2

7 Icatiro Cohen Diodoro 7-2

1 Drc All Inclusive Santana Villafranco 10-1

3 Recount Canchari Martin 9-2

2 Hold Me Black Bridgmohan Barkley 12-1

5 Knights Key Elliott Vance 15-1

9 He's So Zazzy WDe La Cruz Martin 12-1

6 Hollywood Star Roman Von Hemel 20-1

2 Purse $17,200, 1 1/16 miles, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $16,000

MOCHA KISS** showed promise in a career debut sprinting, and she is taking a big drop in class after failing to handle a sloppy track. ELLA'S MY GIRL has earned competitive Beyer figures, despite not breaking well in either of her races. RICH PRINCESS set the pace into mid-stretch in a much improved third-place finish, which was her first try around two turns.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

10 Mocha Kiss Harr Stuart 6-1

6 Ella's My Girl WDe La Cruz Martin 5-2

4 Rich Princess Hisby Gonzalez 7-2

1 Dixie Wayne Elliott Caldwell 6-1

14 Morning Valentine Felix Hornsby 4-1

13 Dixie Cat Bailey Westermann 8-1

3 Dues Paid Roberts Jackson 8-1

9 Brahms Is Who Canchari Rengstorf 10-1

11 Dixie Loving FDe La Cruz Altamirano 15-1

7 Lynne T Thompson Hall 15-1

2 Be Done With It Birzer Roberts 12-1

12 Dramatic Entrance Roman Martin 20-1

8 Silent Night Sky Wales Fires 30-1

5 Alittlebitofsmarty Bedford Deatherage 20-1

3 Purse $17,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, claiming $8,000

RIDE TO THE WIRE** finished a close second at a higher price just two races back, and the speedy sprinter carries 7 fewer pounds with an apprentice rider aboard. ADMIRAL BROWN has finished with energy in all three races at the meeting. He owns competitive Beyer figures and keeps a leading rider. SUPER TERRIFIC is taking a drop in price on the heels of consecutive third-place finishes, and he looms a late danger if he draws into the race.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

5 Ride to the Wire Roberts Diodoro 3-1

6 Admiral Brown Mojica Broberg 7-2

14 Super Terrific Vazquez Ortiz 5-2

10 Blowinthebluesaway Roman Villafranco 5-1

1 Seek N Justice Thompson Litfin 15-1

2 Ice Sphere Bailey Hartman 9-2

8 Marshall Hill Harr Cline 8-1

12 Winter Wolf Santana Asmussen 10-1

13 Piantagrane Roberts Zito 12-1

11 Baquero Flies Hill Lukas 12-1

4 The Devils Back Quinonez Deville 20-1

3 Ah Yeah Talamo Moquett 15-1

7 Teletap Lara Mason 30-1

9 Johnny Chadda Felix Haran 30-1

4 Purse $17,500, 1 1/16 miles, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, claiming $16,000

BIG AFFAIR** has not raced since November, but she defeated maiden allowance rivals by 6 lengths at Gulfstream. The front-runner has sharp works and a leading rider. GHAALEB'S STORM broke poorly in a useful sixth-place sprint tune-up. The lightly raced and improving filly is dropping and bred to run this far. WEEKEND MADNESS defeated bottom level maidens by 10-widening lengths at this distance, and she drew a favorable two-turn post.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

9 Big Affair Santana Fawkes 15-1

6 Ghaaleb's Storm FDe La Cruz Cox 8-1

1 Weekend Madness Cohen Diodoro 4-1

5 Santa Ana Winds Bridgmohan Coady 7-2

12 Mucho Mas Eramia Von Hemel 5-1

11 Hush Y'all Quinonez Cline 12-1

13 Shake It Up Tracy Mojica Diodoro 5-1

7 Fifthatnarraganset Thompson Mason 8-1

4 Southern Cents Elliott Frazee 12-1

8 Fiesta in Vegas Harr McKnight 20-1

10 Tell Me Im Pretty Garcia O'Neill 12-1

2 Ballybrack Lass Talamo Robertson 6-1

3 Blue Mermaid Wales Williams 30-1

5 Purse $17,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $6,250

SWISS MINISTER** is dropping to the lowest price of his career for a top California stable, and the eight-time winner shows several swift works leading up to his 2020 debut. DARK ARDEN defeated $10,000 claimers just two races back at Houston. He is back at a preferred distance after finishing fourth in a key two-turn race. BETO is a versatile sprinter shipping from Louisiana in good form, and trainer Tom Amoss spots horses where they can win.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

1 Swiss Minister Mojica Sadler 7-2

6 Dark Arden Santana Asmussen 3-1

3 Beto Talamo Amoss 5-1

5 Pocket Personality Eramia Broberg 9-2

10 Red Clay Magic Cohen Diodoro 12-1

2 Storminside Roberts Mason 8-1

8 Park Ridge Benny Baze Vance 10-1

13 Kapellmeister Bailey Puhich 8-1

14 Senor Blair Eramia Martin 10-1

7 Plumbago Bedford Williams 15-1

12 Kristo Thompson Green 20-1

11 Big Sport Borel Ortiz 15-1

4 Hamazingly Rich Hisby Gonzalez 30-1

9 Culper Vazquez Durham 30-1

6 Purse $24,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, claiming $30,000

NEW MEXICO** is dropping in class after a dull performance. He may hold a slight talent advantage, and he figures difficult to catch with a good break from the gate. ORO DE TEJANO has finished second in three consecutive races in Louisiana. He has strong Beyer figures but may lack a willingness to win. VERVE'S HUMOR has been on the bench since November, but he is dropping into a claiming race for the first time. He broke his maiden last season at Oaklawn.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

9 New Mexico Santana Asmussen 6-1

3 Oro de Tejano Talamo Amoss 7-2

6 Verve's Humor Rocco Stewart 9-2

7 Trashtalkinyankee Mojica Van Berg 6-1

5 Shining Through Baze Hollendorfer 4-1

10 Hard to Park Harr Cline 10-1

4 Channel Crossing Garcia Hollendorfer 8-1

2 Speaker Van Eramia Von Hemel 15-1

1 Most Amusing Hill Westermann 10-1

8 Golden Sceptor Thompson Lund 12-1

7 Purse $25,000, 1 mile, 3-year-olds and up who have never won three races, claiming $30,000

SO ALIVE*** competed well in stronger second-level allowance races at Fair Grounds. He is taking a significant drop and picks up the leading rider. TEZ exits a clear allowance win at Delta Downs, and he has shown promise in races on a fast main track. DUNPH finished second at this condition in a useful sprint, and he drew an advantageous post.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

2 So Alive Talamo Cox 3-1

7 Tez Bridgmohan Amoss 8-1

1 Dunph Garcia Sharp 5-1

12 Federal Case Borel Stall 8-1

11 Lighthawk Cohen Diodoro 7-2

5 Tight Ten Santana Asmussen 6-1

3 One Last Strike Mojica Morse 12-1

4 Victory Element Rocco Hobby 15-1

8 Ebben Vazquez Fawkes 15-1

14 Post Close FDe La Cruz Martin 20-1

6 Cosmologist WDe La Cruz Martin 30-1

9 Nice Work Baze Puhich 20-1

10 Light of the World Wales Rouck 30-1

13 Tadeo Quinonez Von Hemel 20-1

8 Purse $61,000, 1 mile, fillies, 3-year-olds, allowance optional claiming

DAWN'S DANCER** followed a debut turf-sprint victory at Fair Grounds with a competitive two-turn stake effort. Furthermore, she has always trained well on dirt. STRONG FLAG exits a decisive maiden allowance victory. The lightly raced and improving filly is a logical stalk-and-pounce threat. DREAMALILDREAMOFU moves to the main track after easily defeating two-turn turf runners at Fair Grounds, and she picks up leading rider Joe Talamo.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

4 Dawn's Dancer Garcia Davis 6-1

2 Strong Flag Santana Asmussen 7-2

7 Dreamalildreamofu Talamo Cox 5-2

9 Evil Lyn FDe La Cruz Cox 9-2

3 Piece of My Heart Cohen Robertson 10-1

8 Lady McKenzie Hill Fires 12-1

6 Sebs Princess Eramia Duke 6-1

5 Fashionably Elliott Asmussen 10-1

1 Compelling Smile Baze Puhich 15-1

9 Purse $62,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming

CANDY CORNELL**** is moving up a condition after a powerful 4-length victory. He possesses terrific speed and likely repeats if he holds form. PRINCIPE GUILHERME finished strong while defeating $50,000 claimers, and he finished a competitive third at this level in his previous race. NIFTY broke last in a deceptively good runner-up finish in his 2020 debut, and he put several big races together in 2019.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

4 Candy Cornell Mojica Diodoro 5-2

9 Principe Guilherme Talamo Richard 4-1

2 Nifty Quinonez Jones 7-2

6 There and Back Cohen Amoss 8-1

8 Hilton Magic Birzer Tracy 12-1

12 Two Bit Kid Thompson Delong 6-1

3 Absolutely Aiden Elliott Hawley 15-1

5 Malpais Garcia Sharp 20-1

11 Drop of Golden Sun WDe La Cruz Rengstorf 20-1

10 Extirpator Baze Turner 20-1

7 Petrov Borel Moquett 20-1

1 Kauai Vazquez Chleborad 30-1

10 Purse $60,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, maiden special weight

READY N WAITING** is an unraced filly showing strong works at Oaklawn and Louisiana Downs. She is bred for speed, and trainer Steve Asmussen saddled a pair of debut winners last season who prepared at Louisiana Downs. OFFERING is another Asmussen-trained first-time starter who may have tipped her hand in a bullet gate work March 19 at Fair Grounds. INSHANNITY is a 4-year-old filly making her first race for the powerful stable of Bob Baffert, and she is certainly bred to be talented.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

1 Ready N Waiting Baze Asmussen 5-1

8 Offering Santana Asmussen 9-2

2 Inshannity Garcia Baffert 3-1

9 Freedom Passage Cannon Glover 4-1

3 Trapped N My Mind Canchari Barkley 10-1

11 Tipazar Talamo Moquett 8-1

4 Lil Miss Moppet Mojica Miller 10-1

5 Blip Says Bye Lara Acksel 20-1

6 Quality too Spare Borel Spanabel 15-1

10 Barracuda FDe La Cruz Correas 15-1

7 Dixie Nation Harr Cline 20-1

EXOTIC POSSIBILITIES

The first race kicks off a Pick-4, and my top three selections need to be used. The second race is wide open, and spreading out generously is recommended. The third race drew a full field, and I believe the race will come down to RIDE TO THE WIRE and ADMIRAL BROWN. The fourth is another contentious race, and using at least four runners is a prudent move. The late double starts with a single in CANDY CORNELL in the ninth. The 10th has two Asmussen trainees, and I recommend using them both.

Sports on 04/10/2020

Upcoming Events