Rick Lee's Oaklawn picks and analysis

FILE — Horses and jockeys break from the starting gate at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs. (Democrat-Gazette file photo)
FILE — Horses and jockeys break from the starting gate at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs. (Democrat-Gazette file photo)

LEE'S LOCK Sugar Love in the first

BEST BET Maxim Moment in the fourth

LONG SHOT Talktoeachother in the second

THURSDAY'S RESULTS 3 of 9 (33.3%)

MEET 119-343 (34.7%)

••••confident choice

•••plenty to like

••things to like

•educated guess

1 Purse $31,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up which have never won three races, claiming $20,000

••••SUGAR LOVE set a contested pace before drawing clear defeating starter allowance rivals and is a big repeat threat at this lower conditioned-claiming level. BLINKERS finished third behind a heavily favored winner at this condition, and she possesses early speed. AWESOME INDRA is a two-time second-place finisher at the meeting, and she looms a late danger if the pace is contentious enough.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

5 Sugar Love;Cohen;Diodoro;9-5

4 Blinkers;Gonzalez;Chleborad;5-1

3 Awesome Indra;WDe La Cruz;Puhl;4-1

6 Frenchie Frou Frou;Cabrera;Broberg;3-1

2 Ms. Malevolence;Arrieta;Hollendorfer;4-1

1 She's Fire and Ice;Santana;Villafranco;10-1

2 Purse $27,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $10,000

••TALKTOEACHOTHER raced close to a rapid early pace before tiring in a deceptive debut, and he is dropping to the bottom of the local maiden ranks. He is switching to leading rider Ricardo Santana Jr. CLEARLY MAD finished third in a pair of main track sprints last fall at Churchill, and the class dropper returns to dirt following three turf races at Fair Grounds. MAJESTIC DAY is a five-time second-place finisher, who is cutting back in distance for her third start after a long layoff.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

4 Talktoeachother;Santana;Swearingen;8-1

3 Clearly Mad;Garcia;Bauer;3-1

8 Majestic Day;Hamilton;Mason;5-1

5 Confess;Gonzalez;Green;7-2

2 Honiara;Torres;Villafranco;6-1

1 Toil and Trouble;Vazquez;McKnight;4-1

7 Mystic Pharoah;Eramia;Milligan;8-1

6 Samurai Saint;Arrieta;Contreras;10-1

3 Purse $28,000, 1 mile, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, claiming $10,000

••INDIAN BELLA chased an honest pace before weakening in her return from a seven-month break, and the five-time winner in 2020 is dropping to win. FABULOUS GIRL showed sprinters speed in a second-place tune-up, and she has a good record in limited races around two turns. BIG TINY has finished with energy in consecutive sprint races, and she is sent two turns for the first time by new and winning trainer Tom Amoss.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

5 Indian Bella;Tohill;Martin;5-2

1 Fabulous Girl;WDe La Cruz;Martin;7-2

2 Big Tiny;Bridgmohan;Amoss;9-2

7 Hush Y'all;Harr;Cline;5-1

6 Monkey Mind;Morales;Garcia;4-1

8 Santa Ana Winds;Court;Dixon;15-1

4 Veilazig;Canchari;Glover;8-1

3 Julie Arkansas;Fletcher;Loy;15-1

4 Purse $48,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds, maiden claiming $50,000

•••MAXIM MOMENT showed speed to strong maiden opposition this winter at Gulfstream, and he is at a preferred distance and working well for new trainer Robertino Diodoro. MEGATAP has finished a close second in all three of his races, while losing the lead in each. He has top connections and is the one to beat. JUNESANDRA broke slowly against better in a two-turn try, but he is back sprinting and running at a proper class level.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

8 Maxim Moment;Cohen;Diodoro;6-1

3 Megatap;Santana;Asmussen;3-1

1 Junesandra;Eramia;Von Hemel;6-1

2 Gold Money;Talamo;Cox;7-2

5 Mega Charlie;Canchari;Morse;9-2

7 Awesome Launch;Gonzalez;Hollendorfer;5-1

6 Tango Charlie;Torres;Morse;6-1

4 Are You Happy;Court;Vance;15-1

5 Purse $27,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $6,250

••YOU SPLIT TENS has led for better than 6 furlongs in recent route races, and he is back sprinting and dropping in class for new and winning connections. MINE MY TIME is adding blinkers and dropping to the lowest price of his career, and he is the late-running half of the Diodoro entry. GHOSTLY WHO has an excellent record sprinting, and he returns to his best distance following two useful front-running route races.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

1 You Split Tens;Cohen;Diodoro;4-1

1a Mine My Time;Cohen;Diodoro;4-1

10 Ghostly Who;Arrieta;Barkley;9-2

7 Tentwelvefourteen;Quinonez;Cline;5-1

8 Replete;Gonzalez;Green;5-1

5 Unscathed;Cabrera;Garcia;12-1

4 Louden's Gray;Fletcher;Loy;8-1

6 Impressive Student;Santana;Asmussen;3-1

2 Recount;Loveberry;Martin;20-1

9 Babadoook;Morales;Moysey;20-1

3 Baquero Flies;Thompson;Lukas;20-1

6 Purse $30,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, starter allowance

••BELIEVEINHOLIDAYS finished third in a more talented sprint field on opening day, and he is back sprinting after a good front-running route effort. Moreover, new trainer Karl Broberg has been on a good run over the past three weeks. BASIC CHANCE weakened late after being pressured through fast fractions in a race he likely needed, and he may rate more kindly with blinkers removed. JACK VAN BERG scored a sharp front-running victory less than three weeks ago, while earning a competitive Beyer figure.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

6 Believeinholidays;Cabrera;Broberg;6-1

3 Basic Chance;Court;Martin;7-2

4 Jack Van Berg;Borel;Borel;4-1

5 He's Meant to Be;Talamo;Holthus;4-1

2 I Belong to Becky;WDe La Cruz;Martin;3-1

1 Something Super;Vazquez;Villafranco;10-1

8 He's No Bull;Cohen;Diodoro;6-1

7 Kitchen Fire;Torres;Cox;15-1

7 Purse $93,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, maiden special weight

•••MUSIC APP set a contested pace in a second-place debut, and she received a confidence lift when the winner came back to finish second in a stake. BAYSHORE FOXES has put three strong 5-furlong breezes together for a stable that wins at a high percentage with first-time starters. WHAT'S NEWS has done all of his debut preparations at Louisiana Downs and is trained by Steve Asmussen.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

2 Music App;Quinonez;Von Hemel;5-2

6 Bayshore Foxes;FDe La Cruz;Bauer;3-1

5 What's News;Santana;Asmussen;3-1

1 Golden Eyed Queen;Bowen;Lund;8-1

4 Eden;Arrieta;Contreras;5-1

7 Silver's York;Court;Fires;10-1

8 Everyotherwon;Torres;Lauer;10-1

3 Blame the Red Cat;Eramia;Milligan;10-1

8 Purse $27,500, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up which have never won two races, claiming $12,500

••JUSTATAPIN finished second, while better than four lengths clear of third, in her first start for current connections. SING ALONG SUZY has not raced since a clear maiden win last November at Laurel, but she has a winning trainer and solid breezes over the track. MS FALSETTO crossed the wire one position behind the top selection, and she is switching to the leading rider.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

8 Justatapin;Thompson;Hewitt;8-1

6 Sing Along Suzy;Torres;Villafranco;6-1

5 Ms Falsetto;Santana;Broberg;7-2

2 Between the Hedges;Cabrera;Amoss;3-1

4 Kalliniki;Arrieta;D'Amato;6-1

3 Undecidedcertainty;Harr;Cline;12-1

10 Dixieland Dream;Gonzalez;Barkley;8-1

7 Collude;WDe La Cruz;Puhl;5-1

9 Ancient Brown;Rocco;Cash;20-1

1 Whoville;FDe La Cruz;Puhl;20-1

9 Purse $105,000, 1 1/16 miles, fillies, 3-year-olds, allowance optional claiming

•••EXOTIC WEST has recorded strong works since finishing a close second behind an odds-on favorite in her local debut, and she is bred to improve at route distances. WILLFUL WOMAN was a dominated two-turn maiden winner just two races back, and she is spotted well after finishing seventh in the Grade III Honeybee. SISTER ANNIE has set the pace in consecutive third-place finishes at this condition, and she represents a powerful stable.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER ODDS

2 Exotic West;Cabrera;Catalano;5-2

1 Willful Woman;Santana;Asmussen;7-2

5 Sister Annie;Talamo;Cox;7-2

6 Trumpet Lilly;Arrieta;Contreras;5-1

3 Shastaloo;Cohen;Diodoro;8-1

4 Sariah Sariah;Bridgmohan;Amoss;4-1

7 Absolute Anna;Vazquez;Hollendorfer;8-1

10 Purse $28,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up which have never won three races, claiming $10,000

•BAILESTON LASSIE sprinted competitively at a higher level in November at Indiana, and she ships from Turfway following a pair of disappointing races on a synthetic surface. TIGER BAIT was beaten less than four lengths at a high level in her 2021 debut, and she is dropping after an even-effort in the Downthedustyroad. ABRAMAX was narrowly defeated at this class and distance March 21, and she may not have to improve much to defeat this field.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

6 Baileston Lassie;Cabrera;Garcia;8-1

1 Tiger Bait;Bowen;Broberg;3-1

8 Abramax;Torres;Shorter;4-1

4 Stylin Uptown;Santana;Asmussen;5-2

10 Summer Lovin;Loveberry;Riecken;6-1

7 French Charm;Arrieta;Broberg;6-1

3 Big Affair;Morales;Compton;12-1

5 La Paquita;Lopez;McKnight;12-1

2 City Gone Country;Hebert;Loy;20-1

9 All in Bronson;WDe La Cruz;Deatherage;30-1

Exotic possibilities

Sugar Love is a single in the first-race double, and I'll pair him with Clearly Mad and Talktoeachother in the second. The fourth race begins a Pick-3 and I recommend my top two selections. I believe my top three selections need to be on the ticket in the fifth, and the sixth race is contentious and spreading out in chase of a big number is wise.

Upcoming Events