LEE'S LOCK Rhythm Park in the fifth.
BEST BET Rockshaw in the fourth.
LONG SHOT Smokin Now in the ninth.
Levels of confidence
*educated guess
**things to like
***plenty to like
****confident choice
1 Purse $24,500, 6 Furlongs, 3-year-olds and up who have never won 2 races, Claiming $15,000.
TRUST YOUR GUT** has in-the-money finishes in both of his previous main-track races in Southern California, and he is taking a clear drop in class for new and high-percentage connections. PATRIOTIC AMERICAN raced consistently well at this condition in Kentucky, and he broke his maiden after a similar layoff last winter at Oaklawn. LOYALIST is another California shipper who has earned competitive Beyer figures, despite a history of slow starts and traffic problems.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
1 Trust Your Gut;Franco;Diodoro;4-1
10 Patriotic American;Borel;Morse;7-2
3 Loyalist;Hill;Brennan;12-1
2 Wild Dreams;Birzer;Van Berg;8-1
11 American Roma;Ortiz;Vance;3-1
9 Chip Van Winkle;Pompell;Holthus;12-1
4 War Memorial;Roman;Villafranco;12-1
5 Story Onthe Street;Vazquez;Richard;8-1
7 Big Headed Jerry;Laviolette;Smith;20-1
8 My Expectations;St Julien;Caldwell;15-1
6 Instarland;Perez;Puhl;20-1
2 Purse $23,000, 6 Furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, Claiming $7,500.
Four Left Feet** is an old class horse who has been racing competitively at a higher claiming price at Hawthorne in suburban Chicago, and he picks up Eclipse finalist Jose Ortiz. IFQUICKJ kicked off his 2016 season with two strong races last winter at Oaklawn, and he ships from Turfway on the heels of a third-place starter allowance finish. HILARIUM has been forwardly placed in his two-race winning streak, and he has won four consecutive when teamed with today's rider.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
**14 Four Left Feet;Ortiz;Diodoro;4-1
7 Jifquick;Cannon;Compton;4-1
8 Hilarium;Laviolette;Smith;7-2
4 Now and Zen;De La Cruz;Martin;5-1
11 Magnum Force;Franco;Litfin;15-1
1 Kody With a K;Corbett;Shorter;5-1
3 Stormy Holiday;Canchari;Broberg;10-1
10 Special Jo;Perez;Puhl;8-1
12 Herriot;Hill;Stuart;15-1
6 Valid Decision;Birzer;Creighton;15-1
5 Battered;Kennedy;Anderson;20-1
9 Unbridled Venture;Quinonez;Arnett;20-1
**13 Cat's Destiny;Johnson;Vance;20-1
2 Sunday Mass;Roman;Garcia;20-1
** denotes also-eligible entrants
3 Purse $26,000, 6 Furlongs, 3-year-olds, Maiden Claiming $25,000.
GREEN MOON RISING* is a first-time starter with a win-early pedigree, and he has several months of encouraging works for a stable that excels with young horses. TEMPO SEEKER is another unraced colt representing a stable that wins with this kind, has three gate works and the presence of jockey Jose Ortiz is a plus. BLUEGRASS FIELDS has been preparing for his first race in the warmer climate of South Louisiana, and trainer Brad Cox is another who wins with first-timers at a high percentage.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
7 Green Moon Rising;Birzer;Richard;5-1
6 Tempo Seeker;Ortiz;Hartman;7-2
12 Bluegrass Fields;Court;Cox;9-2
4 Game Loading;Hill;Asmussen;6-1
5 West of East Texas;Rocco;Miller;8-1
3 Mister Grasshopper;Pompell;Caldwell;6-1
8 Henny Hawk;Sanjur;Milligan;15-1
10 Johnny's Gone Wild;Osorio;Shorter;12-1
2 Sing Him a Song;Borel;Pitts;15-1
1 Colonel Slewie;Corbett;Durham;15-1
**14 Confederate Rags;Medina;Morse;10-1
**13 Readyaimfire;Roman;Chleborad;10-1
11 Iftheyonlyknew;Vazquez;Villafranco;20-1
9 Tilden;Quinonez;Von Hemel;20-1
** denotes also-eligible entrants
4 Purse $74,000, 5 ½ Furlongs, 3-year-olds, Allowance.
ROCKSHAW*** broke his maiden at Keeneland in a race that produced four next-out winners, and he has been training swiftly since a troubled fourth-place stakes finish at Laurel. CONQUEST WILDCAT was visually impressive in his career debut victory last May at Churchill, and if he is bigger, stronger and faster at 3 he will be difficult to beat. ROMEO O ROMEO is a stakes-placed sprinter who is back at his game after two 2-turn races in tougher company.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
2 Rockshaw;Ortiz;Moquett;3-1
3 Conquest Wildcat;Borel;Morse;2-1
1a Romeo O Romeo;Rocco;Williamson;4-1
1 R Fast Life;Rocco;Williamson;4-1
4 Reckling;Hill;Asmussen;7-2
5 D R C Majestic Man;Vazquez;Villafranco;5-1
6 Hellofaguy;Landeros;Ortiz;12-1
5 Purse $30,000, 1 1/16 Miles, 4-year-olds and up, Starter Optional Claiming.
RHYTHM PARK**** is shipping from Kentucky riding a 5-race winning streak, while earning Beyer figures that are clearly fastest in this field, and he drew a favorable post for top connections. TRUE TEN easily defeated a field of $25,000 claimers at Remington, and this trainer-rider team have won at a 49 percent rate over the past two seasons. SNICKERBOXER splashed his way to a convincing allowance victory in his last start at Remington Park, which was also his first under the care of trainer Federico Villafranco.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
3 Rhythm Park;Canchari;Richard;3-1
11 True Ten;Franco;Diodoro;10-1
5 Snickerboxer;Vazquez;Villafranco;4-1
9 Bad Student;Sanjur;Vance;6-1
10 Malibu Tide;Ortiz;Diodoro;8-1
12 Flowers for Lisa;Cannon;Stuart;9-2
7 Gospel Abe;Corbett;Martin;8-1
6 It'sgoodtobelucky;Court;Frazee;15-1
4 Private Prospect;Lantz;Campbell;20-1
1 Memphisinmay;Osorio;Ortiz;20-1
8 So Kitten;Perez;Puhl;20-1
2 Dynabeaver;Rocco;Lukas;20-1
6 Purse $74,000, 1 Mile, 4-year-olds and up which have never won 2 races, Allowance.
GRAY SKY** has rallied in consecutive in-the-money sprint finishes at Churchill and Keeneland, and he showed two-turn talent last season finishing creditably in the Arkansas Derby and Rebel. DAN THE GO TO MAN was beaten a neck as an odds-on favorite in his last sprint effort at Churchill, and he figures on or near the lead in his first two-turn effort and is bred to carry his speed this far. COMIC BIRD hit the board in all four of his allowance races at Delaware, and his fastest Beyer figures have been earned at Oaklawn Park.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
5 Gray Sky;Rocco;Lukas;2-1
6 Dan the Go to Man;St Julien;Caldwell;9-2
7 Comic Bird;Franco;Jayaraman;6-1
2 Humor;Hill;Hartman;8-1
4 Choir Director;Vazquez;Villafranco;6-1
3 Burntwood;Quinonez;Von Hemel;12-1
1 Sightforsoreeyes;Kennedy;Anderson;12-1
9 Marine Pilot;Ortiz;Ortiz;8-1
8 Cataroux;Borel;Morse;15-1
10 Stand Guard;Canchari;Ritchey;15-1
7 Purse $72,000, 6 Furlongs, Fillies and Mares, 3-year-olds and up, Maiden Special Weight.
HER LOVE FOR PAPPY**set a strong early pace in a clear runner-up finish at Keeneland, and the lightly raced filly has recorded two solid 5-furlong breezes at Oaklawn and is the one to catch. SANDORA has been freshened since a strong third-place finish last May at Churchill, and she has worked fast and often and receives a break in the weights with an apprentice rider aboard. CHOPPYCHOPPYCHOPPY raced close to the lead in a second-place debut at Churchill, and she is treated with bleeder medication Lasix for the first time, and has winning but a lesser known stable.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
7 Her Love for Pappy;Roman;Ortiz;7-2
1 Sandora;Clawson;Morse;8-1
5 Choppychoppychoppy;Court;Davies;4-1
9 Estelline;Ortiz;Whiting;9-2
**14 Sweet Invention;Ortiz;Moquett;8-1
4 Parking Ticket;Hill;Aubrey;10-1
11 Tour On;Franco;Jacquot;10-1
10 Street Biz;Pompell;Delong;15-1
8 Milady Rocks;De La Cruz;Lukas;6-1
6 Miss Azul;Birzer;Hall;15-1
**13 American Odyssey;Landeros;Caster;10-1
2 Hot Tub Holiday;Sanjur;Vance;15-1
3 Simply Great;Osorio;Shorter;20-1
12 Garbo;Quinonez;Von Hemel;15-1
** denotes also-eligible entrants
8 The Pippin. Purse $125,000, 1 1/16 Miles, Fillies and Mares, 4-year-olds and up.
STREAMLINE*** finished second in the Grade II Fall City Handicap at Churchill when making her first route race since a stroncampaign last spring, which culminated in a second-place finish in the Grade I Apple Blossom. READY TO CONFESS is a multiple graded stakes-placed filly who is a picture of consistency, and she won her 2016 debut last winter at Oaklawn. TERRA PROMESSA was very good last spring in winning the Fantasy and Honeybee at Oaklawn, but her return was not especially good at Remington and top connections only hurt the price.
PP HORSE JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
1 Streamline;Landeros;Williamson;8-5
5 Ready to Confess;Rocco;Von Hemel;7-2
2 Terra Promessa;Ortiz;Asmussen;5-2
3 Miss Mo Kelly;BQuinonez;9-2
6 She Mabee Wild;Court;Danner;6-1
4 Ruby Sioux;LQuinonez;Von Hemel;15-1
9 Purse $72,000, 6 Furlongs, 3-year-olds, Maiden Special Weight.
SMOKIN NOW** flashed excellent early speed before retreating in his debut last July at Prairie Meadows, and now ships from Arizona after three months of strong workouts and a vastly improved performance is expected. VANDELAY raced wide in a fifth-place debut at Churchill, and the winner has since won a sprint stake and this colt is working smartly over the Oaklawn strip. HOW'S MY BUD is an unraced three-year-old who has a series of good breezes, and trainer Chris Richard rarely runs a "short" horse.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
6 Smokin Now;Franco;Diodoro;12-1
1 Vandelay;Ortiz;Moquett;7-2
9 How's My Bud;Canchari;Richard;8-1
**14 Dupree;Ortiz;Moquett;5-2
8 My Man Kan;Landeros;Hobby;6-1
3 Grandpa's Dream;Perez;Hartman;9-2
12 Lipan;Hill;Asmussen;5-1
11 Wazzup Chuck;Rocco;Miller;10-1
2 Harlan's Dynamo;Borel;Pitts;15-1
5 Flyin' Orphan;Birzer;Creighton;15-1
7 Tsunami Cat;Cannon;Van Berg;10-1
**13 Perplexed;Vazquez;Lukas;12-1
4 Seven Forty Seven;Felix;Mason;15-1
10 Bigshot Lacewell;Quinonez;Von Hemel;15-1
** denotes also-eligible entrants
EXOTIC POSSIBILITIES
• The fifth race is a good trifecta/superfecta race due to a solid favorite (Rhythm Park) in a large field of 12, and maybe six horses to go in the place and show spot. With a long shot picked in the ninth race the 50-cent late Pick-3 in interesting. The seventh race has four horses that need to be used, and the eighth should be covered with three. I will single long shot Smokin Now, but others may see this race as a wide-open race since there are plenty of unknowns.
Sports on 01/14/2017