LEE'S LOCK Irish Mischief in the sixth
BEST BET Istan Council in the seventh
LONG SHOT Golden Bullet in the first
**** confident choice
*** plenty to like
** things to like
*educated guess
1 Purse $30,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up which have never won two races, claiming price $30,000
**GOLDEN BULLET lost a late lead in a clear second-place finish at Woodbine, and he has worked smartly since arriving at Oaklawn for trainer Norman McKnight, who saddled 16 winners last season at Oaklawn. POCKET PERSONALITY has raced competitively while competing against better in New York and California, and he appears the better of a solid two-horse entry. RUN TAPPY finished 2018 with a pair of disappointing wet-track races at Churchill, but he is dropping to the lowest price of his career. He drew a favorable route post for new and winning trainer Wayne Catalano.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
9 Golden Bullet;Vazquez;McKnight;6-1
1 Pocket Personality;Mojica;Diodoro;5-2
2 Run Tappy;Hill;Catalano;3-1
6 On Patrol;Thompson;TVance;8-1
7 Jail House;Santana;Asmussen;4-1
1a Long Gray Line;Cohen;Diodoro;5-2
8 Derecho Warrior;Wethey;Young;12-1
4 Macha's Reward;Cabrera;Moquett;8-1
5 Intimidating;Rodriguez;Loy;20-1
3 Flight Risk;Eramia;Shorter;20-1
2 Purse $77,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden special weight
**YOUNG BULL is an unraced son of speedy Grade I winner Bellamy Road. He shows bullet works dating back to April, and trainer Ernie Witt has his "go-to" rider aboard. DREXEL sports a series of encouraging workouts at Fair Grounds, and the Ron Moquett trainee will debut on bleeder medication Lasix. LEO DEL REO worked fast and often this winter at Hawthorne for a stable that has saddled several debut winners over this track.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
5 Young Bull;Canchari;Witt;9-2
7 Drexel;Rodriguez;Moquett;3-1
4 Leo Del Reo;Bridgmohan;Mason;8-1
10 Souixper Charger;Santana;Cates;7-2
14 Officer Sid;Lara;Morse;6-1
2 Babadook;Loveberry;Hornsby;12-1
6 Blanco Bronco;Roman;Gonzalez;10-1
12 Vans Flying Cowboy;Riquelme;Garcia;12-1
1 Crow Mountain;Quinonez;Pish;12-1
9 Risky Boy;Wethey;Young;20-1
13 Tapit Star;Garner;McBride;15-1
8 Fire To;Birzer;Chleborad;12-1
3 Gone Dancing;Sanjur;Martin;20-1
11 Traffic Control;Rodriguez;Ives;20-1
3 Purse $26,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance
***BOW AND ARROW convincingly defeated entry-level allowance rivals in a fast allowance victory, and he had shown similar form earlier last season at Del Mar. CEEKY proved stubborn on the lead winning a race at this level at Churchill, and the front-runner raced well last season at Oaklawn. DAN THE GO TO MAN ran a pair of strong races in Kentucky previous to a poor stake showing last month at Gulfstream. He is back at a proper level and figures near the lead throughout.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
8 Bow and Arrow;Cohen;Broberg;5-2
9 Ceeky;Canchari;Van Berg;5-1
1 Dan the Go to Man;Cabrera;Ortiz;8-1
3 Rolin With Olin;Sanjur;Mullins;15-1
7 Chip Van Winkle;Vazquez;Villafranco;10-1
11 Istillgotit;Bravo;Hartman;4-1
10 Candyrock;Bridgmohan;Mason;10-1
4 Davka;Mojica;McKnight;10-1
2 Summer Disco;Thompson;Manley;10-1
6 Bajan Cash;Eramia;Martin;15-1
5 Drinkwiththeirish;Valdivia;Campbell;15-1
4 Purse $77,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-old fillies, maiden special weight
**GUN CLUB was pressured through brisk fractions in a second-place turf-sprint debut at Fair Grounds, and her pedigree suggests she will be an improved runner on the main track. SHAHARAZAD rallied from far back when beaten a quickly diminishing neck in her career debut at Churchill, and her local works have been good. She is also treated with Lasix for the first time. WHAT A FOX was a two-time runner-up this past fall in Kentucky, and she has earned the field's fastest Beyer figure.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
9 Gun Club;Santana;Asmussen;9-2
7 Shaharazad;Eramia;Peitz;3-1
6 What a Fox;Loveberry;Fox;5-1
4 Helena;Geroux;Cox;7-2
2 She's a Truckin;McMahon;Cates;8-1
3 Tale of La Comete;Lanerie;Stewart;6-1
5 Adari;Birzer;Chleborad;3-1
8 Sweet Gisel;Cabrera;Lukas;12-1
10 Electress;Quinonez;Von Hemel;15-1
1 Letters to Belle;Borel;Ruiz;30-1
5 Purse $22,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $10,000
***FLASHY INDIAN was consistently good in three races last season at Oaklawn and narrowly missed at this claiming price just two starts back at Remington. ROCKPORT KAT finished third behind a pair of talented sprinters in the Silver Goblin at Remington, and the inconsistent runner is plunging in class and dangerous with one of his better efforts. ONE SON OF A CHIEF raced well at a higher claiming price last season in Northern California, and he has moved into a winning stable, appearing a logical threat.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
13 Flashy Indian;Vazquez;Villafranco;5-1
3 Rockport Kat;Birzer;Chleborad;5-1
9 One Son of a Chief;Cohen;Diodoro;7-2
8 Justice for Themob;Canchari;Ortiz;6-1
11 Archie;Santana;Asmussen;3-1
1 Go Vo;Valdivia;Manley;15-1
7 Pat Daddy;Mojica;McKnight;10-1
5 Reflector;McMahon;Broberg;10-1
6 Purely Given;Sanjur;Cristel;20-1
2 Proven Warrior;De La Cruz;Contreras;15-1
4 Gotta Curlin;Thompson;Duncan;20-1
10 Outrun the Posse;Rodriguez;Caldwell;20-1
12 Tiz Showbiz;Wethey;Puhl;20-1
14 Plumbago;Riquelme;Garcia;20-1
6 Purse $77,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-old fillies, maiden special weigh.
****IRISH MISCHIEF contested a fast early pace in a clear second-place career debut finish at Churchill, and typical second-out improvement will make the Brad Cox trainee difficult to beat. LOVELY FLASH weakened inside the final furlong in an encouraging fourth-place debut at Fair Grounds. Her recent works at Oaklawn are sharp and she should benefit from the experience. SOULCOMETOWN is a daughter of champion sprinter Speightstown, and the unraced Steve Asmussen trainee shows good works at Louisiana Downs and Fair Grounds.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
4 Irish Mischief;Geroux;Cox;9-5
7 Lovely Flash;Thompson;Jones;6-1
6 Soulcometown;Santana;Asmussen;9-2
9 Palace Princess;Vazquez;Peitz;6-1
10 Takechargematriarch;Lanerie;Stewart;6-1
3 Sky Freak;Bridgmohan;Mason;20-1
11 Goodbye Earl;Johnson;DVance;10-1
5 More Moet Pleez;Borel;Pitts;12-1
2 Motion Emotion;Court;Van Berg;20-1
1 Ultimate Mo;Cabrera;Lukas;15-1
8 Drop Dead Gorgeous;Valdivia;Hobby;20-1
7 Purse $78,000, 5 1/2 furlongs, 3-year-old fillies, allowance optional claiming
**ISTAN COUNCIL was dominating in a fast maiden victory at Keeneland, and she has been training sharply since arriving in Hot Springs. She fits well after being overmatched in a stake at Fair Grounds. PERUVIAN APPEAL followed a clear maiden victory at Churchill with a second-place stake finish last month at Tampa and was purchased privately since she is racing for high percentage trainer Brad Cox for the first time. KADA won her two starts at Remington by a combined margin of 18 lengths but figures to have more pace pressure and may not be able to reproduce her strong Beyer figures.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
11 Istan Council;Thompson;Jones;6-1
7 Peruvian Appeal;Geroux;Cox;9-2
1 Kada;Santana;Asmussen;3-1
4 Furiously Fast;Cohen;Casse;8-1
3 Flashy Doll;Vazquez;Sharp;9-2
5 Miss Perfecta;Bravo;Morse;10-1
6 Raintree Starlet;Canchari;Williamson;6-1
8 Miss Ximena;Hill;Ortiz;20-1
9 Talbeya;Cabrera;Peitz;20-1
10 Beautiful Tale;Lanerie;Stewart;20-1
2 Irish Marvel;Lara;DiVito;20-1
12 Mucha Mezquina;Elliot;Williamson;30-
8 The Smarty Jones. Purse $150,000, 1 mile, 3-year-olds
****GRAY ATTEMPT set a strong pace and stayed in front winning the 6-furlong Sugar Bowl at Fair Grounds, and he recorded a powerful 5-furlong work Jan. 18. He is strictly the one to catch. BANKIT is a stake-winner at this distance, and he was a fast closing second in the $100,000 Springboard Mile at Remington. SUPER STEED finished fourth in the Sugar Bowl as an even-money favorite, and he may make amends if able to recapture the form he showed in Kentucky.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
8 Gray Attempt;Bridgmohan;Fires;5-2
7 Bankit;Santana;Asmussen;7-2
3 Super Steed;Thompson;Jones;9-2
1 Long Range Toddy;Eramia;Asmussen;4-1
5 Bolder;Vazquez;Asmussen;8-1
6 Forloveofcountry;Bravo;DiVito;12-1
4 Six Shooter;Elliot;Holthus;6-1
9 Jack Van Berg;Court;Van Berg;20-1
2 Sleepy Eyes Todd;Cabrera;Silva;30-1
9 Purse $77,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds
***PROUD NATION showed good early speed in a pair of second-place sprint races in Kentucky and is bred to improve around two turns. The horse is wearing blinkers for new trainer Joe Sharp. PASSION PLAY rallied to second in a 7-furlong tune-up at Churchill, and he has been breezing well at Oaklawn and has winning connections. RISING STAR showed ability in a pair of sprint races at Woodbine. The nicely bred colt is training sharply and may prefer conventional dirt surfaces.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
7 Proud Nation;Cabrera;Sharp;2-1
10 Passion Play;Lanerie;Stewart;4-1
11 Rising Star;Borel;Jones;10-1
3 Laughing Fox;Santana;Asmussen;5-1
4 Brush Country;Canchari;Van Meter;12-1
1 Stolen Thunder;Geroux;Cox;6-1
9 Ronamo;Hill;Catalano;12-1
12 Tut's Revenge;Vazquez;Stuart;15-1
6 Split the Wickets;Birzer;Van Berg;15-1
2 Gigging;Bravo;Hartman;20-1
5 Lifesbeengoodsofar;Wethey;Villafranco;30-1
8 Georgia Deputy;Court;Petalino;30-1
1a Stock Chain;Valdivia;Lukas;6-1
EXOTIC POSSIBILITIES
Golden Bullet is a potential overlay at 6-1 odds in the first race, and with vulnerable favorites he is good as a win bet or a horse to key in exacta or trifecta wagers. The sixth race starts a 50-cent Pick-4, and Irish Mischief may be the best single in the wager. The seventh race can be narrowed down to three runners, and the eighth race may have plenty of contention depending on one's opinion of Gray Attempt. The ninth race can be covered decently with Proud Nation and Passion Play, and maybe three more horses for handicappers with deeper pockets.
Sports on 01/25/2019