LEE'S LOCK Jackie's Warrior in the 10th
BEST BET Amani's Eagle in the sixth
LONG SHOT Violent Gigi in the ninth
FRIDAY'S RESULTS 1-9 (11.1%)
MEET 32-117 (27.4 %)
* * * * confident choice
* * * plenty to like
* * things to like
* educated guess
1 Purse $25,000, 5 1/2 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance
* * ACE DESTROYER lost a late lead in a clear second-place finish. He is cutting back in distance and was claimed by a winning stable. BITUMEN defeated stronger $25,000 claimers on a wet track at Belmont, and he has better speed than he showed in his local debut. DRILL'S LI'L MAN possesses good early speed, and he has consistently competitive Beyer figures.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
5 Ace DestroyerBridgmohanBarkley4-1
4 BitumenSantanaAsmussen3-1
8 Drill's Li'l ManGonzalezMorse5-2
6 Kitchen FireMojicaMcKnight5-1
2 All Star RedCabreraBroberg12-1
7 He's Meant to BeArrietaGreen6-1
3 TentwelvefourteenQuinonezCline10-1
9 Sharp ArtJohnsonVance20-1
1 UnscathedMoralesGarcia20-1
2 Purse $36,500, 6 furlongs, fillies, 3-year-olds, maiden claiming $40,000
* * SIMONA'S CHOICE finished second behind a lone speed winner in an encouraging debut at Remington, and her subsequent breezes suggests she is ready for an improved effort. NORTHERN DIAMOND rallied to second over a muddy track in her first start at the meeting, and she has earned the field's fastest Beyer figure. GRAVITRON chased an honest pace before tiring in her 3-year-old debut. She is dropping into a maiden-claimer and may lead every jump.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
9 Simona's ChoiceQuinonezMilligan9-2
12 Northern DiamonVazquezMcKnight5-2
4 GravitronCohenHollendorfer5-1
1 La PulcinelaSantanaAsmussen7-2
8 Kowgirl KirbyTohillVon Hemel8-1
6 Diva RosaFDe La CruzFires10-1
2 PlayfulmisssamurWalesMoysey10-1
3 Forever HomeMojicaWilliamson20-1
7 Renegade SunsetWDe La CruzStuart20-1
11 X Marks the SpotGonzalezBarkley20-1
13 I'm StylinMoralesWilliamson10-1
10 Fortuna AdiuvatCabreraLukas30-1
5 Little Sure ShotEramiaVon Hemel30-1
3 Purse $31,500, 1 mile, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $20,000
* * SHAKES CREEK finished second in a key allowance race at Indiana, and the five-time winner sports a series of good works since arriving at Oaklawn. INTREPID HEART is a talented 5-year-old with credentials to win, but the beaten favorite looked rough Jan. 30. Taking an expected short price is risky. KOWBOY KARMA has finished with energy in two sprint races this winter, and the Steve Asmussen trainee has proven route ability.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
4 Shakes CreekMoralesGarcia6-1
10 Intrepid HeartCohenDiodoro5-2
8 Kowboy KarmaSantanaAsmussen7-2
5 SedarisQuinonezVon Hemel4-1
7 MississippiCabreraMoquett10-1
6 Secret HouseMojicaBroberg12-1
3 Here Comes DocGonzalezMatthews5-1
2 Bobby BabyVazquezVillafranco20-1
1 Driven to CompeteArrietaContreras20-1
9 Wickets WayWDe La CruzPuhl30-1
4 Purse $33,500, 1 mile, 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, claiming $30,000
* * HANDY disappointed in a sixth-place finish in his 2021 debut. He is dropping into a conditioned-claimer, and a return to his Kentucky form would make him tough to beat. GALLANT PLUNGER is stretching out after a pair of fourth-place sprint finishes at Fair Grounds. He carried his speed this far last season at Oaklawn. TURN THE SWITCH has been racing competitively on turf in Southern California. He drew an inside post and is capable if he transitions to dirt racing.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
2 HandyArrietaVance15-1
6 Gallant PlungerSantanaAsmussen7-2
1 Turn the SwitchCohenHess5-2
8 Mau MauMojicaBroberg8-1
3 Derby CodeCabreraGarcia5-1
9 EuroexitVazquezVillafranco9-2
7 Perfect SenseGerouxAmoss8-1
10 Fast RecoveryGonzalezBarkley12-1
4 IncorrigibleSaezMoquett10-1
5 Chase TrackerMoralesZito30-1
5 Purse $27,500, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, claiming $25,000
* * * GENERAL TREV has not raced since April, but he won his career debut last winter at Oaklawn. He holds a talent advantage at this level. SOUTHSIDE SWIG set a fast pace before finishing third behind a heavily favored winner Jan. 24. The lightly raced 4-year-old is a wire-to-wire danger. DAVIDIC LINE was a clear second at this condition in his seasonal debut. He was claimed by a leading stable and will be wearing blinkers for the first time.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
7 General TrevSantanaAsmussen5-2
9 Southside SwigEramiaSmith9-2
8 Davidic LineCohenDiodoro7-2
1 Haydens HavocMojicaWilliamson8-1
14 Bode's LightMoralesGarcia5-1
5 Jimmie TQuinonezVon Hemel20-1
12 East Moon LakeFDe La CruzRhea10-1
4 JackmanCabreraBroberg12-1
13 RogalloWDe La CruzPuhl10-1
6 Hard to ParkHarrCline20-1
10 Soldier BoyCamachoVance30-1
11 Cold SmokeArrietaContreras30-1
3 Screen StarWalesMoysey5-1
2 Perfect MistakeThompsonDixon20-1
6 Purse $88,000, 1 mile, 4-year-olds and up, allowance
* * * * AMANI'S EAGLE scored a decisive two-turn maiden win last season at Churchill. He is working smartly and figures to be controlling the pace. AASR has rallied to third in consecutive allowance finishes at Aqueduct, and trainer Mike Maker spots horses where they can win. COACH BAHE has not raced in 10 months, but he showed talent last season at Oaklawn. His recent workouts have been good.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
10 Amani's EagleRosarioAsmussen7-2
4 AasrFDe La CruzMaker5-2
6 Coach BaheRoccoBauer4-1
8 MeistermindCohenMcKnight8-1
12 LngtermrelationsCabreraMoquett5-1
11BackgroundBowenPuhich20-1
5 Totally JimboThompsonJones15-1
1 UcanthankmelaterArrietaMatthews30-1
14 AtokaSaezLukas15-1
2 Blue SteelSaezHiles12-1
13 Santos DumontSantanaAsmussen15-1
9 Alex JoonMojicaBrennan20-1
7 Great FacesEramiaVon Hemel20-1
3 UpholdMoralesHaran30-1
7 The Razorback Handicap. Grade III. Purse $600,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up
* * * MYSTIC GUIDE is a Grade I-placed colt who showed steady improvement throughout his 3-year-old campaign. He ships from Fair Grounds after a series of good breezes. OWENDALE returns fresh after a third-place finish in the Grade I Clark at Churchill, and he worked a powerful 5 furlongs last Saturday at Fair Grounds. HUNKA BURNING LOVE led every stride but the last one when narrowly defeated in the Fifth Season, and he is projected to make an easier lead in this stake.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
7 Mystic GuideSaezStidham9-5
4 OwendaleRosarioCox2-1
2 Hunka Burning LoveCabreraBroberg9-2
1 Silver ProspectorSantanaAsmussen5-1
6 Long Range ToddyCourtStewart12-1
3 Mailman MoneyTalamoCalhoun10-1
5 Rated R SuperstarVazquezVillafranco8-1
8 The Spring Fever. Purse $200,000, 5 1/2 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
* * * KIMARI is a multiple stake winner on turf, but she is also unbeaten in two races on dirt. High-powered connections will have her ready to fire. AMY'S CHALLENGE has a speed and recency advantage over the top selection, and she has worked nicely since a second-place finish in the American Beauty. CASUAL dominated second-level allowance rivals in her first race at Oaklawn, and the daughter of Curlin may prove to be this good.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
9 KimariRosarioWard2-1
3 Amy's ChallengeCanchariRobertson5-2
4 CasualSantanaAsmussen5-1
5 HeadlandArrietaHobby8-1
7 ShesomajesticVazquezOrtiz8-1
6 Ain't No ElmersCohenCalhoun8-1
1 CashcheckorchargeCabreraLambert12-1
2 Sunny DaleGarciaHollendorfer10-1
8 Best Kept SecretHarrCline20-1
9 Purse $86,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight
* * VIOLENT GIGI has 14 weeks of encouraging works leading up to his debut. He has a win-early pedigree and a trainer who wins with this kind. NAME REJECTED finished second behind a post-time favorite in his first start at the meeting, and the consistent front-runner is a must-use in gimmick wagers. STILLETO BOY crossed the wire only a neck behind the second selection. He is lightly raced and capable of showing more.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
1 Violent GigiVazquezHollendorfer15-1
10 Name RejectedGarciaDiVito3-1
9 Stilleto BoyFDe La CruzAnderson7-2
2 ReserveRosarioMoquett9-2
13 Molto VivaceSantanaAsmussen5-2
3 BamalamaMojicaWilliamson20-1
8 Test of WillTalamoJones8-1
7 Cost AverageTohillHartman12-1
6 LazarettoBowenJoseph6-1
12 Right ToneCohenDiodoro6-1
11 Pizza CharlieWDe La CruzPuhl15-1
14 GrapnelSaezMoquett6-1
5 My Favorite UncleCabreraLukas20-1
4 Navy SealBorelSwearingen30-1
10 The Southwest. Grade III. Purse $750,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds
* * * * JACKIE'S WARRIOR is a multiple Grade I winner who was compromised by a suicidal pace battle when beaten as odds-on favorite in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He figures to control the pace and should rebound. ESSENTIAL QUALITY finished his juvenile campaign winning consecutive Grade I's, including rallying past the top selection in the BC Juvenile. He is unbeaten and the one to fear in the deep stretch. WOODHOUSE is a distant third pick, but he is an improving colt with potential to be a stake winner.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
4 Jackie's WarriorRosarioAsmussen8-5
1 Essential QualitySaezCox3-2
6 WoodhouseCabreraTrout8-1
7 SpielbergGarciaBaffert9-2
2 Saffa's DaySantanaAsmussen10-1
5 Santa CruiserEramiaDesormeaux12-1
3 Last SamuraiCourtStewart12-1
11 Purse $89,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming
* * DUNPH finished second behind a speedy horse-for-course in his return to Hot Springs. The beaten post-time favorite likes this surface and switches to the leading rider. WARRIOR'S MAP followed a front-running win at Fair Grounds with a 1-length loss at this level at Oaklawn. He has route speed and owns a wet-track win. SPA CITY has been racing competitively at this condition at Fair Grounds, and trainer Brad Cox is set up to have a big day.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
9 DunphSantanaOrtiz12-1
6 Warrior's MapQuinonezJones5-1
13 Spa CityGerouxCox3-1
8 Beaver HatGerouxWilliamson7-2
7 ArrivalGarciaMason12-1
10 Lone RockCohenDiodoro4-1
14 Chris and DaveVazquezDiodoro9-2
12 American DubaiTohillStuart8-1
2 Sonny SmackTalamoVon Hemel8-1
1 MuralistRoccoPuhich12-1
11 Bruder BobArrietaRobertson10-1
4 All WestSaezMoquett6-1
3 Easy ShotCabreraBarkley20-1
5 What a CountryJohnsonHartlage20-1
Exotic possibilities
The sixth race has a likely winner in Amani's Eagle, so I'll put him over my next five selections in a trifecta wager. The seventh race begins a Pick-5 and going three deep is suggested. The eighth race is also a good contest among my top three. The ninth is a highly contentious sprint, and I've got to use my top five selections. The 10th is a match race between Essential Quality and Jackie's Warrior. The 11th is competitive and spreading out is recommended.