LEE'S LOCK Epic Adventure in the first
BEST BET War Detonator in the sixth
LONG SHOT Mrs. Beans in the ninth
SATURDAY'S RESULTS
MEET 62-194 (32%)
* * * * confident choice
* * * plenty to like
* * things to like
* educated guess
1 Purse $35,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $30,000
* * *EPIC ADVENTURE was beaten a neck in a clear second-place finish when making his first start around two turns, and his speed will have him in perfect position turning for home. MR. PETERKIN crossed the wire one position behind the top selection while going off at 6-5 odds. SMASH ATTACK has route experience and was beaten only a neck in a useful sprint tune-up.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
7 Epic Adventure;Talamo;Compton;5-2
1 Mr. Peterkin;Vazquez;Lukas;7-2
2 Smash Attack;Tohill;Von Hemel;9-2
6 Catholic Guilt;Court;Martin;5-1
8 Mega Max;Harr;Cates;5-1
5 Stud Puppy;Quinonez;Von Hemel;8-1
3 Toil and Trouble;Cohen;McKnight;8-1
4 Ponti Poker;Camacho;Soto;20-1
2 Purse $27,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $6,250
* *STRATE REMARK set a strong early pace in a second-place route effort. He is back at his best distance and is dropping in class. RIVERBOAT GAMBLER was beating up on better last season in Kentucky, and new trainer Aidan Green is having a good meeting. LOUDEN'S GRAY has not raced since November, but he raced competitively against steeper last season at Oaklawn. He carries less weight with an apprentice rider aboard.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
3 Strate Remark;Vazquez;McKnight;2-1
5 Riverboat Gambler;Gonzalez;Green;3-1
7 Louden's Gray;Fletcher;Loy;5-1
1 Flashymeister;Hebert;Williams;15-1
2 Deacon;Morales;Haran;10-1
8 Splash for Gold;Garcia;Mason;7-2
6 Babadoook;Wales;Moysey;6-1
4 Baquero Flies;Court;Lukas;20-1
3 Purse $35,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds, maiden claiming $30,000
* *GALILEE had trouble at the start in a two-turn career debut at Churchill. He is cutting back to a sprint distance, dropping in class and is treated with Lasix for the first time. Moreover, he is a half-brother to six runners with earnings exceeding $100K, including 2016 Rebel winner Cupid. FIRECRACKER STAND contested the pace in a fourth-place finish Feb. 5, which was an afternoon favoring late-running types. MEGA CHARLIE raced outside of rivals in an encouraging third-place debut, and he is likely to improve with the racing experience.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
1 Galilee;Santana;Moquett;6-1
2 Firecracker Stand;Eramia;Smith;5-1
4 Mega Charlie;Arrieta;Contreras;3-1
7 Presto Bench;Tohill;Hartman;4-1
9 Sea to Success;Torres;Sadler;9-2
8 Awesome Launch;Gonzalez;Hollendorfer;6-1
5 Talktoeachother;Court;Swearingen;8-1
6 Khaki Jack;Morales;Vance;10-1
3 No Classiva;Medina;Milligan;30-1
4 Purse $50,000, 1 1/16 miles, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, starter allowance
* *GLAMOUR GIRL has raced competitively in two allowance races at the meeting while earning the field's fastest Beyer figures. MISS MOON PIE is the speed drawn closest to the rail. She is an improving filly and an overlay at program odds. MALIBU MARLEE had to overcome early trouble in a solid third-place finish, and she drew an advantageous two-turn post position.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
5 Glamour Girl;Harr;Jones;2-1
2 Miss Moon Pie;Tohill;Hartman;8-1
1 Malibu Marlee;Cabrera;Matthews;9-2
6 Better With Age;Geroux;D'Amato;3-1
7 Tonal Vision;WDe La Cruz;Stuart;4-1
4 Shackadelic;Court;Anderson;5-1
3 Hashtag Winner;Arrieta;Williamson;20-1
5 Purse $35,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $30,000
* *AZTEC EMPIRE has not raced since June, but he raced competitively in stronger maiden allowance races at Churchill and Oaklawn in 2020. He seems to be working well for winning connections. ENGLANDER lost a clear lead in a photo-finish loss Feb. 4, and he returns at the same level for new and winning trainer Karl Broberg. WICK is dropping into the maiden claiming ranks for the first time, and he looms a late threat if the pace is honest enough.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
1 Aztec Empire;Santana;Moquett;9-2
4 Englander;Cabrera;Broberg;5-2
6 Wick;FDe La Cruz;Lukas;8-1
9 Super Wise;Morales;Hollendorfer;7-2
3 Tiz the Journey;WDe La Cruz;Zito;12-1
7 Captain Fantastic;Bowen;Puhich;15-1
8 Unidentified Man;Arrieta;Compton;5-1
2 Power Burst;Canchari;Anderson;8-1
5 Ace Gilford;Quinonez;Von Hemel;10-1
6 Purse $36,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, claiming $30,000
* * *WAR DETONATOR consistently earned the field's fastest Beyer figures while competing last season in Kentucky. The front-runner and beaten favorite caught a closer-friendly surface in his local debut. SHANGHAI'S DREAM returns fresh for top connections after a 4-length maiden score at Lone Star. He hasn't missed any training this winter while being stabled at Houston. RISE UP REDHAWK has competed against nothing but Oklahoma-bred company, but the lightly raced gelding is quick and a threat to lead past every pole.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
8 War Detonator;Gonzalez;Barkley;6-1
5 Shanghai's Dream;Santana;Asmussen;3-1
4 Rise Up Redhawk;Eramia;Von Hemel;2-1
3 Haydens Havoc;Bridgmohan;Williamson;5-1
7 Soldier Boy;Camacho;Vance;10-1
6 Hard to Park;Harr;Cline;12-1
2 Lawlessness;Garcia;Mason;6-1
1 Love My Ride;Loveberry;Chleborad;8-1
7 Purse $93,000, 1 mile, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, maiden special weight
* *SMARMY finished second behind an even-money favorite after contesting an honest pace in her first start of the season. She had a sharp subsequent breeze and is strictly the one to catch. TRUMPET LILLY crossed the wire only 1 length behind the top selection Jan. 24, and she followed the effort with an improved second-place finish. SALIT was forwardly placed in a second-place route finish at Gulfstream, and the lightly raced filly picks up a leading rider.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
1 Smarmy;Talamo;Bauer;9-5
5 Trumpet Lilly;Arrieta;Contreras;5-2
6 Salit;Geroux;McPeek;5-2
4 Bold Tactics;Loveberry;Catalano;6-1
2 Miss Tulsa;Eramia;Von Hemel;12-1
7 Winning Walk;Tohill;Hartman;8-1
3 Seeking Honor;Torres;Prather;15-1
8 Purse $106,000, 1 1/16 miles, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming
* *JILTED BRIDE is moving up a condition after a clear stalk and pounce allowance victory. W W FITZY was narrowly beaten at this level when making her local debut. She is a seven-race winner and a wire-to-wire danger. QUEEN BRIDGET finished third in a pair of higher-priced races last season at Oaklawn, and she returns to dirt after two useful races at Turfway Park.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
4 Jilted Bride;Santana;Asmussen;9-5
7 W W Fitzy;Arrieta;Contreras;6-1
3 Queen Bridget;Cabrera;Ortiz;15-1
1 Laurieann;Eramia;Martin;10-1
8 Alta's Award;Talamo;Asmussen;5-1
5 Singita Dreams;Garcia;Bauer;3-1
6 Charming Lady;Geroux;Amoss;5-1
2 O Seraphina;Vazquez;Sharp;10-1
9 Purse $29,500, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, Arkansas-bred, claiming $20,000
* *MRS. BEANS pushed a fast pace before fading late in a useful route race. He is cutting back to a sprint distance and dropping into restricted company. YOUNG BULL was a clear maiden winner on a wet track last season at Oaklawn, and the beaten post-time favorite was claimed by a winning stable Feb. 25. TEN BUDS suffered a tough luck defeat after losing a clear lead inside the final yards, and he is adept on a fast or wet surface.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
2 Mrs. Beans;Bowen;Garcia;15-1
12 Young Bull;Cabrera;Broberg;3-1
1 Ten Buds;Mojica;Martin;7-2
4 East Moon Lake;Harr;Rhea;12-1
10 Lang's Fir Doll;Thompson;Dixon;12-1
11 Bravura Creek;Morales;Witt;5-1
7 Bank Man;Quinonez;Swearingen;10-1
5 Gotta Love Ike;Tohill;Martin;10-1
6 Smellin Candy;FDe La Cruz;Green;10-1
9 Boo Be Right;Vazquez;Villafranco;8-1
8 African Warrior;Torres;Prather;12-1
3 Hamazing Song;Camacho;Gonzalez;20-1
Exotic possibilities
The first race offers a daily double, and I'll single Epic Adventure and pair him up with Strate Remark and Riverboat Gambler in the second. Galilee may be an overlay in the third race, and I recommend playing exactas over my next three selections.