SUNDAY'S RESULTS 3-9 (33.3%)
MEET 96-319 (30.1%)
LEE'S LOCK Prodigious Bay in the first
BEST BET Chun Money in the seventh
LONG SHOT Safety in the ninth
CONFIDENCE RATINGS
****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 three races, claiming $7,500
PRODIGIOUS BAY**** is training well for his return from a layoff, and he holds a clear class advantage and may be cruising on an easy early lead. RACKATAPTAP has rallied in two useful sprint races, and he has proven route ability and attracts the leading rider. CHELSEA DAGGER finished a distant second at this class and distance last month, and he drew a favorable two-turn post.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
2 Prodigious BayAsmussenMoquett7-5
3 RackataptapTorresWard5-2
1 Chelsea DaggerBarbosaMcKnight3-1
4 VincenzinoBealmearMcKnight8-1
5 Galactic EmpireZimmermanMartin10-1
6 Chisholm TrailFuentesAnderson20-1
7 Red DevilArrietaPetalino20-1
2 Purse $60,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-old fillies, maiden claiming $50,000
BUSINESS AS USUAL*** has been forwardly placed in four consecutive route races, and she is cutting back to a sprint and is dropping into a softer maiden claiming race. JUST AN OPINION earned the field's fastest Beyer figure in a third-place effort Feb. 16, and she is also dropping out of a maiden allowance. WEST COAST HARBOR tired inside the final furlong after showing excellent early speed in her career debut, and she has a license to improve with kinder rating and the racing experience.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
3 Business as UsualSantanaBrisset2-1
7 Just an OpinionAsmussenAsmussen9-5
1 West Coast HarborBowenPuhich8-1
2 SpacitygalBealmearVance10-1
4 Miss ClassifiedBarbosaVon Hemel12-1
8 St. Olaf RoseEsquivelMorse6-1
6 Miss TerreQuinonezMilligan15-1
5 She's Not a JokeHernandezMartin20-1
10 Devious DivaLanderosCaster20-1
9 The Big CalhounaJuarezSantamaria20-1
3 Purse $32,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $10,000
GOOD HEART*** set an honest pace and kept on running in a seven-length victory, and he put big wins together last summer at Ellis. PROVOST ships from Delta Downs following consecutive victories, while earning Beyer figures comparable to the top selection. RAYMOND was pressed through moderate fractions before edging clear in a two-length win at this same claiming price Feb. 17.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
7 Good HeartArrietaGibson5-2
8 ProvostVazquezRufino4-1
5 RaymondBarbosaDiodoro3-1
4 StringsTorresBroberg7-2
6 Baseball PoliticsLeparouxManley15-1
1 Spotted BullEsquivelWard8-1
3 Wildwood MinistryFuentesBecker12-1
2 LamutanaattyAsmussenAsmussen12-1
1a BayronBealmearWard8-1
4 Purse $38,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $30,000
MONEYSTRIKE** pressed the pace in a clear second-place finish when making his second start at the meeting, and the three-time runner-up is due to win soon. DALTON'S RUTROW was caught inside the final yards in an open maiden claiming race, and he is a logical threat dropping into restricted company. PERSCRIPTURE recorded the fastest five-furlong gate work on Feb. 23, and the unraced 3-year-old is bred to be quick.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
5 MoneystrikeVazquezWilson5-2
10 Dalton's RutrowBaileySwearingen7-2
9 PerscriptureLanderosBrennan8-1
11 StillbillyAsmussenMoquett6-1
8 Zippy MarkTorresDiodoro4-1
4 Bet All the GoldBarbosaSoto12-1
3 Young JonesboroWalesHornsby15-1
12 Clear EchoBealmearStuart20-1
2 Crime ZoneArrietaMason20-1
1 Mr. BennyChuanChleborad20-1
6 WelcometoarkansasDe La CruzCates20-1
7 Little BiscuitsQuinonezMilligan30-1
13 Get Away With ItHernandezMartin30-1
14 Won NinetyCourtGreen30-1
5 Purse $35,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance
OPTIMAL COURAGE*** was a seven-time winner in 2023, and he easily won a key race in his last main track effort at Fair Grounds. Moreover, he has a clear pace advantage over his primary rivals. ETERNALLY GRATEFUL has finished no worse than second in eight consecutive races, while showing a strong and consistent late run. JUNIOR BUG has rallied in seven consecutive in-the-money finishes, and he looms a big threat with an improved break from the gate.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
8 Optimal CourageTorresSilva2-1
2 Eternally GratefulFuentesBecker5-2
6 Junior BugArrietaVan Berg3-1
4 Larry's LegendHernandezDiodoro4-1
5 Ian GlassChuanShorter15-1
3 Stellar TapAsmussenAsmussen12-1
1 Good ScoutDe La CruzHornsby15-1
7 Blow TorchVazquezRosin20-1
6 Purse $30,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $12,500
GOLDEN DIVERSION*** crossed the wire second best while better than seven lengths clear of the third-place finisher when wearing blinkers for the first time. MO MOVES has finished in the money in three of his past four races, while showing route speed. KENTUCKY ICE raced competitively around two turns at Remington, and he returns to his preferred surface after a dull try on turf at Houston.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
2 Golden DiversionTorresWitt7-5
3 Mo MovesAsmussenAsmussen9-5
13 Kentucky IceHernandezCravens9-2
9 StricklandLanderosBrennan5-1
8 Abby's EncoreBaileyCates8-1
12 Big Andy MortBealmearDiVito20-1
1 StrasseJuarezLukas20-1
10 Bubby BoyBowenSwearingen20-1
4 Lucky Is My NameQuinonezMilligan30-1
7 Prince Is My BoyBarbosaRosin30-1
6 MansouraCourtFires30-1
5 Lucky Super NovaAndersonEspinoza50-1
11 Devil's ShadowPusacLoy50-1
7 Purse $72,000, 1 mile, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $125,000
CHUN MONEY** has been showing good early speed in talented sprint fields, and he may get to the front in his first try around two turns. TOP OF THE STREET was narrowly defeated while nearly 10 lengths clear of third in a vastly improved performance last month. GAME KEEPER has earned competitive Beyer figures while competing in stronger maiden allowance races, but he is also an 11-race maiden.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
10 Chun MoneyArrietaVon Hemel8-1
6 Top of the StreetEsquivelMcPeek5-2
4 Game KeeperJuarezLukas3-1
2 MoneyshotBowenPuhich6-1
1 RocketeightyeightFuentesMott10-1
7 MilitantChuanCox8-1
8 Melt With YouGallardoRobertson10-1
3 Just Be HappyLeparouxMcPeek12-1
9 Mr ScatterSantanaCorreas20-1
5 ManfrediBealmearHartman20-1
11 BravenAsmussenAsmussen20-1
8 Purse $140,000, 1 mile, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, allowance
AMERICAN BAND** has crossed the wire first in four of her past five races at Oaklawn, and she is bred to carry her speed this far. LACIE BE GOOD ships from Delta Downs riding a four-race winning streak for high percentage trainer Tom Amoss. INSENSITIVE following a clear maiden allowance victory over this track with a second-place finish at this entry-level allowance condition.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
3 American BandDe La CruzHaran5-2
14 Lacie Be GoodTorresAmoss4-1
9 InsensitiveArrietaAnderson7-2
10 XylophoneBaileyMcBride5-1
5 Paris StyleLeparouxMcPeek6-1
11 Flashy LassAsmussenAsmussen6-1
12 My Good FortuneBejaranoHartman10-1
1 Dream StreakHernandezRosin12-1
6 Too PrettyEsquivelPeitz20-1
4 MakemebelieveGallardoRobertson20-1
2 TyronaBarbosaSchultz20-1
8 Ghaaleb's RangerFuentesBecker20-1
7 My MyPusacRufino30-1
13 Triple L's CutterBealmearHewitt30-1
9 Purse $38,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $30,000
SAFETY* recorded the fastest of six half-mile gate workers Feb. 1. The first-time starter picks up a winning apprentice and trainer Jaime Gonzalez has won with this kind. AMAZING SUCCESS lost a big lead inside the final furlong in a second consecutive second-place finish, and he is strictly the one to catch and beat. SUNDAY SPIRIT overcame early trouble in a fast closing third-place finish, and he is a logical threat with an improved start.
PP HORSEJOCKEYTRAINERODDS
1 SafetyBarbosaGonzalez20-1
7 Amazing SuccessDe La CruzHornsby2-1
3 Sunday SpiritAsmussenMoquett5-2
2 Preacher's KidTorresCompton3-1
12 Great BarrierSantanaAsmussen6-1
10 Dicey WagerHernandezBroberg15-1
8 Bet On TizQuinonezCates20-1
4 Classic CinemaLanderosBrennan15-1
6 Swift KeyChuanChleborad20-1
11 PrepardenessZimmermanCline30-1
9 Rustic AffairPusacMartin30-1
13 Berryville BulletBarbosaDixon30-1
5 Tommy TriAndersonSoto50-1