Arkansas Democrat-Gazette handicapper Rick Lee seeks out horses who make good “key” horses in multi-horse and/or multi-race wagers, commonly called exotic wagers.
The 50-cent Pick 3 that starts with the third race begins with what may be a two-horse race, the middle leg has more contention and drew a field of 12, and the wager finishes with a handful of overlays in the fifth race. The ninth and final race is a “get out of town” race with potential because of a large field, and whichever horse you key in a trifecta or superfecta is apt to be an honest price.
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Oaklawn Entries (Sunday) Post: 1:30
LEE’S LOCK Dr. Spin in the third.
BEST BET Full Dancer in the seventh.
LONG SHOT Dakota Digger in the fifth.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS 4-9 (44.4 percent).
MEET 19-72 (26.4 percent).
*Educated Guess
**Things to like
***Plenty to like
****Confident choice
1 Purse $18,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $12,500.
***HALL OF FAME recorded in-the-money finishes at Churchill and Santa Anita last season, and he is taking a huge drop to the bottom of the local maiden-claiming ranks. WHOLEDIFFERENTGIG raced competitively in two $30,000 maiden claimers at Churchill, and he shows a series of good works since arriving in Hot Springs and wears blinkers for the first time. SWIFT HUMOR was forwardly placed and wide when third-best at Indiana Downs, and he returns fresh for new trainer Federico Villafranco so improvement is expected.
PP HORSE; JOCKEY; TRAINER; ODDS
1 Hall of Fame; Bridgmohan; 3-2
5 Wholedifferentgig; Castanon; Cox; 3-1
4 Swift Humor; Vazquez; Villafranco; 7-2
9 American Empire; BQuinonez; Hartman; 8-1
6 Uh Huh Baby; Berry; Morse; 10-1
2 Morning Sunshine; Santana; Durham; 12-1
3 Friendly Ghost; Perez; Williamson; 15-1
7 Rough Dan; Thompson; Vance; 20-1
8 Dancin Jimmie; Denninger; May; 30-1
2 Purse $18,300, 1 1/16 miles, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $6,250.
**MOTIVARE was eased up late in a sharp victory at this claiming price at Remington, and the four-time winner in 2014 should receive an ideal trip on or near the early lead. BABY WILDCAT benefits from a recent fast-closing runner-up finish against similar rivals at Remington, and the pace should be honest enough to set up a late charge. BOOLEANNA was stakes-placed in restricted company at Remington, and the good finisher is in top form and drew an inside post.
PP HORSE; JOCKEY; TRAINER; ODDS
3 Motivare; BQuinonez; Ashauer; 9-2
8 Baby Wildcat; Vazquez; Hartman; 7-2
2 Booleanna; Loveberry; Caldwell; 5-1
4 Miesque Amour; Rocco; Calhoun; 5-2
5 Hicks Honey; Castanon; Shumake; 12-1
9 Afleet Abaco; Birzer; Campbell; 12-1
1 Jardenia; Thompson; Cox; 8-1
6 Miss Reditore; Mello; Chleborad; 15-1
7 Louwala Clough; Borel; Wiggins; 15-1
3 Purse $18,500, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up who have never won three races, claiming $10,000.
****DR. SPIN may have been too close to a fast pace when caught late in his seasonal debut, and the Villafranco trainee may have found his niche as a sprinter. MAGNUM FORCE was beaten less than two lengths as a post-time favorite on opening day, and a better break from the gate will make him difficult to turn back. SAINT FLOYD has finished second in three consecutive races at this conditioned-claiming level, and a low-profile barn will only add to the price.
PP HORSE; JOCKEY; TRAINER; ODDS
1 Dr. Spin; Vazquez; Villafranco; 9-5
3 Magnum Force; Hamilton; Hartman; 2-1
5 Saint Floyd; Laviolette; Antwine; 10-1
4 Waldo; BQuinonez; Ashauer; 5-1
8 Viva Wildwood; Loveberry; Barnes; 8-1
2 Jerry N Duke; Mello; Martin; 10-1
7 Franks On Fire; Wethey; Riecken; 12-1
6 Commander Luke; Birzer; Martin; 12-1
4 Purse $60,500, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, allowance.
***BUMPY CAT was compromised by a slow start when beaten less than three lengths in an allowance last month at Hawthorne, and he won a fast maiden race at Arlington and figures tough to beat in restricted company. RATTLESNAKE HOLLER won a state-bred allowance race following a layoff last winter at Oaklawn, and he has done most of his best running with today’s rider Cliff Berry aboard. WE BE STORMIN followed a runner-up debut performance with a maiden allowance victory last summer at Louisiana Downs, and he should be stronger and faster as a 3-year-old.
PP HORSE; JOCKEY; TRAINER; ODDS
2 Bumpy Cat; Felix; Mason; 3-1
5 Rattlesnake Holler; Berry; Whited; 12-1
10 We Be Stormin; Vazquez; Cates; 6-1
8 Touchdown Arkansas; McNeil; Howard; 5-1
4 Valid Bull; LQuinonez;Biehler; 6-1
12 He Is a Roadster; Court; Dixon; 6-1
11 Tour de Rock; Kuntzweiler; Hornsby; 15-1
6 All Aboard; Santana; Moquett; 8-1
1 Devilishly Clever; Birzer; Roberts; 10-1
9 Morgan’s Curiosity; Rocco; Hobby; 15-1
3 Oliver’s Bull; BQuinonez; Ashauer; 20-1
7 Morluc’s Secret; Cruz; Ives; 30-1
5 Purse $20,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $10,000.
**DAKOTA DIGGER finished third in a stronger allowance field three races back at Hawthorne, and he is back sprinting after chasing a fast route pace on opening day. PRIME NUMBER brings strong Beyer speed figures to the race, and he fits the conditions like the race was written for him, but he is at his best as a front-running router and will offer little value. LEMON JUICE won his last race at Canterbury at this same claiming price, and he owns competitive Beyer figures and is an attractive play at morning line odds.
PP HORSE; JOCKEY; TRAINER; ODDS
10 Dakota Digger; Thompson; Manley; 12-1
3 Prime Number; Santana; Cox; 3-1
7 Lemon Juice; BQuinonez; Riecken; 10-1
5 Tiu; Vazquez; Gorder; 9-2
4 Sea of Change; Felix; Mason; 6-1
1 Lawyer Daggett; Castanon; Matthews; 4-1
2 Launch Light; Birzer; Chleborad; 8-1
6 Flyby Dubai; Perez; Lynn; 8-1
8 Mr. Barry; LQuinonez; Broberg; 12-1
9 Gone Cowboy; Rodriguez; White; 20-1
6 Purse $18,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $12,500.
*RED DEPUTY’S GIRL was no match for a heavily favored winner in her debut, but she was less than three lengths shy of second and she broke slowly and raced very wide on the turn. CINNAMONSBIRDIE is another who broke a tad slow and raced wide in her debut down at Retama, and she is dropping into state-bred competition and benefits from the experience. COMIC BAND has not raced since a three-race campaign last season at Oaklawn, but she finished a good third in his debut and notice the leading rider is in the irons.
PP HORSE; JOCKEY; TRAINER; ODDS
2 Red Deputy’s Girl; Rodriguez; Creighton; 5-1
8 Cinnamonsbirdie; Loveberry; Witt; 6-1
6 Comic Band; Santana; Ice; 4-1
9 Bow Street Runner; Berry; Whited; 7-2
4 Arabella’s Lady; Borel; McBride; 8-1
7 Indygo Meadow; Thompson; Roberts; 12-1
10 Miss Spana; Franklin; Caudill; 10-1
12 Runaway Mollie; Kuntzweiler; Hornsby; 20-1
3 Milliondollarbride; BQuinonez; Cline; 10-1
1 Jersey; Vazquez; White; 15-1
5 Certain Lady; Mello; Martin; 12-1
11 Letheruckustart; Esquilin; Cook; 15-1
7 Purse $21,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, starter optional claiming.
***FULL DANCER was a decisive winner in all three of his races at Oaklawn last spring, and he has won 8 of 12 career races on the main track and finished 2014 with a runner-up finish at Santa Anita. FLATTERMEJIM has won 7 of 11 career races at Oaklawn Park and suffered a tough-luck defeat on opening day. BALEGA earned a big Beyer figure when dominating $12,500 rivals at Hawthorne, and winning trainer Ingrid Mason scratched this gelding Saturday in favor of this race.
PP HORSE; JOCKEY; TRAINER; ODDS
8 Full Dancer; Court; Kardoush; 9-5
4 Flattermejim; Thompson; Vance; 5-2
3 Balega; Felix; Mason; 9-2
2 Flexnow; Vazquez; Biehler; 8-1
6 Glint; Santana; Asmussen; 8-1
5 Kid Sidney; Borel; Morse; 10-1
7 Royal Dehere; Franklin; Cox; 15-1
1a Welcome Home Ryan; De La Cruz; Puhl; 12-1
1 Lotto Cat; De La Cruz; Puhl; 12-1
8 Purse $62,000, 1 mile, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming.
**I GOT IT ALL finished a close third in a restricted sprint stake at Hawthorne, which has produced three next-out winners, and the front-running contender has proven ability at the distance. AGENT DI NOZZO was a disappointing fourth in the Tenacious Handicap at Fair Grounds, but he finished second in the Delta Mile in his previous race and the multiple stakes winner shows upbeat works at Oaklawn. VOODOO STORM was winless in 2014, but he raced well in several stakes races and should be able to rally behind a possible contentious pace.
PP HORSE; JOCKEY; TRAINER; ODDS
5 I Got It All; Hill; Swearingen; 9-5
6 Agent Di Nozzo; Bridgmohan; Margolis; 7-2
4 Voodoo Storm; Rocco; Glyshaw; 10-1
2 Donoharm; Berry; Calhoun; 5-1
3 Joy Boy; Vazquez; Gorder; 4-1
1 Stachys; LQuinonez; Biehler; 5-1
1a Quiet Man; Santana; Biehler; 5-1
7 Bold Stephen; Birzer; Jacquot; 15-1
9 Purse $19,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $20,000.
**SHE’S LIVE was beaten less than one length in her return from a six-month vacation while not having the cleanest of trips, and she was claimed by a winning stable who immediately puts blinkers on. PINK LIPGLOSS finished second last month in a two-turn race at Remington, and the 11-race maiden has earned the field’s fastest Beyer figures and could be going best inside the final furlong. GLIDING ON AIR has finished in the money in 5 of 8 races, and the probable pacesetter had a solid 5-furlong gate work Jan. 16.
PP HORSE; JOCKEY; TRAINER; ODDS
2 She’s Live; Vazquez; Broberg; 7-2
7 Pink Lipgloss; BQuinonez; Hartman; 6-1
9 Gliding On Air; McNeil; Milligan; 8-1
11 Mauk Dirty to Me; Felix; Mason; 5-1
4 Sky Silver; Esquivel; Romero; 4-1
6 Iamagirlygreeley; Wethey; Jackson; 12-1
5 Lovely Lavon; LQuinonez; Von Hemel; 10-1
1 Saint Belles Song; Loveberry; Raidt; 10-1
10 Religious; Santana; Moquett; 12-1
3 Roman Star; Mello; Martin; 20-1
8 Bayadere; Castanon; Shumake; 12-1