Oaklawn Entries (Sunday) Post: 1:30
LEE’S LOCK Corruption in the second
BEST BET Virginia’s Joy in the third
LONG SHOT Molly Z in the ninth
SATURDAY’S RESULTS 3-10 (30 percent)
MEET 109-345 (31.6 percent)
*Educated guess
**Things to like
***Plenty to like
****Confident choice
1 Purse $64,000, 1 1/16 miles, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden special weight
**SUSHI GIRL finished well while a bit erratic down the stretch in a useful sprint tuneup, and she is a half-sister to five route winners and gets the nod in a wide-open race. MY BELLO VITA finished two lengths in front of the top selection March 1, and she has route speed and two-turn experience. JESSICALEA T contested the pace in a second-place sprint race against maiden claimers, and connections show confidence with today’s jump into a maiden allowance race.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
4 Sushi Girl;Johnson;Hartlage;4-1
1 My Bello Vita;Birzer;Turner;3-1
2 Jessicalea T;Vazquez;Cates;5-2
3 Secret Temple;Santana;Asmussen;6-1
5 More Than Krazy;Laviolette;Gonzalez;6-1
8 Miss Spana;Wethey;Caudill;12-1
9 Blushing Bella;BQuinonez;Cline;12-1
6 Kelly Belly Kid;Court;Northrop;20-1
7 Super Sexy Susan;De La Cruz;Boarman;15-1
2 Purse $20,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $12,500
****CORRUPTION raced competitively against stronger maiden runners in three races last season in Kentucky, and trainer Wayne Catalano has been on a good run of late. BUNDLER has produced a good late run in three consecutive in-the-money finishes, and he receives a break in the weights with an apprentice rider aboard. KINETIC was one-paced in his sprint tuneup, but he is dropping in class and is bred to carry his speed this far.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
6 Corruption;Santana;Catalano;6-5
5 Bundler;Rodriguez;Holthus;5-1
8 Kinetic;Berry;Hartman;4-1
4 Tapit Quick;Canchari;Morse;5-1
7 Oo de Lally;Johnson;Arnold;12-1
1 Midnite Haze;Court;Cannon;12-1
2 Runnin Away;Loveberry;Lauer;12-1
3 George’s Blend;Kelly;Gorder;20-1
3 Purse $20,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $5,000
***VIRGINIA’S JOY finished first or second in 8 of 12 starts last season, and the speedy mare finished fourth in her return to the races and drew a favorable post for a sprinter with speed. MARLENE’S LOVE followed a convincing victory in a $4,000 claiming race at Houston with a second-place finish for $7,500, and trainer Steve Asmussen won with a Houston shipper earlier in the week. ANOTHER TRICK has been consistently good at the meeting, including a victory on opening day, and she was claimed out of her last start by a stable having a terrific meet.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
10 Virgina’s Joy;Felix;Mason;5-2
3 Marlene’s Love;Santana;Asmussen;4-1
6 Another Trick;Landeros;Diodoro;7-2
2 Zuni Women;Rodriguez;Creighton;8-1
8 J K’s Mischief;Mello;Chleborad;8-1
7 Blessed Moon;Thompson;Roberts;12-1
1a Slick Philly;Canchari;Brueggemann;10-1
4 Lemondropspritzer;Birzer;Martin;15-1
1 Miss Julia;Canchari;Brueggemann;10-1
5 Southern Symphony;Johnson;Ashauer;15-1
9 Kate Pressley;Flores;Whited;20-1
4 Purse $20,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $12,500
**IMPROVISED BRUSH was a fast-closing second behind a lone speed and favored winner Feb. 20, and the improving closer was scratched out of a maiden allowance race Friday in favor of this race. SYLVAN HILLS BOY earned Beyer figures as a juvenile that are faster than what today’s rivals have earned as older horses, and he is back with trainer Al Cates after two poor races in Maryland. FLYING SUSPECT has been forwardly placed in his sprint races, and he is bred to route and will try to steal this for a top trainer-rider team.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
7 Improvised Brush;Thompson;Ice;3-1
1 Sylvan Hills Boy;Santana;Cates;5-2
5 Flying Suspect;Vazquez;Villafranco;4-1
4 Late Act Here;Loveberry;Burwell;9-2
8 Seymour Red;Court;Williams;5-1
6 Mane Mission;Manrrique;Watkins;20-1
2 Temple Star;Cruz;Gonzalez;12-1
3 Del Rio Leo;BQuinonez;Gorder;15-1
5 Purse $20,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, claiming $10,000
**PERKY KITTEN was bet down to favoritism and responded with a clear and vastly improved second-place finish, and the versatile runner is effective on fast, wet and even turf. HIGH DIVER has had trouble at the gate in consecutive fifth-place finishes, and his better races put him close at the wire. Also, trainer Leroy Hellman finally got on the board when he won Saturday’s second race. STONECRUSHER is another late-running gelding who has competitive Beyer figures, but he must break a habit of breaking a tad slow from the gate.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
9 Perky Kitten;Felix;Mason;2-1
5 High Diver;Canchari;Hellman;10-1
4 Stonecrusher;Johnson;Hartlage;3-1
3 Malleable;Castanon;Danner;7-2
6 Chiefs Expectation;Birzer;Van Berg;15-1
8 Haldor;Loveberry;Ice;15-1
7 Hapiboy;Ocampo;Glyshaw;15-1
10 Naughty Moon;Santana;Cates;8-1
1 Kipper Dan;BQuinonez;Frazee;20-1
2 Sadler’s Warrior;Court;Medrano;20-1
6 Purse $20,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $12,500
**WAYTOPLAY faded after making a strong middle move in his first route race of the season, and he switches to a top veteran rider and figures closer early in a field with little speed. MR. ATOMIC has finished fourth-best of 11 in both races at the meeting, and he is treated with bleeder medication Lasix for the first time and is taking a drop in claiming price. SUMMER EPIC had to navigate traffic into the stretch in an improved third-place finish and deserves a look in a contentious field.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
3 Waytoplay;LQuinonez;Shumake;7-2
5 Mr. Atomic;Wethey;Cline;7-2
8 Summer Epic;Loveberry;Ice;3-1
1 Venture Road;Court;Williams;5-1
9 Mi Rocky;Cruz;Watkins;15-1
7 Mister S;Johnson;Hartlage;10-1
4 Big Statement;De La Cruz;Whited;6-1
2 Hunting Manda;Flores;Burgess;12-1
6 Midnight Alibi;Rodriguez;Caudill;15-1
7 Purse $26,000, 1 mile, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $30,000
*STAR STRUCK STEVE made a sustained rally to third in a useful sprint tuneup, and he was beaten by only a nose at this distance earlier in the meeting and he has a strong trainer-rider combination. INCREMENTAL was stakes-placed around two turns last fall at Delta Downs, and he has finally drawn an inside post and is dropping to the lowest level of his career for winning connections. MAN OF QUALITY finished second in a similar field when making his first start around two turns, and he had a good subsequent workout and is a logical contender if able to avoid a wide trip.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
8 Star Struck Steve;Vazquez;Villafranco;6-1
2 Incremental;Bridgmohan;Stall;7-2
11 Man of Quality;Canchari;Robertson;6-1
3 Dmherewittywitty;Santana;Chleborad;6-1
4 Parks Ridge;Birzer;Sims;6-1
1 Whiskey Shiner;LQuinonez;Von Hemel;5-1
10 Modern Empire;Berry;Loetscher;8-1
6 Dave Got Even;Rocco;Sims;15-1
7 Happy;Borel;Moquett;15-1
9 Oakton;Ocampo;Casse;15-1
12 Shanks;Thompson;Van Berg;20-1
5 W W Mutakddim;Mello;Becker;30-1
8 Purse $66,500, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming
***TIGHT BRITCHES has won an amazing 10 of her past 12 races, including her return 18 days ago from an extended vacation, and she handles a fast or wet track. SHE’SABREES has rallied while winning five of her past seven races, and she is an uncoupled stablemate of the top selection, which always concerns me if I’m betting the lower price. PRINCESS FREEBIE proved determined when defeating $25,000 claimers in her return from six months on the sidelines, and the 17-race winner has won 3 of 4 on a wet track.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
2 Tight Britches;Hamilton;Broberg;5-2
4 She’sabrees;Berry;Broberg;7-2
5 Princess Freebie;Canchari;Brueggemann;5-1
1 Perplexity;Castanon;Calhoun;5-1
9 Dream Sequence;Santana;Asmussen;12-1
10 Swept Up;Bridgmohan;Margolis;8-1
7 It’s Amore;BQuinonez;Riecken;15-1
3 Northern Connect;LQuinonez;Hiles;20-1
6 Pistol’s Shoes;De La Cruz;Martin;20-1
8 Pretty Suspect;Vazquez;Cates;20-1
11 Flint Hall;Ocampo;Manley;20-1
12 Run About Dreamer;Loveberry;Raidt;30-1
9 Purse $20,500, 1 mile, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, claiming $12,500
**MOLLY Z has contested the pace in consecutive in-the-money finishes while competing against multiple winners, and she should appreciate a drop into a nonwinners-of-two category. COMPOSE earned the field’s fastest Beyer figure in a 15-length victory two races back, and she is dropping from $50,000 after fading through the stretch on a sloppy track. FANCIER is a lightly raced 4-year-old filly who has competitive Beyer figures, and she is moving into the barn of top trainer Steve Asmussen.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
11 Molly Z;Kuntzweiler;Lukas;12-1
10 Compose;Castanon;Cox;3-1
2 Fancier;Santana;Asmussen;7-2
9 Kate’s Carousel;Ocampo;Becker;6-1
5 B’s Honey;Loveberry;Sharp;10-1
1 Cape Town Stevie;Canchari;Mullins;8-1
3 Arabella’s Lady;Laviolette;McBride;10-1
6 Tinc;Thompson;Northrop;15-1
12 She’ll Get Even;Johnson;Hartlage;12-1
4 Imma Bee Sexy;Court;Petalino;15-1
8 Seattle Summer;De La Cruz;Martin;20-1
7 Hot Shoes;Kelly;Cannon;20-1
Exotic wager possibilities
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette handicapper Rick Lee seeks out horses which make good “key” horses in multi-horse and/or multi-race wagers, commonly called exotic wagers.
The 50-cent Pick 4 starting in the race two looks good with a potential “single” to start the wager, and perhaps a two-horse race in the second leg. Race 4 is more contentious with several contenders, and the final leg is another with the potential for a good payoff. The ninth race is a good trifecta or superfecta race because I like a nonfavorite in Molly Z. The money will be spread out in a full field of 12 and a few are a toss-out.