THURSDAY'S RESULTS 3-9 (33.3 percent)
MEET 53-171 (31.0 percent)
LEE'S LOCK Jersey Heist in the fourth
BEST BET Patriotic American in the third
LONG SHOT Levanto in the ninth
CONFIDENCE RATINGS
educated guess *things to like
plenty to like
*confident choice
1 Purse $30,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $35,000
***SERIOUS I CANDY finished her 2017 campaign with runner-up finishes at Remington and Churchill. She possesses good early speed and was scratched out of a maiden-allowance race last week in favor of this maiden-claimer. SWEET TATUM appears to be training very well for new and winning trainer Mac Robertson. She has competitive Beyer figures and figures near the lead from the start. VYERA broke last in a fast-closing third-place debut, and she had a subsequent gate work and connections show confidence by raising her in class.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
7 Serious I Candy Cabrera Moquett 2-1
8 Sweet Tatum Loveberry Robertson 7-2
6 Vyera Canchari Van Berg 9-2
4 Blues Corner Hill Catalano 5-1
1 Zoey's My Girl McMahon Litfin 20-1
2 Weneedtotalk Prescott Sims 6-1
3 Longway Home De La Cruz Haran 12-1
5 Dance Like Katie Pompell Delong 8-1
2 Purse $24,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $25,000
**ROCKETS PHENOM contested an honest pace before tiring in an encouraging career debut. She is dropping in class and benefits from the experience. BUTTON MUSHROOM raced wide in a late-running third-place finish. The steadily improving filly has winning connections and will be rolling late. SEASIDE SURPRISE rallied to third in her return from a lengthy layoff, and she will also benefit from a drop in price.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
13 Rockets Phenom Birzer Chleborad 4-1
4 Button Mushroom Felix Mason 3-1
14 Seaside Surprise Goncalves Nicks 9-2
2 Sophie's Pocket Eramia Loy 7-2
9 Sweet Sweet Kim Laviolette Smith 5-1
12 Chloe Creek Canchari Witt 10-1
10 Ella B Aly Court Jackson 8-1
1 U R My Sunshine Meche Howard 15-1
3 Luna Magic St Julien Hall 15-1
5 Suzy Jones Burrow Birzer Petalino 12-1
6 Suspicious Lady Goncalves Martin 15-1
11 Ordained Kiss Cabrera Caldwell 8-1
8 Bonita Salsa McMahon Stuart 15-1
7 Piratess Morales McBride 20-1
3 Purse $20,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $6,250
***PATRIOTIC AMERICAN has won three of six career races at Oaklawn Park, and he is back in a $6,250 claimer following a convincing victory. FORGE AHEAD FRANKI returns fresh after losing a photo finish in a $5,000 claimer at Churchill. He is the class of the field and trainer Wayne Catalano is having a good meeting. PRIVATE TIME defeated $20,000 conditioned-claimers just two races back at Delta. He is spotted well after a dull try against stronger allowance rivals Jan. 26.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
4 Patriotic American Thompson Morse 3-1
7 Forge Ahead Franki Hill Catalano 7-2
6 Private Time McMahon Caldwell 5-2
3 Oh Oz De La Cruz Cristel 20-1
9 Read the Cards Gazader Matthews 6-1
1 Stranglehold St Julien Barkley 8-1
5 Arrogant Canchari Martin 20-1
2 Kerugma Eramia Martin 20-1
8 Bottom Line Bedford Cannon 20-1
10 Britt's Vow Felix Duncan 20-1
4 Purse $32,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up which have never won three races, claiming $30,000
****JERSEY HEIST finished a clear second behind a winning odds-on favorite in her return to the races. The speedy filly raced well against much better last season at Oaklawn and seems to be sitting on a win. DARION'S DREAM is moving up a claiming condition following a determined victory, and the pace may prove contentious enough to set up her late run. INDIAN GEM won at this claiming price just two races back, and she does own the field's fastest Beyer figure.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
4 Jersey Heist Canchari DiVito 5-2
2 Darion's Dream Vazquez Villafranco 5-1
6 Indian Gem McMahon Holthus 6-1
3 My Peeps Birzer Van Berg 7-2
1 Perfect Plus Felix Swearingen 15-1
8 Big Axe Morales Gorder 6-1
9 Arch Arch Baby Court Fires 6-1
7 Abby in Pink Santana Cates 15-1
5 Sizzle Factor Loveberry Milligan 12-1
5 Purse $32,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance
***IMMA BLING followed an upset turf-sprint stake win at Fair Grounds with an 11-length stake win on the main at Houston. He appears vastly improved since claimed by current connections. HE'S SO ZAZZY has finished second in three of his last four trips to the post, while earning Beyer figures that make him a logical contender. CHOIR DIRECTOR has not raced since September, but he was a four-race winner last season, including a very fast claiming victory at Oaklawn.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
1 Imma Bling Eramia Broberg 2-1
4 He's So Zazzy Wethey Young 9-2
2 Choir Director Vazquez Villafranco 9-2
6 Long Station McMahon Holthus 4-1
8 Dan the Tin Man Contreras McKnight 6-1
3 Star's Valentino Loveberry Petalino 10-1
5 Spring d'Oro Canchari Anderson 20-1
7 Stump St Julien Whited 20-1
9 Stay Home Santana Kordenbrock 15-1
6 Purse $75,000, 6 furlongs, fillies, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight
***THREAD THE NEEDLE was beaten a neck, while better than 5-lengths clear of third, in a key race on opening day, and he switches to a leading rider. GOOD MOVE is a first-time starter with sharp works dating back to early December. She is bred to be a good filly and trainer Brad Cox wins with this kind. UNPROVOKED set an honest pace before settling for second behind an odds-on winner in her 3-year-old debut, and she may not look back if she needed her last race.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
8 Thread the Needle Cohen Kobiskie 2-1
3 Good Move Stevens Cox 3-1
4 Unprovoked Birzer Anderson 7-2
2 Heidi's Wish Santana Robertson 5-1
7 Bartlett Narrows Vazquez Van Meter 15-1
5 Noho Cabrera Moquett 8-1
6 Diamondcoat Morales Gorder 15-1
1 Say It Softly Garcia Lukas 12-1
7 Purse $20,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $6,250
**NOBADEER was caught by a late-running post-time favorite in a tough-luck defeat Feb. 3. He is making his third start of the season and may go all the way. SERIOUS TALK disappointed over a wet track as a post-time favorite, but he won four races last season and has enough speed to be in a striking position turning into the stretch. MALIBU TIDE has the talent and class to win at this level, but 6 furlongs may be a tad short for this two-turn runner.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
6 Nobadeer Morales Ortiz 5-2
4 Serious Talk Cabrera Hartman 3-1
5 Malibu Tide Prescott Puhl 9-2
7 Oliver G Canchari Gustafson 10-1
8 Jive Daddy Eramia Milligan 8-1
9 Or Sunday Sanjur Cristel 8-1
1 Senor Grits Court Dixon 12-1
3 Cowboy U Know Vazquez Donaldson 15-1
10 Macanao Roman Garcia 20-1
2 Tyoga Six De La Cruz Haran 20-1
8 Purse $77,500, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming
***OUR MAJESTY has crossed the wire first in four of five career races, with her only defeat coming in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness last May at Pimlico. MYTHICAL TALE cleared his first two allowance conditions this past fall at Churchill, and he has since been moved to the barn of red-hot trainer Brad Cox. PROFOUND MOMENT proved stubborn on the lead in an upset win at this same level on opening day, and the quick mare is now unbeaten in three races at Oaklawn.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
3 Our Majesty Cohen Moquett 8-5
8 Mythical Tale Stevens Cox 5-1
6 Profound Moment Birzer Van Berg 7-2
2 Borealis Beauty Canchari Robertson 12-1
9 Beach Flower Santana Robertson 10-1
1 Okie Diva Quinonez Von Hemel 8-1
7 Marquee Miss McMahon Mason 8-1
4 Euro K Shotgun Cabrera Trout 15-1
5 Sweet Halory De La Cruz Sims 20-1
9 Purse $21,000, 1 mile, 3-year-olds and up which have never won two races, claiming $10,000
**LEVANTO earned a competitive figure when easily defeating maiden-claimers at Churchill, and subsequent works have been sharp and he is spotted well in a non-winners-of-two claimer. CADILLAC RED followed a 19-length maiden victory at Remington with a competitive fourth-place allowance finish, while earning Beyer figures that are faster than par for this level. AFTER PARTY faded to fourth in a solid effort against $30,000 conditioned-claimers, and he may be closer to the pace in a field with little early speed.
PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS
10 Levanto Canchari McPeek 12-1
9 Cadillac Red Cabrera Hartman 8-1
8 After Party Contreras McKnight 5-2
11 Hard Work Eramia Broberg 10-1
12 Picture Tube Thompson O'Neill 12-1
7 John's Legacy Loveberry Morse 6-1
6 Admiral Shepard Court Smith 5-1
5 Good Play Santana Cox 7-2
3 Otto's Dream Vazquez Morse 8-1
2 Luther D Laviolette Smith 20-1
1 Bowman West Morales Van Berg 20-1
4 K L S Forty Three McMahon Hartman 20-1
Sports on 02/16/2018