Rick Lee Oaklawn Park selections and analysis

FIRST POST — 1:30 P.M.

SATURDAY'S RESULTS 4-9 (44.4 percent)

MEET 96-272 (35.3 percent)

LEE'S LOCK Desert Domination in the first

BEST BET Animus in the sixth

LONG SHOT Empire Strikes in the fourth

*educated guess

**things to like

***plenty to like

****confident choice

1 Purse $21,000, 5 1/2 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $12,500

***DESERT DOMINATION finished second at a higher maiden classification just two races back, and he appears the controlling speed under a 7-pound apprentice rider. THEGREATGENERATION was forwardly placed in an improved second-place finish, which was his first race without blinkers on. TARPYS ZIP is making his third start after a long layoff, and he has good early speed and winning connections.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

2 Desert Domination;Morales;Miller;7-5

7 Thegreatgeneration;Eramia;Morse;3-1

6 Tarpys Zip;Vazquez;Villafranco;7-2

4 Uncle Pappy;Court;Morse;6-1

3 Mister Grasshopper;Gazader;Milligan;10-1

1a Tre Lee Divine;St Julien;Litfin;12-1

5 Crossbow Cimarron;Birzer;Petalino;15-1

1 Hung Over On Gin;Meche;Litfin;12-1

2 Purse $21,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $12,500

**ELLA B ALY finished a tired third after setting the pace in her return from an 11-month vacation. She likely needed the race and is dropping to the bottom of the local maiden-claiming ranks. SASSY OLIVIA ANN finished a clear second behind a post-time favorite in her second start at the meeting, and she does own the fastest Beyer figure in this field. SEASIDE SURPRISE has crossed the wire third best in both starts this season, and the class dropper appears best of the rest.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

4 Ella B Aly;Court;Jackson;3-1

8 Sassy Olivia Ann;Canchari;Martin;7-2

6 Seaside Surprise;Goncalves;Nicks;4-1

5 Timely Miss;Cabrera;Martin;4-1

12 Suzy Jones Burrow;Loveberry;Petalino;12-1

7 She's a Queen;Contreras;Milligan;10-1

1 Endless Bloom;Thompson;Ashauer;15-1

2 U R My Sunshine;McMahon;Howard;20-1

9 Florida Beauty;Wales;Jayaraman;12-1

11 Suspicious Lady;Birzer;Martin;30-1

10 Delightful Joanna;Bedford;Cannon;30-1

3 Bonita Salsa;Prescott;Stuart;30-1

3 Purse $20,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $8,000

**RUNNINGUNNINRASCAL was forwardly placed when finishing fifth in an unusually fast $6,250 claiming race. He was claimed by a sharp claiming stable and may be an overlay. LODI STREET is a consistent finisher who is dropping to the lowest price of his career. He too was claimed last out by a high percentage stable. IRISH YOU WELL is the class of the field with earnings exceeding $330,000, but he is taking a suspiciously big drop in class and will offer no value.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

1 Runningunninrascal;Eramia;Broberg;12-1

8 Lodi Street;Cohen;Diodoro;2-1

5 Irish You Well;McMahon;Catalano;3-1

6 Moon Over Cuzco;Gazader;Milligan;8-1

7 Malibu Tide;Prescott;Puhl;15-1

1a Hillbilly Royalty;Eramia;Broberg;12-1

2 Dowlingfourtyeight;Sanjur;Shorter;8-1

3 Wild About Jack;Loveberry;Matthews;5-1

4 Silverdollardreams;Morales;Garcia;5-1

4 Purse $23,000, 1 mile, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up which have never won two races, claiming $16,000

**EMPIRE STRIKES finished with energy in a second-place sprint tune-up, and she was claimed by a winning Oklahoma stable, which immediately entered her at a distance she should prefer. FRIGIDISH led into deep stretch in a second-place finish at this same level, and she retains the leading rider. DARK BLOOM chased the second selection all the way around the track in a third-place finish, and she may have needed the race following a four-month layoff.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

2 Empire Strikes;Wethey;Young;8-1

4 Frigidish;Santana;Rouck;7-2

8 Dark Bloom;Birzer;Chleborad;3-1

9 Ever Special;Canchari;Anderson;6-1

1 C C's Baby Girl;McMahon;Williams;6-1

5 Bella Sarita;Thompson;Chleborad;12-1

3 Herald Square;Court;Holthus;8-1

11 Tickled by Elmo;Gazader;Milligan;20-1

7 Coco Honey;De La Cruz;Young;15-1

6 Lighten Up Frances;Roman;Delong;15-1

10 Eidolon;Vazquez;Villafranco;12-1

5 Purse $23,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up which have never won three races, claiming $12,500

***HANDFUL OF STRIPES faltered late after showing speed in a stronger starter allowance race. He figures to open a clear lead at this level and may not look back. DOS CUERNOS won an allowance race just three races back, and he is dropping in price on the heels of a late-running third-place finish. However, do not expect anything near the morning line odds. STARSTRUCK KITTEN ran poorly over a sloppy track when overmatched Jan. 27, but he cleared a claiming condition on a fast track in his previous race. Expect him to rebound.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

4 Handful of Stripes;Cohen;Miller;5-1

1 Dos Cuernos;Vazquez;Villafranco;20-1

9 Starstruck Kitten;Santana;Asmussen;5-1

10 Vbreeze;Stevens;Haran;20-1

2 Ceeky;Morales;Van Berg;7-2

3 Mud Light;Eramia;Morse;9-2

6 Loyalist;Loveberry;Caldwell;8-1

11 Score Time;Cabrera;Durham;12-1

5 Tentwelvefourteen;Thompson;Loetscher;6-1

12 Rippin Ranger;Felix;Mason;20-1

8 Minister Nick;Court;Milligan;20-1

1a Ladys Last;Vazquez;Villafranco;20-1

7 State of Charm;Roman;Cannon;20-1

6 Purse $34,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds, maiden claiming $40,000

***ANIMUS finished third in a fast maiden-allowance route when making his career debut. He is dropping into a maiden-claimer and drew an advantageous two-turn post. ALLTHEWRONGREASONS produced a steady rally to fourth in an encouraging debut sprinting, and he is bred top and bottom to improve at this distance. YELLOW WOLF may not have cared for the muddy surface in a disappointing debut, but the Brad Cox trainee is dropping in class and deserves a shot over fast footing.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

1 Animus;Prescott;Kobiskie;7-2

4 Allthewrongreasons;Canchari;McPeek;4-1

2 Yellow Wolf;De La Cruz;Cox;9-2

5 Macha's Reward;Cabrera;Moquett;8-1

6 Single Gem;Stevens;Van Berg;5-1

7 Hill Bent;Cohen;Lukas;12-1

9 Strike Rate;Santana;Asmussen;6-1

8 My Macho Mon;Hill;Morse;8-1

3 Hidden Bamboo;St Julien;McBride;12-1

7 Purse $30,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $16,000

**CHARLESBRECKNRIDGE was a clear winner at a higher claiming price at Churchill, and the strong finisher is dropping to the lowest price of his career for a stable having a terrific meeting. CHIEF OF STAFF has not raced since a dull effort Dec. 31 at Santa Anita, but he was very good in six races last season at Oaklawn. FUSAICHI FLAME is a three-time sprint winner who is back at his distance following a pair of route races. His last sprint at Remington was a sharp victory at this claiming price.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

2 Charlesbrecknridge;Cohen;Diodoro;7-2

3 Chief of Staff;Birzer;Van Berg;12-1

5 Fusaichi Flame;Pompell;Smith;15-1

9 Only Liquor;Felix;Mason;9-2

7 Dingdingdingding;Canchari;Lauer;5-1

11 Flying Mr K.;Roman;Cox;8-1

1 Twirling Cinnamon;Cabrera;Ortiz;8-1

6 Fleet Gold Digger;Eramia;Hobby;8-1

8 Vacanza;Santana;Cox;12-1

4 Cougar Country;Vazquez;Villafranco;15-1

10 Never Give In;Prescott;Puhl;12-1

12 Tiz Showbiz;Morales;Puhl;20-1

8 Purse $44,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance

**EL CHARRO has finished well in consecutive second-place finishes against similar. He receives a break in the weights and should be rallying behind a fast and contentious pace. SMART SPREE set a rapid pace and kept on running in his Oaklawn debut, and the consistent speedster is once again the one to catch. SINGANDCRYINDUBAI is a versatile sprinter with competitive Beyer figures, and he too will benefit from a speed duel.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

6 El Charro;Stevens;Cox;5-2

2 Smart Spree;Vazquez;McKnight;2-1

8 Singandcryindubai;Contreras;McKnight;10-1

1 Adens Dream;Cohen;Miller;5-1

4 Prime Issue;Santana;Ortiz;8-1

7 Storm Advisory;Cabrera;Hartman;9-2

3 Sharp Art;Hill;Kordenbrock;15-1

5 Purely Given;Sanjur;Cristel;20-1

9 Purse $21,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $12,500

**ROSE CANDY was beaten a diminishing head in a photo-finish defeat, and the in-form filly deserves favoritism at this bottom maiden-claiming level. SILVER TURNS GOLD broke a tad slow and raced wide in a deceptive third-place finish, and expect him to show improved early speed. GOOD WISHES finished in front of the second selection Feb. 11, but he did have an ideal front-running trip.

PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS

4 Rose Candy;Hill;Catalano;3-1

12 Silver Turns Gold;Birzer;Van Berg;4-1

6 Good Wishes;Roman;Williamson;7-2

13 Kantastic;Morales;Mason;4-1

1 Emerald Candy;Felix;Mason;20-1

9 Krystal Locket;Pompell;Smith;8-1

3 Sturn Donna;Sanjur;Delong;15-1

2 Soaring Lil Sass;St Julien;McBride;10-1

5 Mystical Temple;Prescott;Cox;6-1

11 Sweet as Caroline;McMahon;Holthus;8-1

8 Rhine Falls;Wethey;Von Hemel;30-1

7 Tobrah;Bedford;Hale;30-1

10 Lionslittlebit;Rodriguez;May;30-1

EXOTIC POSSIBILITIES

Empire Strikes has the look of an overlay and I will key him in a fourth-race trifecta. As always, I prefer to spread out big in the middle and use only solid contenders in the third-place slot. The Pick-3 starting in race five is playable and the fifth race is one that can be covered with three of four runners. The sixth race may come down to a two-horse race, and the seventh is one to spread out and hope for a big number.

Sports on 03/04/2018

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