LEE'S LOCK Hardly a Secret in the fifth
BEST BET Superstar Bea in the eighth
LONG SHOT Daftar in the ninth
FRIDAY'S RESULTS 2-9 (22.2 percent)
MEET 46-154 (29.9 percent)
****confident choice
***plenty to like
**things to like
*educated guess
1 Purse $43,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $50,000
**FLAMIN ICON was forced to take-up on the turn when close to a fast pace in her career debut, and she has recorded two improved subsequent breezes. Trainer Danny Pish sports a good win percentage with second-time starters. LANEYS LOVE has recorded five in-the-money finishes, while easily earning the field's fastest Beyer figures. WILD DEZ had to overcome a poor start in a sixth-place career debut, and she is dropping into a maiden claimer and should show marked improvement.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
9 Flamin Icon;Eramia;Pish;4-1
8 Laneys Love;Wethey;Dixon;8-5
1 Wild Dez;Felix;Martin;6-1
1a Owe Her One;Felix;Martin;6-1
2 Residual Sugar;WDe La Cruz;McBride;10-1
6 Cadillac Magic;Thompson;Nicks;10-1
4 Rich Princess;Loveberry;Gonzalez;6-1
3 Our Lucky Star;Quinonez;Von Hemel;8-1
5 Sara's Girl;Lara;Young;15-1
7 Honduras Pride;Vazquez;Deatherage;12-1
2 Purse $33,000, 1 1/16 miles, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up whoh have never won two races, claiming $30,000
***WHOLEHEARTED was forwardly placed when beaten only a neck in her return from an extended break. She recorded a swift breeze just six days ago and should be sitting on a top effort. TURKMENISTAN rallied from far back when crossing the wire only one place behind the top selection, and she is bred to love a wet track. SEEDS OF TIME was a clear two-turn maiden winner at Churchill, and the lightly raced filly ships from Fair Grounds after being beaten 4 lengths in a key race.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
8 Wholehearted;Cohen;Diodoro;5-2
5 Turkmenistan;Bridgmohan;Mason;5-1
9 Seeds of Time;Santana;Ortiz;12-1
7 La Fee Verte;Court;Lukas;5-1
1 Sundereya;Thompson;Barkley;9-2
2 So Aristocratic;Vazquez;Moquett;10-1
4 Cassidy Ave;Elliott;Williamson;8-1
3 Summer Lovin;Loveberry;Riecken;12-1
6 Mrs Howell;Lara;Gorder;8-1
3 Purse $37,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds, maiden claiming $40,000
**QUICKSILVER was pressured through fast fractions before fading down the stretch in his local debut, and he is dropping into a maiden claimer for the first time and may go the distance. GALAHAD KID has finished well in a pair of sprint races, and the son of a Kentucky Derby winner (Animal Kingdom) is bred to improve at the distance. CHARLES T has steadily ascending Beyer figures. The Steve Asmussen trainee is also dropping into a maiden claimer for the first time, and he also shows a good wet-track work.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
5 Quicksilver;Thompson;Jones;3-1
7 Galahad Kid;Canchari;DiVito;4-1
6 Charles T;Santana;Asmussen;9-2
2 Half Ours to Keep;Quinonez;Von Hemel;7-2
1 Cape County;Eramia;Von Hemel;8-1
3 Blackjack Jedi;Borel;Austin;10-1
4 Flat Creek;Vazquez;Holthus;8-1
8 Staccato;Court;Lukas;8-1
4 Purse $26,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds, maiden claiming $20,000
***BIG TRIP raced close to a fast early pace, while caught four wide, in a third-place finish. He is taking a slight drop in class and is switching to leading rider Ricardo Santana. KNOCKS BIG THIRST lost a clear lead inside the final furlong when finishing less than 1 length behind the top selection, and he is switching from an apprentice to a high-percentage rider. MIDLAND was a fast-closing second in his 2019 debut, and he may be sharp enough to handle a small jump in class.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
6 Big Trip;Santana;Moquett;3-1
10 Knocks Big Thirst;Cabrera;Hartman;5-1
1 Midland;Lara;Morse;9-2
9 Grandgran;Court;Smith;5-1
7 Barrister Jade;Rodriguez;Caldwell;4-1
4 Marshall Hill;Hill;Fires;12-1
3 Wild Haven;WDe La Cruz;Martin;15-1
5 Boss Dixie;Morales;Pitts;15-1
2 Horsefeathers;Harr;Van Meter;15-1
8 Muhney Line;Wethey;Silva;15-1
5 Purse $41,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $30,000
****HARDLY A SECRET won a fast $20,000 claiming race by 4-widening lengths, and the runner-up finisher came back with a strong victory. He has the class and wet-track ability to move up and repeat. BUBBAS DIXIE rallied to third at this claiming price in his seasonal debut. He recorded clear wet-track wins last season at Remington and Prairie Meadows. TAPSOLUTE has not raced since defeating $30,000 claimers on a wet track last fall at Keeneland, and he drew a favorable post and should come running late.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
5 Hardly a Secret;Santana;Cox;5-2
3 Bubbas Dixie;Cabrera;Broberg;3-1
1 Tapsolute;Loveberry;Robertson;7-2
8 Inge;Bridgmohan;Mason;8-1
4 Ault;Mohica;Diodoro;9-2
6 Soul P Say;Hill;Milligan;12-1
7 Romeo O Romeo;Elliott;Williamson;10-1
2 Switheral;Ulloa;Williamson;15-1
6 Purse $83,000, 6 furlongs, fillies, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight
**SHILAH BABY has a series of bullet workouts leading up to her career debut, including a 6-furlong gate work Feb. 14. She has a speedy pedigree and trainer James DiVito is having an excellent meeting. ANNIE AND CAROLINE is making her career debut for a stable that excels with young horses, and her dam has been throwing runners. FLEETERTHAN raced close to an honest pace in a third-place debut finish. She switches to a leading rider and benefits from a race over the track.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
6 Shilah Baby;Canchari;DiVito;9-2
4 Annie and Caroline;FDe La Cruz;Cox;3-1
8 Fleeterthan;Cohen;Moquett;6-1
9 Get the Goodies;Santana;Asmussen;7-2
5 Soulcometown;Vazquez;Asmussen;4-1
7 Adari;Birzer;Chleborad;8-1
3 Shiverhertimbers;Wethey;Villafranco;12-1
2 Vercruysse;Borel;Jones;12-1
1 Black Velvet;Felix;Haran;30-1
7 Purse $50,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance
**SECRET PASSAGE rallied from far back in a fast-closing second-place finish. He is taking a drop in class and has landed in a field with plenty of early speed. CHRIS AND DAVE may have been best in a troubled second-place finish, and he was claimed by sharp connections. He also has won three of five races on a wet track. PINSON is a stake-winning two-turn runner with early speed, and he has a good wet-track record and a leading rider.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
7 Secret Passage;Mojica;Diodoro;2-1
3 Chris and Dave;Santana;Villafranco;9-2
2 Pinson;Vazquez;Morse;5-2
1 Sightforsoreeyes;WDe La Cruz;Quartarolo;9-2
5 Casino Star;Morales;Van Berg;12-1
6 Pitch Count;Bridgmohan;Mason;10-1
1a Imperative;Cabrera;Quartarolo;9-2
4 Adulator;Cohen;Diodoro;12-1
8 St. Louie Guy;Canchari;Martin;20-1
8 The Downthedustyroad Breeders'. Purse $100,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred
***SUPERSTAR BEA won her last two races at Canterbury, as she improved throughout her 4-year-old campaign. She was an 8-length maiden winner in the mud last winter at Oaklawn, and she has been training like a mare ready to win. GEORGIA'S REWARD won a fast maiden race before winning the Rainbow Miss last season at Oaklawn. After a break, she did not run well over a sloppy track at Keeneland, and she is certainly not going to offer value. EURO ME won an allowance tune-up with a last-to-first rally, and the wet-track specialist should have an honest pace to take aim at.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
3 Superstar Bea;Loveberry;Robertson;4-1
7 Georgia's Reward;Cohen;Moquett;5-2
8 Euro Me;Cabrera;Loy;5-1
9 Ms. Fifty First St.;Santana;Cates;3-1
6 Usual Suspect;Eramia;Broberg;20-1
2 Firewater Rocket;Morales;Gorder;12-1
1 Fastanista;FDe La Cruz;Martin;12-1
4 Easter Indy;WDe La Cruz;Martin;12-1
5 Jeri Bella;Court;Fires;10-1
9 Purse $24,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $10,000
**DAFTAR won two of his three races last season at Oaklawn Park. He was badly overmatched in his 2019 debut, but the proven wet-track runner fits well at this claiming price. FORZE MAU raced competitive with and defeated better last season in Kentucky, and he is taking a drop in class after an even effort. He is another with a winning record on wet tracks. ONE SON OF A CHIEF was a close second on the wire on opening weekend, and she is back at the same claiming price.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
11 Daftar;Rodriguez;Caldwell;12-1
3 Forze Mau;Cabrera;Hartman;8-1
1 One Son of a Chief;Cohen;Diodoro;5-2
1a Sutton Impact;Cohen;Diodoro;5-2
2 Pat Daddy;Mojica;McKnight;6-1
10 Memphisinmay;Canchari;Lauer;12-1
13 Major Munnings;Vazquez;Villafranco;6-1
7 Chip Van Winkle;Borel;Borel;8-1
4 Wildcat Shoals;Loveberry;Chleborad;8-1
5 Storminside;Bridgmohan;Mason;6-1
9 Cash for the Soul;Sanjur;Johnson;15-1
8 Small Town Hero;Wethey;Puhl;15-1
6 Patriotic American;Eramia;Pish;20-1
12 Bold Chrome;Riquelme;Garcia;20-1
EXOTIC POSSIBILITIES
The first race starts a daily double, and Laneys Love and Flamin Icon may be all that's needed to cover the first. The second race has a logical favorite in Wholehearted, but a couple of others have upset credentials worth using. The sixth race begins a 50-cent Pick-4, and I'll roll the dice with a pair of first-timers. The seventh race has at least three major contenders, so spreading is a wise move. I'll single Superstar Bea in the eighth because the ninth is wide open, and spreading out seems an obvious thing to do.
Sports on 02/23/2019