Rick Lee's Oaklawn picks and analysis

FIRST POST — 1:30 P.M.

FILE — Horses and jockeys break from the starting gate at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs. (Democrat-Gazette file photo)
FILE — Horses and jockeys break from the starting gate at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs. (Democrat-Gazette file photo)

LEE'S LOCK Remembering Rita in the eighth

BEST BET Adheretme in the third

LONG SHOT Kentucky Allstar in the fifth

THURSDAY'S RESULTS 2-9 (22.2%)

MEET 47-146 (32.2%)

CONFIDENCE RATINGS

****confident choice

***plenty to like

**things to like

*educated guess

1 Purse $22,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $6,250

BIG SPORT** finished second behind recent repeat winner Bajan Cash in his local debut, and he was a 5-length winner at Hawthorne when last entered at today's claiming price. VIRGA is a six-time winner who owns the field's fastest Beyer figures, but he is also winless in eight career races on a dirt surface. FIREHORN has led for 6 furlongs before tiring in consecutive two-turn races. A drop in class and switch to a sprint may get him home first.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

2 Big Sport Baze Mason 7-2

4 Virga Cohen McKnight 2-1

6 Firehorn Elliott Morse 9-2

9 Academy Bay Mojica Broberg 6-1

7 Unstabled Vazquez Villafranco 8-1

5 Tentwelvefourteen Quinonez Cline 10-1

1 D'urban Park Loveberry Martin 15-1

8 Mahalo John Rocco Prather 12-1

3 Collection Lara Morse 12-1

2 Purse $45,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance

KURILOV** had to overcome trouble entering the stretch in a sharp 2-length victory, and he has more than enough class to move up and repeat. CANDY CARLOS returns fresh and is the probable pacesetter. The 11-race winner fits at this class level. CROATION defeated entry-level allowance runners just two races back at Churchill, and he is likely to rebound after a subpar effort on a wet Oaklawn track.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

3 Kurilov Talamo Cox 3-1

5 Candy Carlos Bridgmohan Barkley 5-1

2 Croation Eramia Hawley 4-1

4 Malibu Pro Santana Maker 7-2

6 Mineyerownmalone Elliott Vance 8-1

1 Lookin for Eight Cohen McKnight 9-2

7 Hardly a Secret WDe La Cruz Hartman 6-1

3 Purse $26,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up who have never won three races, claiming $16,000

ADHERETOME*** set a strong early pace and dug in gamely in her first start at Oaklawn. She remains in the conditioned-claiming ranks and is the one to catch and beat. LOVE MY HONEY quickly backed up after flashing speed at Turfway, but her previous dirt starts at Churchill and Belmont make her a major front-running contender. ISABELLE'S JOY raced close to the pace in a second-place finish at this condition at Hawthorne, and she does have steadily ascending Beyer figures.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

1 Adheretome Lara Matthews 3-1

7 Love My Honey Elliott Vance 8-1

6 Isabelle's Joy Canchari Williamson 9-2

4 Miss Ximena Hill Ortiz 7-2

3 Baudette Vazquez Chleborad 4-1

5 Franki D Oro Cannon Caldwell 6-1

8 Despina Birzer Anderson 10-1

2 Ettalusive Loveberry Creighton 12-1

4 Purse $22,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $10,000

CHITTO** was beaten a neck in a $50K maiden-claimer only two races back at Churchill. The quick colt is dropping to the bottom of the local maiden ranks after pressing the pace and stopping at a much higher level. MR. UNUSUAL finished ninth as a post-time favorite in a two-turn race at Santa Anita. He is taking a significant drop, and blinkers are being removed by sharp California connections. WORLD showed talent at Ellis Park as a juvenile, but he is taking a steep drop after showing little at odds-on favoritism at Houston.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

1 Chitto Garcia Ortiz 7-2

8 Mr. Unusual Rocco Sadler 9-2

12 World Santana Asmussen 5-2

7 Seek N Justice FDe La Cruz Litfin 6-1

3 Pewter Harr Cline 10-1

6 Delta Surprise Wales Hall 12-1

11 Parolee Thompson Green 12-1

2 Gaspergou Birzer Martin 20-1

10 Superado Eramia Petalino 15-1

9 Grassetto Loveberry Zito 20-1

4 Niall Roman Durham 20-1

5 Freightrainfreeman Bailey Hewitt 30-1

5 Purse $26,000, 1 mile, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $12,500

KENTUCKY ALLSTAR** has finished first or second in six of seven races on dirt surfaces. He is dropping to the lowest claiming price of his career after a pair of lackluster efforts at Turfway. ROCKO'S WHEEL was a clear two-turn winner at a higher claiming price at LRC, and he is back at his preferred distance after a pair of decent one-turn races. ITALIAN CHARM was forwardly placed in a third-place finish against slightly better at Fair Grounds, and he represents the leading trainer-rider team.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

4 Kentucky Allstar Lara Garcia 8-1

2 Rocko's Wheel FDe La Cruz D'Amato 6-1

12 Italian Charm Cohen Diodoro 3-1

8 Baratti Rocco Ortiz 4-1

7 Millwood Baze Mason 9-2

3 Riker Vazquez Villafranco 10-1

10 Tashkent Santana Prather 12-1

9 Devils Halo Mojica Broberg 15-1

5 You Split Tens Garcia Swearingen 10-1

6 Got Mojo Quinonez Williams 20-1

11 Ault WDe La Cruz Martin 20-1

1 Iowa Native Roman Jacquot 30-1

6 Purse $46,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds, maiden claiming $50,000

ADHHAR* has finished with energy in consecutive in-the-money finishes, and the lightly raced and improving 3-year-old could benefit from a fast and contentious pace. COLD SMOKE has crossed the wire second best in consecutive races at Fair Grounds and Keeneland. He has speed and will race with blinkers off for the first time. VAYA CON DIOS is a three-time runner-up who suffered a narrow defeat in his local debut. He does hail from the leading stable.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

9 Adhhar Cannon Peitz 8-1

7 Cold Smoke Talamo Cox 2-1

8 Vaya Con Dios Mojica Diodoro 5-2

2b Gambler Cohen Catalano 4-1

1 Ace Gilford Quinonez Von Hemel 8-1

4 My Name Is Phred Rocco Morse 12-1

2 Astrologer Cohen Catalano 4-1

6 Mr. Shapoor Garcia Stall 15-1

1a Sailor Chow Birzer Smith 8-1

3 Beaver Hat Lara Williamson 15-1

5 Wyoming Conquest Borel Thomas 15-1

7 Purse $30,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-old fillies, maiden claiming $25,000

PRAIRIE DRESS** tired badly after contesting a fast pace in her career debut, and she is dropping into a maiden-claiming race and may lead past every pole. WHOVILLE raced close to the lead while parked five-wide in a deceptive race Feb. 2. She is also dropping in price, and trainer Brian Williamson is switching to one of his go-to riders. TAPALONG battled for the lead from start to finish in a competitive race at Fair Grounds. Three subsequent and local works should have her ready to improve.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

9 Prairie Dress Santana Asmussen 7-2

5 Whoville Canchari Williamson 10-1

4 Tapalong Talamo Sharp 4-1

6 Laurieann Eramia Martin 4-1

10 Viva La Secreta Cohen Broberg 9-2

12 Southern Cents Rocco Frazee 5-1

13 Wheres Mom Talamo Deville 8-1

14 Lilfeatheredindian Bridgmohan Broberg 12-1

1 Congrats Girl Quinonez Milligan 15-1

11 Unlawful Assembly Birzer Petalino 15-1

8 Lil H FDe La Cruz Puhl 20-1

3 Foolish Princess Elliott McBride 30-1

2 Emily Bug Roman Delong 30-1

7 Her Gold Mine Harr Thomas 30-1

8 Purse $90,000, 1 1/8 miles, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming

REMEMBERING RITA**** tired on a muddy track in a one-race experiment without blinkers, but his blinkers are back on today. The classy front-runner figures difficult to catch and beat. M G WARRIOR finished in front of the top selection when fourth in the Fifth Season, and two swift subsequent works in New Orleans suggest he is thriving. HAWAAKOM has been consistently competitive when entered at this general condition, and the millionaire is a two-time winner at Oaklawn.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

1 Remembering Rita Talamo Anderson 9-5

5 M G Warrior Santana Cox 5-2

4 Hawaakom Eramia Hawley 5-1

6 Shotgun Kowboy Elliott Trout 3-1

2 Thetrashmanscoming Cohen Milligan 8-1

3 Changi Ulloa Dolan 12-1

9 Purse $88,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming

GRIT AND CURIOSITY** easily defeated entry-level allowance sprinters in his first race of the meeting, and he is a lightly raced 4-year-old with room to keep improving. KING OF THE COURT recorded two wins last season at Oaklawn, and he was beaten only a neck at this condition in his final race of the 2019 meeting. He is working very well for his return and may surprise. K CHOICE rallied to second as a post-time favorite at this condition Jan. 26, and he earned some strong Beyer figures last fall at Churchill.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

3 Grit and Curiosity Bridgmohan Miller 5-1

10 King of the Court Birzer Creighton 8-1

2 K Choice Cohen Maker 7-2

12 Pete's Play Call Santana Maker 4-1

8 Seven Nation Army Vazquez Moquett 6-1

7 Ruler of the Nile Talamo Lauer 6-1

1 Fast Breakin Cash Elliott Trout 12-1

5 Absolutely Aiden Eramia Hawley 15-1

11 Principe Guilherme Mojica Diodoro 12-1

6 Best of Greeley WDe La Cruz Thomas 20-1

4 Jersey Agenda Garcia Stewart 20-1

9 Onewewerebrothers Baze Divito 30-1

Exotic possibilities

The daily double starting in the third race is appealing. I like ADHERETOME and LOVE MY HONEY in the third, and using CHITTO and MR. UNUSUAL may be adequate cover in the fourth race. The fifth race begins a Pick-5, and I recommend going at least three-deep. The sixth race is another with plenty of contention, and four or five may need to be played. PRAIRIE DRESS looks good in the seventh but is certainly not a cinch, so spreading some is wise. The eighth has a single in REMEMBERING RITA, which also helps cheapen the ticket. The ninth is a pretty competitive race and at least four need to be used.

Sports on 02/21/2020

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