LEE'S LOCK Concert Tour in the 12th
BEST BET Shashashakemeup in the eighth
LONGSHOT Upstriker in the 10th
FRIDAY'S RESULTS
MEET 119-343 (34.7%)
••••confident choice
•••plenty to like
••things to like
•educated guess
1 Purse $93,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden special weight
•••NAVY SEAL was beaten a nose, while 3 lengths clear of the third-place finisher, in his race against state-bred opposition, and he recorded a sharp subsequent breeze. TOPF ROAD RULES has finished with energy in consecutive second-place finishes, and he is another who has continued to work well. MO BETTA is cutting back to a sprint after being narrowly defeated in a front-running route, which did earn him the fastest last-race Beyer figure.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
4 Navy Seal;Borel;Swearingen;5-1
8 Topf Road Rules;Talamo;Peitz;3-1
6 Mo Betta;Tohill;Hartman;4-1
2 Bellamys Roan;Bowen;Westermann;20-1
5 Explosive Humour;Court;Martin;6-1
12 Serbian Sailor;Hamilton;Ashauer;10-1
11 J's Little Man;WDe La Cruz;Martin;6-1
3 Funny Actor;Cabrera;Catalano;10-1
10 Zombie Lobo;Garcia;Medina;8-1
1 Dover Lights;Santana;Ortiz;15-1
7 Traffic Control;Quinonez;Cangemi;30-1
9 Downtown Boy;Fletcher;Loy;30-1
2 Purse $40,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, starter allowance
••GALLANT PLUNGER was a clear $30,000 conditioned claiming winner, and he is a versatile runner who loves this racing surface. LONELY PRIVATE earned a strong Beyer figure defeating conditioned claiming rivals in front-running fashion, and he is capable of winning from on or just off the early lead. TOP GUNNER set a fast pace and kept on running in a 10-length maiden victory, and the lightly raced and rapidly improving colt may prove difficult to catch.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
8 Gallant Plunger;Santana;Asmussen;7-2
1 Lonely Private;Cabrera;Hawley;9-2
4 Top Gunner;Saez;Ortiz;5-2
6 Box of Chocolates;Rosario;Sadler;4-1
3 War Detonator;Tohill;Martin;8-1
2 Sedaris;Torres;Villafranco;12-1
5 Davidic Line;Geroux;Morse;8-1
9 Rob the Rich;Arrieta;Matthews;12-1
7 Reef's Destiny;Harr;Cline;20-1
3 Purse $93,000, 6 furlongs, fillies, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight
•••SIANARA was beaten less than a length, while 8 lengths clear of third, in a sharp 2021 debut, and she figures difficult to beat with a clean break. MY MY MUNNY raced close to a fast pace before tiring in a useful career debut, and trainer Wayne Catalano wins at a high percentage with second-time starters. COPPELIA took money in her debut, but was one-paced in a fifth-place finish. She has recorded two quick subsequent breezes and figures to improve.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
1 Sianara;Santana;Asmussen;5-2
2 My My Munny;Geroux;Catalano;6-1
3 Coppelia;Rocco;Bauer;3-1
8 Berry Good;Canchari;Robertson;5-1
4 Frosted Blue;Bowen;Hollendorfer;4-1
5 Priddis;Cohen;Diodoro;6-1
7 Silver Banshee;Gonzalez;Moysey;30-1
6 Debenture;Harr;Dolan;20-1
4 Purse $93,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, maiden special weight
••FOLLOWING SEA raced close to the pace in a second-place debut at Santa Anita, and the Bob Baffert trainee is treated with Lasix for the first time and picks up a Hall of Fame rider. AMAZING ROCKET has four months of strong works leading up to his career debut, and the nicely bred colt hails from a powerful stable. HAPPYMAC showed terrific speed in two races as a juvenile, and the son of champion sprinter Runhappy may be stronger and faster as a three-year-old.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
8 Following Sea;Rosario;Baffert;2-1
6 Amazing Rocket;Geroux;Cox;4-1
5 Happymac;Santana;Asmussen;3-1
2 Rising Empire;Quinonez;Jones;5-1
1 My Honey's Perfect;Cohen;Diodoro;6-1
4 Terawatt;Vazquez;Moquett;15-1
9 Arms an Armor;Cabrera;Asmussen;8-1
3 Magicalmysterytour;Camacho;Williamson;30-1
7 Altered;Canchari;Lauer;30-1
5 Purse $105,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming..
••SANTOS DUMONT was compromised by a wide trip in a strong second-place allowance finish, and he has never finished worse than second in three route races and figures to be tracking a fast early pace. IMPOSSIBLE TASK finished a tired third in his first two-turn race in more than 16 months, and he has route speed and is likely to improve. BANDIT POINT was a fast-closing third in the six-furlong Nodouble Breeders', and the Arkansas-bred has enough talent to post an upset.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
2 Santos Dumont;Santana;Asmussen;9-2
8 Impossible Task;Rosario;Sadler;3-1
3 Bandit Point;Harr;Cline;12-1
5 Truculent;Arrieta;Contreras;4-1
6 Prodigious Bay;Cabrera;Moquett;6-1
4 Tashkent;Torres;Villafranco;15-1
9 Super Constitution;Canchari;Robertson;5-1
10 Pickford;Vazquez;McKnight;15-1
1 Quarterback Dak;Eramia;Cates;8-1
7 The Rogue Diesel;FDe La Cruz;Cox;20-1
11 Alex Joon;Morales;Brennan;30-1
6 The Carousel. Purse $250,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up
•••FRANK'S ROCKETTE won the American Beauty over a surface she does not prefer, and the multiple graded stake winner will be double-tough over a fast track. EDGEWAY was bet down to odds-on favoritism and did not disappoint defeating four rivals in a fast win at Santa Anita, and she was a dominating career debut winner last winter at Oaklawn. CASUAL finished second behind a heavily favored winner in the Spring Fever, but she will need a pace meltdown to rally past the top two fillies.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
4 Frank's Rockette;Geroux;Mott;7-5
5 Edgeway;Rosario;Sadler;9-5
6 Casual;Santana;Asmussen;4-1
1 Wildwood's Beauty;Arrieta;Becker;5-1
2 Best Kept Secret;Harr;Cline;15-1
3 Mucho Amor;Bowen;Puhich;15-1
7 Purse $93,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight
••STAR SAILOR finished a competitive third at Del Mar when last seen sprinting, and he is fit following three front-running route races at Santa Anita. He recorded bullet five-furlong breeze April 3 at Oaklawn. GLOBAL APPEAL was caught inside the final yards in a sharp 2021 debut, and the lightly raced colt owns the fastest Beyer figure and is an overlay at program odds. VIOLENT GIGI crossed the wire one position behind the second selection when making his career debut, and he should benefit from the racing experience.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
6 Star Sailor;Rosario;Sadler;4-1
2 Global Appeal;Arrieta;Lukas;8-1
7 Violent Gigi;Cohen;Hollendorfer;6-1
4 Battle Hymn;Rocco;Jones;8-1
8 He'smyhoneybadger;Geroux;Cox;3-1
9 Skip Intro;Talamo;Moquett;5-1
10 Justin Speight;Morales;Brennan;12-1
5 Macron;Santana;Asmussen;9-2
1 Do Right;Vazquez;Maker;12-1
3 Creole Bay;Borel;Chavis;30-1
8 Purse $106,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming
••••SHASHASHAKEMEUP is dropping into an optional claiming race following a second-place finish in a graded stake at Santa Anita, and he was a clear allowance winner in his only previous race last April at Oaklawn. ONE FOR RICHIE had a modest two-race winning streak stopped when finishing second at a similar condition last month, and the horse-for-course had a sharp subsequent breeze. ANCIENT WARRIOR crossed the finish line only a neck behind the second selection, and the strong finisher keeps rider Joel Rosario.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
7 Shashashakemeup;Geroux;Miller;3-1
9 One for Richie;Arrieta;Contreras;7-2
3 Ancient Warrior;Rosario;Hollendorfer;6-1
1 Secret Courier;Cohen;Diodoro;6-1
8 Digital;Saez;Calhoun;7-2
6 Strike Me Down;Garcia;D'Amato;6-1
4 Senor Jobim;Santana;Asmussen;8-1
5 Town Champ;Bowen;McKnight;15-1
10 Frolic More;Cabrera;Hawley;12-1
2 Uncle Chad;FDe La Cruz;Anderson;20-1
9 The Oaklawn Mile. Purse $400,000, 1 mile, 4-year-olds and up
••RUSHIE won the Grade II Pat Day Mile last fall at Churchill, and he returns fresh after an even effort in the Breeders' Cup Mile. Moreover, an expected fast pace will work in his late-running favor. WELLS BAYOU scored a wire-to-wire win in the 2020 Louisiana Derby, and he has trained well since a third-place return to the races in a graded stake at Fair Grounds. BY MY STANDARDS is a multiple graded stake winner who won this same stake in 2020, and he is a logical contender after taking on Grade I rivals in his past two races.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
4 Rushie;Rosario;McCarthy;3-1
3 Wells Bayou;Geroux;Cox;4-1
6 By My Standards;Saez;Calhoun;5-2
5 Blackberry Wine;Cabrera;Sharp;5-1
7 Pioneer Spirit;Vazquez;Maker;6-1
2 Gun It;Santana;Asmussen;8-1
1 Long Range Toddy;Court;Stewart;20-1
9 The Sound;Garcia;Cox;12-1
8 Home Base;Arrieta;Contreras;15-1
10 Purse $105,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds, allowance optional claiming
••UPSTRIKER has not raced since November, but he fired fresh in a decisive debut win last August at Ellis, and he is battle tested in stake races and is training smartly for winning connections. MIGHTY MISCHIEF was bet down to odds-on favoritism and did not disappoint in a 3-length maiden win, and he drew a favorable post for a sprinter with good speed. GAME DAY PLAY was beaten a neck at this condition at Fair Grounds, and he fell too far behind in a late-running third-place finish in the Gazebo.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
5 Upstriker;Talamo;Moquett;8-1
7 Mighty Mischief;Santana;Asmussen;2-1
2 Game Day Play;Saez;Calhoun;7-2
1 Name Rejected;Garcia;DiVito;7-2
3 Invincibility;Geroux;Asmussen;5-1
4 Xtreme Mayhem;Rocco;Robertson;10-1
9 Appraisal;Arrieta;Lukas;15-1
8 Tkotchke;Cabrera;Hawley;8-1
6 Lawlessness;Gonzalez;Mason;20-1
11 The Count Fleet Sprint Handicap. Purse $500,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up
••WHITMORE is a nine-time winner at Oaklawn who closed his 2020 campaign winning the Breeders' Cup Sprint, and he figures to be sitting on a top effort after a strong second in the Hot Springs. C Z ROCKET finished second in the BC Sprint, and he was able to catch the top selection in the final yards of the Hot Springs. NO PAROLE is a Grade I winning sprinter who is the controlling speed and may be able to topple the top two.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
2 Whitmore;Santana;Moquett;9-5
6 C Z Rocket;Geroux;Miller;2-1
1 No Parole;Vazquez;Amoss;9-2
4 Strike Power;Rosario;Asmussen;5-1
3 Mojo Man;Arrieta;DiVito;8-1
5 Empire of Gold;Cabrera;Eoff;8-1
7 Mr. Jagermeister;Bowen;Lund;12-1
12 The Arkansas Derby. Grade I. Purse $1 million, 1 1/8 miles, 3-year-olds
••••CONCERT TOUR was decisive in his two-turn debut easily defeating a similar field in the Rebel, and the speedy Bob Baffert trainee is unbeaten and should prove difficult to catch. CADDO RIVER appeared uncomfortable on the rail when attempting to run with Concert Tour in the Rebel, but he did win the Smarty Jones by 10 widening lengths, and a better trip can make the race much closer. HOZIER rallied to second in the Rebel, and the lightly raced and steadily improving colt is trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
5 Concert Tour;Rosario;Baffert;1-1
2 Caddo River;Geroux;Cox;7-2
3 Hozier;Garcia;Baffert;3-1
1 Super Stock;Santana;Asmussen;6-1
4 Get Her Number;Arrieta;Miller;6-1
6 Last Samurai;Court;Stewart;15-1
13 Purse $93,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight
••CONTINENTAL COINS has raced close to the lead in two competitive sprint races at Fair Grounds, and he is bred to improve at route distances and drew an advantageous two-turn post position. ARDANWOOD is an experienced two-turn runner who is exiting a second-place finish. ANTIGRAVITY crossed the wire less than a length behind the second selection, and he is an experienced runner with competitive Beyer figures.
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
1 Continental Coins;Saez;Calhoun;6-1
4 Ardanwood;Canchari;Robertson;7-2
5 Antigravity;Cohen;Hollendorfer;9-2
8 Saqeel;Geroux;Peitz;9-2
11 Time Is Yours;Talamo;Von Hemel;15-1
2 Junesandra;Eramia;Von Hemel;15-1
3 Reserve;Rosario;Moquett;8-1
7 Nomadic Fighter;Santana;Asmussen;6-1
9 Bamalama;Arrieta;Williamson;8-1
10 Hype Man;Cabrera;Asmussen;8-1
6 Mister Snickers;Morales;Rhea;30-1
Exotic possibilities
The first race is a good race to play a trifecta. I recommend putting Navy Seal on top of my next five selections in the place and show spot. The ninth race begins a Pick-5 and it may take four runners to cover the race. The 10th race is also a contentious one and once again my top four are recommended. The 11th race is a three-horse race, and the 12th has a single in Concert Tour. The 13th is competitive and my top four need to be considered.