ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 2, NIKKI’S ROSE FIRST RACE

There is a stakes double Saturday at Oaklawn, where the Grade 3, $200K Honeybee and $125K Hot Springs will share a card. In the opener, BIG SUGARUSH moves back into the claiming ranks after facing starter foes, and he further has reason to move forward in his second start since December. MAGNUM FORCE could be sitting on a peak race in his third start this form cycle. SMARTIFIED owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure. Another of interest is also-eligible STARTER.

SECOND RACE

NIKKI’S ROSE ran a bold race on the front end last out in the Downthedustyroad Stakes, when she was making her first start against winners. She’s now back in the overnight ranks. ROXY ROCKET exits the same stakes, finishing just behind top choice. CINNAMONSBIRDIE brings good racing experience to the table, while BLUSHING BELLA exits a strong race and looks like a chief contender in this spot.

THIRD RACE

ITASCA FALLS is in the midst of a productive meet, winning her seasonal debut in January then running third last out in her first start against winners. FAZZLE DAZZLE gives up recency to top choice, but exits a race that has produced two next-out winners at Gulfstream. BOSSES MONEY should be sharp for the move to two turns off the sprint start.

FOURTH RACE

CARE exits a quick race won by a half-sister to multiple Grade 2 winner La Verdad ($1.5M). CARE has moved forward with each of her starts and is also appealing as a half-sister to Great Minds, a Grade 3 winner of $399K who is to start as a top contender in a Saturday night stakes at Delta Downs. CONQUEST TAPGIRL ran a solid second in her bow and is from a multiple stakes-winning mare who banked $233K. She owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure. NEVER HUNGOVER brings good racing experience to the table, and turned a bullet Feb. 27.

FIFTH RACE

HOLIDAY MAN got his season started against steeper last out and like that he was favored against those rivals. He has registered both of his wins at Oaklawn. GLITNIR finished in front of top choice last time and for the effort earned what ranks as this field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure. SWORD OF DAVID draws a wide gate, but has natural speed.

SIXTH RACE

A strong group of sprinters has assembled for the Hot Springs, which is the final local steppingstone to the Grade 3, $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap. IVAN FALLUNOVALOT has had exceptional success over the local strip and would seem to have reason to move forward here in his second start since November. IVAN FALLUNOVALOT is further appealing for his versatile nature, as he could get an ideal trip off the rail-drawn HOLY BOSS, as well as the quick CANDY RUBY and the undefeated speedster CHIEF CICATRIZ. In addition, IVAN FALLUNOVALOT is 3-for-3 on wet tracks and there is a 50 percent chance of rain Saturday. WHITMORE also could get a nice setup. He is packing one the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figures, a 102, for a local allowance win in which he covered six furlongs in a blazing 1:08.80. STORM ADVISORY trumped WHITMORE’S big number in the King Cotton, when he rolled on the front end to nail down his first stakes victory with a 103 Beyer. HOLY BOSS is a class runner as a Grade 2 winner of $711K. FISH TRAPPE

ROAD returns following a freshening, and note the runner-up from the race he exits came back to account for the Grade 3 Discovery at Aqu with a Beyer Figure of 102. Hats off to CHIEF CICATRIZ, who has never known defeat. He is 5-for-5 in an admirable resume and draws a post that could give Hill options.

SEVENTH RACE

SET THE TRAPPE was second last out in a race that went faster than par. SKY WONDER exits the same quick race and for this trip will add blinkers. VBREEZE could be sitting on a peak effort in his third out since April.

EIGHTH RACE

CHANEL’S LEGACY has established herself as the leading 3-year-old filly at the Oaklawn meet, on account of her wins in the Dixie Belle and Martha Washington stakes. She moves back into graded company for the Honeybee, and could get an ideal tracking trip off Southern California shipper IT TIZ WELL. The latter makes her two turn debut and she is bred to appreciate the added ground as a daughter of Arch. She has shown versatility in her races, having been effective from both on and off the pace, but based on the fractions she attended last time, IT TIZ WELL looks like a candidate to wire the field. She also faced one of the stars of the division two back in Unique Bella, running second to that one in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez. MY SWEET STELLA encountered notable trouble last out when second in the Martha Washington. EVER SO CLEVER has placed in a pair of Grade 2 races and has reason to move forward in her second start since November. She would be no surprise.

NINTH RACE

OLIVIA’S UNCLE was second last out to a quality kind of winner and for the effort earned what ranks as this field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure. LAWTON is appealing as a January foal who has fired a series of competitive races. LIKEITLIKETHAT is a half-brother to Happy Ticket, a Grade 1 winner who banked $1.6mm. CONQUEST ARCHIE is a half-brother to Breeders’ Cup Sprint champ Secret Circle ($3.6M). REACTION is a half-brother to Grade 1-winning millionaire Taris.