ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 1, PATTI PATTI PATTI

FIRST RACE

A strong card for Sunday includes an appearance by multiple stakes-winning sprinter Ivan Fallunovalot and last year’s Smarty Jones winner, Uncontested. In the opener, PATTI PATTI PATTI gets the nod for her speed, recency, experience at two turns and competitive Beyer Figures. MCKINLI’SBABYBLUES faced steeper last out and in her debut hooked a quality kind of winner in Miss Mo Mentum, who has since aired in an overnight stakes at Gulfstream. SOPHIE’S ANGEL makes the move to two turns and gets pedigree support for the trip. Another of interest is DRAMA SPECIALIST, who makes the Delta to Oaklawn move, which can be effective for surface similarities between the tracks. These go a mile and just a reminder that mile races at Oaklawn end at the sixteenth pole.

SECOND RACE

Tough group of Arkansas-bred sprinters for the $16K tag in this spot. PRIMARILY GOLD defeated open company allowance rivals a few starts back at Louisiana Downs and owns some strong recent Beyer Figures. GUSKA MON SHOES is appealing for his consistent nature, excellent record over the local strip, and strong collection of Beyer Figures. The drawback is that he gives up recency to some of these - as does top choice. ARCH REVENGE returns to the statebred ranks with the meet back on in Arkansas and he fired several competitive races over the summer and fall in Kentucky.

THIRD RACE

MIA D’ORO is well-versed at the two turn trip and the speed she has shown in her races should serve her well at this mile configuration as the race will end at the sixteenth pole. MIA D’ORO also owns the field’s best career Beyer Figures. ESKIMO KISSES hooked an eventual stakes winner in her debut when second by a head to Cosmic Burst. That one went on to win an allowance in her next start, then accounted for the $100K Trapeze at Remington Park. GHOSTED made the move to two turns last out and put up her best Beyer Figure.

FOURTH RACE

BAETYKATY is back at Oaklawn, where she has been effective in the past. She also has class appeal as one who has been facing steeper, while her speed should serve her well at this mile trip. ELECTRIC COWGIRL draws the widest gate, but ran a sharp race last out in her first start off the layoff and she would seem to have reason to move forward in her second start since August. RITZY LASS makes the move back to two turns, site of her last three wins on form.

FIFTH RACE

COACH NAR gets a chance with statebreds with the meet back on at Oaklawn. QUIETLY CUBA gives up recency to some of these as this marks his first start since April, but like that he owns some strong Beyer Figures. CAT GOT EVEN has fired some competitive races in the past and like others in this spot is moving back into the statebred ranks with racing returning to Arkansas. On a handicapping note, this race is for 3-year-olds and up and from this corner tend to favor the older runners early in the year as some of these just turned 3.

SIXTH RACE

NUCLEAR OPTION has natural speed and draws a post that might give McMahon options. He also owns the field’s best recent Beyer Figures. FIGHT ON flew in Wednesday, according to his trainer, Doug O’Neill. He said the horse was purchased following his win last out in the Spendthrift Farm Stallion Stakes at Churchill. FIGHT ON is the most accomplished member of the field as a stakes winner. GRADE ONE was a sharp maiden winner two back at Haw, where he romped by 11 while covering six furlongs in 1:10. He met winners for the first time last out and, in what can be a demanding spot for a horse, between rivals, finished a credible fourth. More than capable.

SEVENTH RACE

Tough race to sort through as so many are capa-

ble in this spot. LEOFRIC gets the nod in part because of the recency he has on some some of these. He also is moving back into the overnight ranks following a stakes-placing last out at Fair Grounds. In addition, LEOFRIC owns what ranks as this field’s co-highest last-race Beyer Figure.

WARRIOR’S CLUB was second to a quality kind of winner last out in the Bet On Sunshine at Churchill Downs. He now moves back to a mile and note he was a winner at this trip last meet at Oaklawn.

UNCONTESTED won one of the meet’s premiere mile races last year in the Smarty Jones, when he blitzed his rivals for a more than five length victory. He is stretching back out around two turns after finishing a close-up sixth last out in the Grade 2 Phoenix at Keeneland. He’s also returning to the overnight ranks and the last time he raced against such rivals he was a winner at Churchill. UNCONTESTED owns the field’s co-highest lastrace Beyer Figure, with LEOFRIC.

EIGHTH RACE

IVAN FALLUNOVALOT launches his season in a competitive optional $62.5K claiming race that figures to produce starters for the local sprint series. He is coming off an excellent Remington Park meet in which he won an allowance in 1:08 and change and came back and captured the track’s biggest race for sprinters, the $150K David M. Vance, in 1:08. IVAN FALLUNOVALOT had been considered for a stakes in Maryland following the start, but his connections also talked about awaiting the Oaklawn meet as owner Matthews is a resident of Arkansas. IVAN FALLUNOVALOT is seeking career win No. 18. ST. JOE BAY is proven class as a Grade 2 winner. He’s prepped for his first start since August at Del Mar, where he worked a bullet five-eighths in 59.60 seconds on Jan. 5. Miller, his trainer, has a division at Oaklawn this meet and had a handful of horses fly into town Wednesday, according to officials with Oaklawn. RECOUNT is seeking career win No. 11, while another of interest is STORM ADVISORY, winner of last year’s King Cotton at Oaklawn.

NINTH RACE

LADY WARRIOR is a consistent sort who has seen steeper and also like that she has natural speed and owns some of the nd field’s best Beyer Figures. SING PRADA SING is another consistent sort and she brings good racing experience to the table. MAKE DADDY PROUD has the speed to hold her position from the rail. Another of interest is alsoeligible ZOEY’S MY GIRL.