ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 3, DISSENSION

FIRST RACE

STRIKE PERFECTION gets the nod in the opener in part because she has either an age or recency edge on some of her chief rivals. She also is returning to the Oaklawn surface over which she won her maiden last season - at this same mile and a sixteenth trip. DARK BLOOM is back on the main track and she’s been effective in the past at Oaklawn. DARK BLOOM is making her first start since October. The 3-year-old CARAMEL CREAM exits a race won by Cheponera, who, according to her trainer, Brad Cox, is now being pointed for the Honeybee at Oaklawn. This will be the first start against older horses for CARAMEL CREAM.

SECOND RACE

COACH NAR was a close-up fourth when facing some of these last out and he is one who could be sitting on a peak race in his third start since October. GALLOPING GUINNESS was beaten less than two lengths for everything last out when he split the field in what was his career debut. SPANISH AVENUE will add blinkers, which is a high-percentage equipment move for Villafranco, according to statistics in Daily Racing Form.

THIRD RACE

DISSENSION cuts back to a sprint distance and has worked a sharp half-mile in preparation for the task at hand. She’s also back on the main track and some of her best recent finishes have come in dirt sprints. DISSENSION is further appealing as an 11-time winner. AMERICAN HOLIDAY shares some similarities with top choice in that both are 11-time winners and that both faced higher-priced rivals last out. AMERICAN HOLIDAY has compiled a strong record over the local strip, where she is 3-for-6. TITFORTAT has natural speed and draws a post that might give Gazader options.

FOURTH RACE

ORO BIRD was just edged by a quality kind of winner last out and for the effort earned what ranks as this field’s best last-race Beyer Figure. ORO BIRD shortens up some in distance to a mile and like that she is a winner at the trip at Oaklawn. (The race will end at the sixteenth pole.) LOU must overcome the widest post, but she is appealing for her consistent nature. She closed in the slop last time when second at this level and distance at Oaklawn. CASH TIZ WONDERFUL shortens up some in distance to a mile and her last two wins on form came at the trip - but at a one-turn configuration.

FIFTH RACE

CHILEAN QUEEN returns to the claiming ranks and the last time she ran for a tag she was a winner. She faced a tough crowd last out in a statebred allowance sprint won by a stakes winner. OUR ADDI BELLE is is stuck on the also-eligible list, but would be one to consider were she to draw into the body of the field as she finished in front of some of these last out in what was her first race since September. ACUMEN showed good speed last out in her first start since November.

SIXTH RACE

ANGELO’S ASHES is well-spotted in starter ranks after facing a tough group of allowance foes last out at Oaklawn. She can be closer to the pace than she found herself that afternoon and might also benefit if the strip is fast as her maiden win came over such footing. Adding to ANGELO’S ASHES’ appeal is the fact that she’s a half-sister to Ruby’s Reception, a Grade 2 winner of $365K. LITTLE MISS AMY cuts back to one turn after showing speed around two, which can be an effective move with a horse. AWESOME DAY faces older rivals for the first time, but represented herself well last out in her first start against winners and she also owns one of the field’s best last-race Beyer Figures.

SEVENTH RACE

STORM POWER has been facing steeper and the race he exits has become a key one. The fifth-place finisher, Shrewd Move, came back in his next start to win the $25K Cactus Wren at TuP with a Beyer

Figure of 83, and the seventh-place finisher, Blue Law, a $12.5K claimer at TuP, with a Beyer of 72.

WILL MUNNINGS is another who has been facing steeper and he looks like a threat to wire the field. He also is a multiple winner over the local strip.

TWIRLING CINNAMON exits a productive comeback race, setting the pace to the later stages in a sprint that went in good time.

EIGHTH RACE

LIGHT BOUND BID was a winner at this distance two starts back at Oaklawn. He now moves into the statebred ranks and has recency on leading contender CHANTMEUPBABY. The latter is making his first start since May, but has class appeal as one who was stakes-placed against statebreds last meet at Oaklawn. The start came at this mile and a sixteenth trip. The stakes winner MALLARD’S BRO is the class of the field with earnings of $272K.

NINTH RACE

SNOOSE SASA proved a strong fit at this level last out and would seem have reason to move forward here in his second start since November. TARPYS ZIP set the pace over a laboring kind of track last out and the start was his first since August. He is one who can move forward, too. JACOB ROCKS has spent his career facing steeper. Another of interest is THE GREAT GENERATION.