ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 1, PRINCESSOF THE NYL

FIRST RACE

There are a slew of good races on Saturday’s card, starting with a stakes doubleheader - the Nodouble Breeders’ followed by the Spring Fever. There also are some allowances of interest, including the fifth race that drew Classic Empire’s half-brother, Exclamation Point. In the opener, PRINCESSOF THE NYL comes off a third-place finish to a blowout maiden winner who has since placed in an allowance. This one owns the field’s best collection of Beyer Figures. NOHO has seen steeper and has reason to move forward in her second start since October. UNBRIDLED’S GIRL hooked a quality winner last out in Tyfosha, who was previously based in Southern California.

SECOND RACE

YOO HOO’S ROCKET has moved forward with each of his starts at the meet and could be sitting on a peak effort here, in his third race since April. GALLOPINGGUINNESS was right there against steeper last time and is a logical choice back. The 3-year-old ZACK RIDGE ROAD finished right behind top choice two back at Oaklawn. For this trip he adds blinkers, a high percentage equipment move for Von Hemel, according to stats appearing in Daily Racing Form.

THIRD RACE

RED CLAY MAGIC hooked a runner two back in Fort Fortitude, who has since won again at Oaklawn, defeating a Southern California invader in the late stages of an optional claiming sprint. As for RED CLAY MAGIC, the draw here might give Stevens options. DIVINE INTERVENTIO gives up recency to these as this marks his first out since September, but he’s run well off the bench in the past, and is a two-time winner facing some less-experienced rivals. He also owns a series of strong Beyer Figures. More than capable. ZAEVION might be best served if the track is fast as his maiden win came over such a surface rating.

FOURTH RACE

DORODANSA was third to a quality kind of winner last out and seems like one who will make good use of the added ground she picks up in this spot. This marks her second out since November. IMPASSE might be best served if the track is fast after catching slop last out at Oaklawn. One start prior she was fourth in the track’s Pippin. This race marks the third start since June for IMPASSE. DREAMCALL was second to a quality winner two back in a stakes at Remington Park.

FIFTH RACE

EXCLAMATION POINT meets winners for the first time, but like that he owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Figure. He also is stretching out around two turns, and note he gets pedigree support for the added ground as a half-brother to champion Classic Empire, winner of last year’s Arkansas Derby. COLOUR GUARD has done nothing wrong in his career to date, having won his first two starts and note both of those races came at two turns. INGE should be sharp for the move to two turns off the sprint stakes, and note these go a mile so the race will end at the sixteenth pole. Another who figures prominently in competitive race is ARTICULATOR.

SIXTH RACE

MATROOH showed good speed on the turnback in distance last out and he could be even sharper here, in his second straight sprint start. He also has back class to call upon and might be sitting on a peak effort in his third start since November. JAZZY TIMES brings excellent speed to the table and is a real threat to wire the field. TOASTING MASTER is back in the claiming ranks after a series of races against starter foes - one of them a win in January.

SEVENTH RACE

The first of the card’s stakes features Arkansasbreds. FIVE O ONE dominated in the local prep, winning by four and a quarter lengths over some of these in what was his first start since April. He set the pace over a track rated good and for the

effort earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 85. FIVE O ONE is now 3-for-4 in his career, among his wins the Rainbow last year at Oaklawn. RACER is moving back into the statebred ranks after starting his season in an open allowance won by the stakes-bound Dazzling Gem. It was this one’s first start since September. RACER is cutting back from two turns and note he won last year’s Nodouble. WEAST HILL, the 2016 Arkansas-bred of the Year, has reason to move forward here in what will be his second out since September. He boasts a 7-for-10 record at his home track of Oaklawn.

EIGHTH RACE

A nice collection of horses have come together for this afternoon’s Spring Fever. SWING AND SWAY was a widening winner of the American Beauty over some of these last out at Oaklawn, where she rolled by more than seven lengths. She’s since worked sharply, going a half-mile in a near bullet 47.80 seconds on Feb. 26. The move was the third fastest of 99 at the distance that morning at Oaklawn. SWING AND SWAY has been effective from both on and off the pace, and on fast and wet tracks. GOLDEN MISCHIEF is a four-time stakes winner coming off a bang-up effort in the Flashy Lady, a Remington Park stakes in September in which she defeated older rivals in her first attempt while covering six furlongs in a blazing 1:08.40. Overall, she is 6-for-15. MY MISS CHIFF should be sharp for the five and a half panels here off a fiveeighths stakes start at Delta Downs. Earlier in her career she was Grade 3-placed at Pimlico.

NINTH RACE

CHRIS AND DAVE “were” a close second last out to Blueridge Traveler, who after their meeting shipped to Sam Houston and won the $100K Maxxam Gold Cup. GETTYSBURG shortens up some to a mile and his natural speed should serve him well on the distance move. He’s a close friend of Gun Runner’s, as the pair were workout buddies during Gun Runner’s Horse of the Year campaign in 2017. GRAY SKY exits same race as top choice, finishing third. He seems like a threat through the lane.