RICK LEE’S selections and analysis for today. Page 8C.

FIRST POST — 12:30 P.M.

LEE’S LOCK Caddo River in the eighth

BEST BET Smarty’s Angel in the fourth

LONG SHOT Strolling in the fifth

**** confident choice

***plenty to like

**things to like

*educated guess

1

Purse $22,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance

**CLEAR THE MINE won four of his 11 races as a 7-year-old in 2020, and he holds a slight Beyer figure advantage. The pace should be quick enough to set up a late run. LOVE THAT CAUSE has lost recent photo finishes at Delta and Remington Park, and the Karl Broberg trainee has tactical speed which appears a must-use in multi-horse wagers. RAVENS REFLECTION prompted the pace in a narrow loss at Delta Downs, and he likely needed the race after a layoff, and he does own a win at Oaklawn.

2

Purse $22,500, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up which ave never won two races, claiming $10,000

**LUCKY EVERY DAY has not raced since June, but she sports better than two months of sharp workouts. She fired fresh winning her career debut last winter at Remington Park. BLUEBIRD DAY disappointed in her first race on dirt at Churchill, but the beaten post-time favorite is dropping to the lowest price of her career. She races for winning trainer Robertino Diodoro for the first time.

BEAUTY DAY finished second at a higher claiming price at Churchill, and she is back at a preferred distance after a dull two-turn allowance race.

3

Purse $32,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up which have never won two races, claiming $30,000

***HANDY ships from Kentucky following two competitive races in stronger starter allowance races, and he drew a favorable two-turn post. The pace should be fast enough to set up his late charge. SHARECROPPER finished second as a post-time favorite at Churchill. He is taking a drop in price and figures near the lead throughout. CHANGE DIRECTION was forwardly placed in a useful third-place sprint finish at Hawthorne, and the class dropper is a proven two turn runner.

4

Purse $82,000, 6 furlongs, fillies, 3-year-olds, Arkansas-bred, maiden special weight

**** SMARTY’S ANGEL contested a strong pace in a competitive debut at Keeneland, and the winner came back to win a stake. This filly drops into a comfortable field of state-bred fillies.

FAST SOPHIA has been working well for a stable that wins with first-timers, and rider Ricardo Santana has always been the stable’s go-to rider. ARKANSAS BLING finished with energy in a third-place debut at Louisiana Downs, and the fresh runner has worked well at Oaklawn for a winning trainer-rider team.

5

Purse $27,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $16,000

**STROLLING closed his 2020 campaign last month with a decisive victory at Remington, and four of his seven career wins have been recorded at Oaklawn. He is also a strong finisher in a field with plenty of speed. CAVE RUN was a determined sprint winner at this same claiming price just two starts back at Churchill, and he exits a second-place allowance finish at Remington. KING OF THE COURT earned big Beyer figures in three consecutive wins at Canterbury. He has raced well at Oaklawn and is a logical threat if fit following a three-month freshening.

6

Purse $82,000, 1 mile, 3-yearolds, maiden special weight

***SAFFA’S DAY raced close to a fast pace when finishing fourth in the Springboard Mile at Remington, and he recorded a subsequent bullet 5-furlong work here Jan. 12. He is strictly the one to catch. SAQEEL was beaten a neck in a 9-furlong race at Churchill, and the late-runner appears improved around two turn. He is treated with Lasix for the first time. HE’S MY HONEY BADGER rallied to second in a career debut sprinting at Churchill, and the Brad Cox trainee is bred to carry his speed this far.

7

Purse $88,000, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming ***ENGAGE was beaten only 2 lengths in the Lafayette at Keeneland, and the runner-up came back to dominate the Grade I Cigar Mile. This classy veteran has trained smartly at Fair Grounds.

TOUGH LOVE won a fast entry level allowance races last season at Oaklawn, and the consistent sprinter ships from Kentucky at the top of his game. RUBUS has earned a Beyer figure of 90-plus in four consecutive races, and his last two works produced bullets over this track.

8

The Smarty Jones. Purse $150,000, 1 mile, 3-year-olds

**** CADDO RIVER set a rapid pace and kept on running in a dominating 1-mile maiden win at Churchill. He has trained well in Hot Springs and may lead this field past every pole. COWAN finished a clear second in the $200,000 Springboard Mile at Remington, and he is experienced and battle tested in good company. MOONLITE STRIKE ships from Gulfstream riding a modest tworace winning streak. He has a two-turn pedigree and figures to show continued improvement.

9

Purse $27,000, 1 mile, 4-yearolds and up, starter allowance

**RIVER ECHO has won five of his last six races at today’s distance, and he is capable of winning regardless of the pace of the race. FROST OR FRIPPERY has won 15 races over this past two seasons, and he exits a stake win at Gulfstream. He is talented enough to overcome an outside post. DONT TELL NOOBODY has won three consecutive races at a fast track, and the multiple restricted stake winner should be rallying behind an honest pace.