Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Rick Lee’s daily selections,

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LEE’S LOCK Exulting in the seventh BEST BET Sycamore Run in the fourth LONG SHOT Do Me a Favor in the sixth FRIDAY’S RESULTS 3-9 (33.3%) MEET 46-156 (29.5%) **** confident choice ***plenty to like **things to like *educated guess

1 Purse $39,000, 6 furlongs, 3-yearolds and up, starter allowance

**BUTTERED NOODLES has shown excellent early speed in five consecutiv­e in-the-money finishes, and he may appreciate a fast track after consecutiv­e second-place finishes over a muddy track. EARNER pressured the top selection through lively fractions in a thirdplace finish, and the beaten favorite may turn the tables in the third start of his form cycle. HANSENS MISCHIEF was a sharp allowance winner in his last race at Remington, and he may have been compromise­d in his two local races on wet footing.

2 Purse $22,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $7,500

**MADISON WAY has consistent­ly been earning Beyer figures above par for this claiming price, and the significan­t class dropper is a two-time winner at Oaklawn. SHAHARAZAD won two of her last three races at Remington Park, and she is taking a slight drop in price after losing all chance at the start in her local debut. SKAMANIA is plunging in class for high-percentage connection­s, and she has good early speed.

3 Purse $47,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, starter allowance

***SUGAR LOVE crossed the wire only 1 length behind an odds-on winner in her local debut while earning a Beyer figure several points faster than today’s rivals. SUPER WONDER GIRL contested the pace in a pair of in-the-money finishes at Ellis, and she appears to be working smartly for her return. PREMIER WISH won her career debut at Churchill by 3-widening lengths, and what she lacks in experience she may make up for in talent. 4 Purse $23,500, 6 furlongs, 3-yearolds and up who have never won two races, claiming $10,000. ***SYCAMORE RUN chased a strong pace before tiring against much better in his 2021 debut, and he is switching to the leading rider. WYOMING CONQUEST is a consistent front-runner who is dropping to the lowest claiming price of his career, and he represents winning connection­s. ITS MY BAG BABY finished second at this level in his return from a lengthy layoff, and he did break his maiden last winter at Oaklawn.

5 Purse $39,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance

**SHORTLIST is a consistent finisher in a field with plenty of speed types. He has strong Beyer figures and picks up a red-hot rider. JUMPER has raced well in both of his races on the main track. He is taking a slight drop and worked a sharp 4 furlongs Feb. 26. CHARLIE’SARCHANGEL was a three-time winner in 2020. He lost all chance at the start in a deceptivel­y good fourth-place finish on opening day.

6 Purse $86,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden special weight

**DO ME A FAVOR showed excellent early speed before fading in her only start last season, and she is training well for her return. Her moving up in class is a positive sign. CHOCTAW CHARLIE finished in the money in all three of her local races last season, including a third-place finish in the Rainbow Miss. LONGNTALL broke a touch slow and raced wide in a fourth-place debut, and she has a license to show marked improvemen­t with an improved trip.

7 Purse $22,000, 6 furlongs, 4-yearolds and up, claiming $7,500

**** EXULTING finished a close third in a fast $10,000 claiming race, and he likely needed the race. He is dropping for new trainer Steve Asmussen. BEEMIE AWARD has finished no worse than second in four consecutiv­e races on the main track, and he did win his first start at Oaklawn in 2020. HE’S NO BULL is taking a big drop in class for new trainer Robertino Diodoro, and his better races are good enough to defeat this field.

8 Purse $89,000, 1 mile, 4-year-olds and up who have never won three races, allowance

***BLACKBERRY WINE is dropping into an allowance after two good efforts in graded stake races at Fair Grounds. He was a 13-length maiden winner last season at Oaklawn. MO MOSA was forwardly placed when second best in the Grade III Oklahoma Derby, and he returned sharp to Oaklawn when beaten only a nose at this level Jan. 29. GUN IT is a graded stake-placed runner around two turns, and he closed 2020 with a strong runner-up allowance finish at Churchill.

10 Purse $86,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight

***HE’SMYHONEYBA­DGER has worked well since a photo-finish loss on opening day. The lightly raced and improving colt drew an improved post. WINDCRACKE­R crossed the wire a head in front of the top selection, and the experience­d two-turn runner is a logical contender if he holds form. OTTOTHELEG­END was forwardly placed in a fourth-place sprint debut at Fair Grounds, and he is bred top and bottom to improve at route distances.

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