Rick Lee’s Oaklawn Park selections and analysis

FIRST POST — 1:30 P.M.

1

Purse $25,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $20,000 **MUTAKDDIM ROAD set an honest pace when beaten less than two lengths, and the lightly raced and improving gelding keeps the leading rider. SPANISH AVENUE has been competitive in three consecutive races, and he has enough speed to be in a striking position turning for home. THE PSYCHIC is a late-runner with competitive Beyer figures, and the pace may be contested enough to flatter his late run.

2

Purse $20,000, 1 mile, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $8,000

***JACK TRIPP has not raced since November, but the Steve Asmussen trainee runs well fresh. He in 6 of 13 races in 2017, and it is encouraging that new trainer Ingrid Mason has raised him in class following a dull performance. RUNNINGUNNINRASCAL was narrowly defeated at this claiming price when making his first start for winning trainer Karl Broberg.

3

Purse $36,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $40,000 **UNPROVOKED finished second in a fast maiden allowance sprint just two races back. She is dropping into a maiden-claimer after running a poor race over a wet surface, which she does not like. PROMISSORY NOTE led past every pole but the last one in a clear second-place finish, and she is likely to improve in the second start of her form cycle. VYERA has finished with energy in consecutive third-place finishes, and she is adding blinkers and may benefit from a contentious pace.

4

Purse $31,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $16,000

**HOLIDAY MAN has won three of his four career races at Oaklawn, and he is taking a significant drop in class following two disappointing races on a wet track. CARVE is the class of the field with earnings exceeding $1 million, and he appears headed the right direction after finishing 2017 with three poor performances. CASH MONEY ALWAYS was compromised by a wide trip when beaten a diminishing head in his second start at the meeting. He was claimed by a sharp stable and drew a favorable inside post.

5

Purse $25,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $20,000 ***AIN’TSEENTHEBALL had a less than ideal trip when beaten less than two lengths in her only fast-track race. He has early speed and switches to the stable’s “go-to” rider. ZACK RIDGE ROAD has finished second in both of his fast-track races at the meeting, and he is a strong finisher who was claimed by a high percentage stable. CELTA VIGO has not raced in 12 months, but he owns the field’s fastest Beyer figure and appears to be training well at Retama Park.

6

Purse $38,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up which have never won two races, claiming $40,000

**STROLLING tracked a fast pace and proved determined to the wire in a maiden victory, and he has shown he is much better sprinting than running around two turns. SINGLE GEM is cutting back to a sprint distance following a front-running route win, and his Beyer figures are competitive. He keeps Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens. TRUSTING FRIEND is dropping into a conditioned-claiming race for the first time. He shows encouraging dirt works and tries the surface after an eight-race career on turf.

7

Purse $81,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds, maiden special weight

**SOARING BIRD finished second behind a very talented sprinter in his 2018 debut, and he lost a late lead in a toughluck defeat when catching a sloppy surface Feb. 24. AUGIE has raced close to a fast pace in a pair of competitive recent races, and he has moved into the high percentage stable of trainer Brad Cox, suggesting he may improve. GHOST

STORY tired inside the final furlong in an encouraging career debut. He has recorded four subsequent breezes and may be sitting on a vastly improved effort.

8

Purse $36,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, starter allowance

**FACTION CAT dominated maidens last summer at Churchill and has since finished second on five occasions, while earning the fastest Beyer figures in this field. MAHALO JOHN was beaten only a neck, while better than four-lengths clear of the third-place finisher, and the consistent sprinter is a threat if he holds form for new connections. ELECTRIC AVENUE dominated bottom-level maidens before finishing second in a $50,000 conditioned-claiming race, and trainer Brad Cox runs horses where they can win.

9

Purse $24,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up which have never won two races, claiming $16,000 ***RIO NORTE was pressured through strong fractions in a deceptively good fourth-place finish, and the class dropper figures difficult to beat if he draws into the race. GOTTA CURLIN finished full of run in a tough-luck second-place finish, and the beaten post-time favorite is simply the one to fear inside the final furlong. REGALISTIC was forwardly placed in a competitive third-place finish at this level, and the lightly raced and improving Arkansas-bred runner is a logical threat.