RICK LEE’S selections and analysis for Oaklawn.

FIRST POST — 1:30 P.M.

LEE’S LOCK Bye Bye J in the eighth BEST BET Essie in the second

LONG SHOT C Dub in the fifth SUNDAY’S RESULTS 2-9 (22.2 percent) MEET 74-246 (30.1 percent)

CONFIDENCE RATINGS

**** confident choice ***plenty to like **things to like *educated guess 1 Purse $35,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up who have never won three races, claiming $30,000

***SINGLE GEM was a clear winner at Belmont when last entered in a conditioned-claiming race, and he has consistently earned the field’s fastest Beyer figures. He also has done his best running under the care of today’s trainer Robertino Diodoro. GOLDEN BULLET pressed the pace before tiring on a muddy surface in a stronger allowance race, but he easily defeated conditioned-claimers in his previous race at Oaklawn. FULKERSON broke slowly in a deceptive fourth-place finish, and he was claimed by sharp connections. A return to the form he showed in Kentucky can make him a threat.

2 **** Purse maiden ESSIE finished $37,000, claiming with 6 $40,000 furlongs, energy in a fillies, second-place 3-year-olds, debut finish at Woodbine, and she is dropping into a maiden-claimer for high-percentage connections. She has worked well over this surface. HONEST N LUCKY had trouble at the break in a one-paced debut against much better, and she is dropping in class for a stable that is heating up. SHE’S GOT IT ALL has four in-the-money finishes for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, and several dull route races cloud her good sprint form.

3 Purse $32,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $30,000

**HOME IT TIZ lost a short lead into the stretch in a clear runner-up finish March 3, and he is taking a small drop in class and figures close to the lead throughout. PRAETORIAN earned solid Beyer figures as a juvenile when racing in Southern California, and he is back on the main track after a lackluster turf debut last summer at Kentucky Downs. ROYAL EDITION crossed the finish line just one position behind the top selection. He is certainly talented enough to win, but he has had 16 previous chances and may lack a willingness.

4 Purse $24,000, 1 1/8 miles, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $10,000

**DAPPER JACK finished in the exacta in seven of 14 races in 2018, and the front-runner is at a proper class

level and is the one to catch. ARCHIE is stretching out after five consecutive sprint races. He was claimed by a winning stable, and he did win four races last season. VANDERBOOM RIDGE raced poorly in a pair of allowance races at Remington, but he has moved into a new stable. A return to the form he showed last season at Canterbury will make him difficult to beat.

3 Two Purse Stepping $22,000, Groom Morales 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds Guerrero and 15-1 up, 5 maiden claiming $10,000

**C DUB has been within striking distance of a fast pace in all three starts at the meeting, and he is dropping to the bottom of the local maiden-claiming ranks. He may go the distance with an expected moderate pace. TAP SHOW has finished in-the-money in three of his past four races, and he earned the field’s fastest last race Beyer figure. PAXOS was caught inside the final yards in his local debut after setting a swift, early pace. He likely benefits from a race over the track.

6 races, **BELLE Purse 3-year-olds claiming MEADE $23,000, $10,000 and DANCER 6 up furlongs, who has have not fillies raced never and since won mares, three September, winter at but Oaklawn. she broke She her possesses maiden at good first early asking speed last and appears to be working smartly for a winning team. REDEAL proved stubborn on the lead in a two-turn victory. The winner of two consecutive is back sprinting and figures to work out a good trip from an outside post. WELL MAID earned competitive Beyer figures in her sprint races at Hawthorne, and she is back at a preferred distance after a useful route race.

7

special Purse 3-year-olds weight $83,000, and 6 up, furlongs, Arkansas-bred, fillies and maiden mares,

**JEWELED when second CROWN behind a was wire-to-wire compromised winner by in a her wide career trip debut at Delta. She has recorded two useful 5-furlong breezes at Oaklawn, and she picks up a winning veteran rider. FIRM ALEXIS broke last of 11 in a fast-closing second-place debut finish, and the experience and a better start will make her tough to deny. LIL TATER may have lost too much ground on the turn in a competitive third-place finish, and she is one of many contenders in a highly contentious field.

8 Purse 3-year-olds $85,000, and up, 6 furlongs, Arkansas-bred, fillies and allowance mares, optional claiming

**** BYE BYE J followed a $75,000 stake victory at Gulfstream with a strong second-place finish in the Grade III Forward Gal. She has recorded three works since arriving in Hot Springs, and on paper is the most likely winner of the meeting. FASTANISTA was beaten a quickly diminishing neck in the $75,000 Downthedustyroad, and the pace may be quick enough to set up a late run. USUAL SUSPECT just lasted in winning the Downthedustyroad, but this is a much better field. She is no guarantee to be the pace setter.

9 Purse $84,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races, allowance **SAN JUAN DIEGO finished his 3-year-old season with a clear maiden allowance victory at Belmont, and a wet track and slow start compromised his best chance when third in his 2019 debut. KING OF THE COURT defeated lower maiden-claimers by 10-widening lengths in an unusually fast maiden victory Feb. 16. He is a logical repeat threat if able to reproduce the effort for new connections. MOJOVATION has kept the best company in an eight-race career. He possesses good early speed and was claimed by a top claiming stable.