Rick Lee’s Oaklawn Park selections and analysis
FIRST POST — 1:30 P.M.
LEE’S LOCK Honey Bunny in the sixth BEST BET I’m Busy in the fifth
LONG SHOT Oh So Tall in the second THURSDAY’S RESULTS 4-9 (44.4 percent) MEET: 78-255 (30.6 percent)
**** confident choice
***plenty to like
**things to like
*educated guess
1 Purse $22,000, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up, maiden claiming $10,000
**RICKHOUSE set a strong pace over a muddy track in a deceptive fourth-place finish, and he looms a wire-to-wire threat in his third start after vacation time. MOON UNIT weakened inside the final furlong in a useful and competitive route race, and the beaten post-time favorite drew inside and may make amends. CAPE COUNTY earned a competitive Beyer figure in his career debut, and he may not have cared for the wet footing in a disappointing race against better Feb. 23.
2 Purse $25,000, 6 furlongs, 3-yearolds and up who have never won two races, Arkansas-bred, claiming $16,000 **OH SO TALL pressed the pace in a maiden
victory opening weekend at Oaklawn, and the quick gelding is racing against state-bred competition for the first time this season. JAPEDO rallied in a maiden victory when making his first start of the season, and he was flattered when the runner-up posted a 5-length victory in his next race. COVINGTON showed big improvement when able to control the pace in three route races last season. The probable post-time favorite has not raced in 12 months, and trainer Ron Moquett is not using one if his regular riders. EXOTIC POSSIBILITIES
The double starting in the first looks like a way to get off to a quick start. Either Moon Unit or Rickhouse should win the first race, and the second race has three good options. The sixth race is a good trifecta race using Honey Bunny on top, several in the middle and three on the third leg.
3 Purse $24,000, 5½ furlongs, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, maiden
claiming $10,000
**LA JOHNNIE has rallied to a third-place finish in three consecutive sprint races, and she is taking a slight drop in class. The pace figures to be a contentious one. ELSIE’S KID showed good speed before giving way in her only race as a 2-year-old, and she is likely to be stronger and faster at three. FORTRESSA has finished in-the-money in three of her last four races, and she owns the fastest last-race Beyer figure.
4 Purse $84,000, 6 furlongs, fillies, 3-year-olds, allowance optional claiming
**TALBEYA broke last in a third-place return
to the races, and notice the winner came back to win the Dixie Belle. This filly has continued to train well for Dan Peitz. INTO THE SOUTH was stake-placed as a juvenile at Churchill, and she did break her maiden last summer at Saratoga. She appears to be working nicely at Tampa. Q GO GIRL has raced competitively in stake races at Oaklawn and Fair Grounds this winter, and she is very capable if able to show improvement for a new stable.
5 Purse $32,000, 6 furlongs, 3-yearolds, maiden claiming $30,000 **** I’M BUSY has shown excellent early
speed in his four-race career. He is dropping into a maiden-claiming race for the first time and is strictly the one to catch and beat. CHASING HAPPY lost all chance on the backstretch in a troubled race at Fair Grounds, and he is another dropping in for a tag for the first time. HONDURAS contested the pace throughout in a second-place finish at this maiden classification, and the beaten post-time favorite is adding blinkers.
6 Purse $29,000, 5½ furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, starter allowance
**** HONEY BUNNY is a stake-winning sprinter who raced very wide in a thirdplace finish at Fair Grounds. She is taking a significant drop in class, and she is unbeaten in two races at Oaklawn. COUNCIL RULES has a win and runner-up finish in two races against softer at the meeting. She has won four of six career races at Oaklawn and appears sharp enough to move up and contend. VALIANT LADY finished second behind the top selection on a muddy track Feb. 8, and she is speedy and may hold for a big share.
7 Purse $41,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-yearolds and up, claiming $30,000 **SECRET HOUSE scored a clear front-running
victory at this claiming price in his local debut, and he was claimed by a winning stable. He will be difficult to beat if he holds form. DISCREETNESS is taking a slight drop in class after a competitive effort. He has class and appears to be rounding into peak condition. WHERE’S THE WIDGET was a winner at a higher class level just two races back at Woodbine, and he is dropping into a claiming race after a one-paced race.
8 Purse $84,000, 1 mile, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming **MISSISSIPPI raced consistently well as a
3-year-old, including a third-place finish in the Grade I Florida Derby, and after a break he had a useful second-place sprint tune-up. He should show marked improvement at his preferred distance. MARZO finished second at a similar level in his second start of the season. The beaten post-time favorite has route speed and switches to a high-percentage rider. ARRIVAL won an unusually fast conditioned-claiming race, which earned a big Beyer figure, but taking a short price on a horse facing tougher is a bit risky.
9 Purse $22,500, 6 furlongs, 3-yearolds and up who have never won two races, claiming $10,000 **FAREEQ has set and pressed the pace
in two good races at the meeting. He represents red-hot connections and could prove difficult to run down. RAPID ASSENT crossed the finish line less than a length behind the top selection March 1, and he is a steadily improving sprinter. CALL ME RICHARD pressed the pace when beaten only a neck in his 2019 debut, and he is another with consistent speed and drew a good post for his kind.