Rick Lee’s Oaklawn selections and analysis
FIRST POST — 1:30 P.M.
LEE’S LOCK Drexel in the second BEST BET Hamazing Vision in the third LONG SHOT Heros Reward in the ninth SATURDAY’S RESULTS 5-10 (50%) MEET 39-118 (33.1%)
**** confident choice
***plenty to like
**things to like
*educated guess
1 Purse $25,000, 1 1/16 miles, fillies, 3-year-olds, maiden claiming $25,000
SPECTACULAR TEMPER** finished fourth of 10 as half of an even-money entry in her first start for new connections. She may have needed the race and keeps the leading rider. QUIET DAWN crossed the wire just one position behind the top selection Feb. 6, despite her inability to relax in the early running. A rider switch and advantageous post are pluses. SWEET KALA finished third in a two-turn maiden-allowance race at Remington, and she is racing for a claiming price for the first time.
2 Purse $24,000, 6 furlongs, 3-yearolds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $16,000
DREXEL **** showed improved early speed in consecutive second-place finishes at Prairie Meadows. He is training well and catches a soft field of state-bred rivals. PEARL THIRTY EIGHT wore blinkers for the first time and earned a competitive Beyer figure at Delta, and the presence of a leading rider tips positive stable intent. ARKANSAS RED rallied to fifth after a sluggish start in his return from a lengthy vacation, and an improved break from the gate will make him a threat.
3 Purse $25,000, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up, Arkansas-bred, claiming $10,000
HAMAZING VISION*** won consecutive races this fall at Turf Paradise while earning Beyer figures that are clearly fastest in this field. He also represents high-percentage connections. CADDO
DADDO broke his maiden at this distance last season at Oaklawn, and he has competed against considerably better over the past several months. OCTOBER SKY is a two-time winner at Oaklawn, and the 9-year-old shows an upbeat work tab leading to his seasonal debut.
4 Purse $26,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $12,500
RANSOMED** weakened inside the final furlong after contesting the pace in her first race in 14 weeks, and she may have found a field she can take gate to wire. CAN’T TOUCH ME has finished a close third in both of her races at the current meeting. She earned the field’s fastest last race Beyer figure. WE NEED TO TALK may finally get a fast track for the first time in 11 months, and she has enough talent and races for the leading trainer.
5 Purse $24,000, 6 furlongs, 3-yearolds and up, Arkansas-bred, maiden claiming $16,000
SEQUENCE** recorded competitive races last summer at Prairie Meadows, and he is dropping into a race restricted to state-bred runners. Moreover, he picks up top rider Ricardo Santana. THE DEVIL’S DADDY has finished with energy in three consecutive in-the-money finishes, and he keeps leading rider David Cohen. MARCO’S DREAM has faltered after contesting the pace in three races, but he may get a clear lead for the first time, which makes him a threat.
6 Purse $25,000, 1 1/16 miles, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, claiming $10,000
MOONLIGHT TRAIN** had a troubled trip when finishing seventh in his local debut. He is dropping in class, and he has a strong record on a fast racing surface.
COWGIRL CALLIE defeated $20,000 conditioned-claiming rivals at Hawthorne, and the consistent sprinter did finish in front of the top selection Jan. 26. DARING dominated a non-winners-of-two field at Fair Grounds, and she may be sharp enough to defeat open company.
7 Purse $31,000, 6 furlongs, 3-yearolds who have never won two races, claiming $30,000
NAUGHTY ALFRED* broke his maiden at first asking in a $30K maiden-claimer at Churchill, and he is back in for a price after being overmatched in three subsequent races. TEMPLE BAR has been earning competitive Beyer figures while competing on the tough Southern California circuit. DIFFERENT DAYS was forwardly placed in a clear maiden-claiming score at Woodbine, and high-percentage trainer Norman McKnight is due to start heating up.
8 Purse $88,000, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, allowance optional claiming
EMBOLDENED** broke last and never contended over a wet track in her return from a long layoff. However, she is the class of the field, and the beaten even-money favorite deserves another chance. HEAVENS WHISPER rallied to second at this condition on opening weekend, and she received a confidence boost when the winner came back to win again. WHOLEHEARTED was beaten a nose in her first start for current connections. She keeps the leading rider and can handle a class jump.
9 Purse $46,000, 1 mile, 3-yearolds, maiden claiming $50,000
HEROS REWARD** raced evenly in a fifthplace sprint tune-up at Del Mar. He is taking a drop in class, and he is bred to improve at route distances. INSTIGATED contested the pace in a second-place finish in his Oaklawn debut. He is experienced around two turns and switches to the leading rider. LIDO LEGACY has finished fourth in three consecutive route races, and he is likely to move up with a drop into the maiden-claiming ranks.