Solid card assembled, highlighted by the Count Fleet and Apple Blossom, two quality fields that will run deep. I love the late pick 5; I see it paying very well! Enjoy race day at Oaklawn, and as always, let’s box them and bet them!
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Good luck and good racing!
Race 1) 9-5-10-4
I’m not going to spend a lot of time discussing the first three races. The latter half of the card is outstanding and that is where my focus will be. Four-year-olds to start the proceedings versus quite a few three-year olds. Hartman, with Lanarie, second start horse, looking to break through in this bottom level maiden claimer. Second choice should improve second off the layoff, while dropping to the lowest level yet. Let’s move on.
Race 2) 1-3-2-9-4
What do you do with the favorite, Metropol? Cox dangles this one out for 20K, more than half of the price tag in his last race off the layoff and did absolutely no running to speak of. I’m playing against. These types can beat me and I won’t lose a lick of sleep as a result. This race is an absolute head scratcher and I’m not going to dwell on it. Let’s move on, we are one race closer to the meat of the card!
Race 3) 10-9-2
The #2 will improve a ton for a barn that has had a lot of success with maiden types this meet. Again, let’s move ahead.
Race 4) 2-10-11-9
Dancing in Paradise cuts back to six furlongs and is adding the hood. The class drop will help; this one has done her best running at the sprint distance slated here. Round out the trifecta with two outside horses.
Race 5) 5-3-4
Voila Baby, is the speed of the race. I’m not a big fan of Canchari on speed horses, so this ought to be interesting. Get her out of the gate and let her roll! Second start horse that didn’t take a dime of money, though dropping in class to maiden claimers here; will definitely help. Robertson excels at this class drop. Maker ships this one in from Turfway Park. Geroux gets in the irons and is tactical. Second start horse, that ran a decent race first out. Would’ve like to see a work since her debut on March 19th. Third choice is another second start horse that is taking a slight class drop. Rosario takes over for Vazquez and should sit a nice stalking trip.
Race 6) 5-4-12
I’m going to honest. I have zero feel for this race at all. Every time that happens, it never fails the favorite runs off the screen. With that, #3 Front Door is the tepid favorite here. I simply cannot trust even with the class drop and the barns go to rider lands on the #5. Second choice is parked out wide and with his running style is going to have to be much the best from out there. I don’t see a lot of speed here. I hope Cohen can get this rolling early and is a major upgrade in the saddle. Let’s move onto the better part of the card.
Race 7) 5-7-3
Everfast is the class of the race. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out by looking at the PP’s. Hasn’t bee seen since last October and has changed barns. Doesn’t own a lot of speed and the new trainer doesn’t exactly have them ready to roll off the barn switch or the layoff. This one is also adding the blinks for the first time. Tough read, but on class alone, this is the one to beat. But I’m going to try a such. Dessman, for Baffert, is stretching out, adds the blinks and is the speed of the race. Baffert knocks hard with the stretch-out and the blinks angle. This one could take them wire to wire.
Race 8) 7-9-5-4
Competitive race here to kick off the pick 5. This is not an easy sequence at all. But I’m going to go just two deep here on my tickets. This is about the 7-9, 9-7 to me. Whitmore will sit the trip, no question, and I’m not Hidden Scroll’s biggest fan. He absolutely beat nothing in his first race off the extended layoff, but he did do it impressively. There’s a ton of front-end speed in here. The speed is all inside and that bodes well for my top two choices. Wendell Fong fits the race shape and is a monster price.
Race 9) 9-10-5-6
Mt. Brave and Break Even exit the same race back on February 29th. Both are need the lead types and Mt. Brave actually stuck around much better than Break Even is what was a wicked pace. With Mt. Brave drawing outside in this race and speed from the one hole, I see Santana sitting just off the pace. Another price, the #10, Take Charge Angel, should also sit a nice trip, with Lanarie up. The “other” Cox, Meadow Dance, #5, intrigues me much more that Break Even. The speed is all inside and that bodes well for my top two choices. Wendell Fong fits the race shape and is a monster price.
Race 10) 6-5-14-12
Great edition of the Apple Blossom. There’s plenty of speed, signed on, so it isn’t logical that Serengeti Express and Cookie Dough won’t have it easy on the front end. Throw in Awe Emma and there’s going to be enough knock to set it up for an off the pace type. I’m going to roll with Cowboy Larry Jones and Street Band. She had no chance a lone F Serengeti Empress, last out, in the slop; was much closer to the pace than she wanted to be. The race shape, here, sets up much better here. Right next door, to her inside, is Point of Honor, who got a tightener at Tampa Bay Downs in her first race in seven months. Should get first run on the mid pack and closers. Ce Ce has to overcome a bad draw; but if she can work out a trip and save ground, she’ll hit hard. Go Google Yourself has class and enjoys the Oaklawn strip.
Race 11) 4-2-1
Decent finale to finish the day. Class droppers, with figs to win, make this an interesting race. I’m going stake claim on Eisentaedt, #4, as my top choice. This horse obviously has issues staying healthy, but the fact he is string aback to back races together for the first time since the fall of ’19 is a plus. Rosario also climbs aboard and he has a work in tow since a decent last out. He doesn’t own a win over the Oaklawn oval, but I’m willing to roll with this one at a price. In the place spot, class dropper, Kurilov, ran into a monster, last out, Pirates Punch. Cox wheels this one rather quickly. Should find this level much more to his liking. Asmussen sends out the rail horse, second off the layoff, and is 3/5 in the money at the 1 1/16 distance. Matrooh, #10, figures as well, but I’ll swing against him in the top spot, today.