Not the best betting card for a Saturday and Oaklawn. This card could get very chalky; I simply couldn’t find any alternatives to my top choices. 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) 2-12-7-6
The opener is a mess. Let’s move on.
Race 2) 6-11-7
Bottom level claimer. Diodoro looks the best here with Espisito. Tactical sort, first off, the claim, and is simply best on paper.
Race 3) 7-4-5
North Side should have zero excuse here. Drops to the lowest level and is simply is the fastest horse fig wise. #4, I Live It, is a second start horse and has every right to improve.
Race 4) 6-3-2
Obviously doesn’t care for off tracks as this one’s last out was a complete debacle. Look four back and you have the same thing. Despises wet surfaces. Let’s roll, here, on the class drop and get this one rolling down the stretch. Sadler is sending out live horse, left and right, and goes first off of the claim, though I would have liked to see him on the class hike. Hartman, rounds out the top three.
Race 5) 6-10-3
Town Champ, gets a nice draw, and takes the class drop for Asmussen. Loves the local strip and runs back quickly off a win last out. Pat Daddy had trip issues in last and still won. As my top choice, loves Oaklawn and fits with this group; in great form. Diodoro, second off the freshening, rounds it out.
Race 6) 3-8-10
There’s a ton of pace in this bad boy. Sadler has been sending out live runners for the last few weeks. St. Joe Bay comes in, second off the layoff, and takes the class drop coming out of the San Carlos. Tons of back class to draw from. Will be a very short price. I’m going to try to get #8, Awesome Saturday, in the exacta at a big price. Should be flying late with plenty of speed to run down. Wilbo is a pace play as well. Another that will be coming late.
Race 7) 7-2-6
Amoss and Talamo team up on the top choice here. Drops in class and is five for five in the money at this distance. Has enough tactical speed to sit a nice trip. Lost as the favorite, last out, but that was on a muddy track, I look for this one to make amends today. Tapsolute is interesting with Santana taking the mount. Not exactly a win machine, let’s try to get this on into the exacta. Coach Adams, #6, is the speed of the race and could get brave on the front end.
Race 8) 8-9-4-5
If this late pick four, which starts here, chalks out, it might pay $20 for a .50 bet. Bye Bye J, #9, drops out of the state bred Down the Dusty Road and loves Oaklawn. Freshened for his return and looks to be on tilt here. Has back class to draw from as well. Second choice gets off the inside and gets back to a cozy post position where this one can stalk and pounce. Has caught moisture in the track in both local starts. Hollendorfer and Diodoro fill out the top four slots.
Race 9) 7-3-9-4
The return of Eight Rings highlights the Bachelor Stakes. Baffert is white hot at Oaklawn, but there are gaps in his workouts that give me a bit of pause. The placement is a bit strange, as well, but he has run well at the sprint distances. Echo Town will sit just off the pace and there certainly is enough knock signed on. Ginobili, broke flat footed, last out and simply mailed it in. This one doesn’t like to pass horses, but if he breaks well will ensure a hot pace. I’m going to spread here in terms of trying to catch a price.
Race 10) 1-8-6
The Carousel, highlights the latter half of the card, where Bellafina sits as the 8/5 morning line favorite. Obviously, the class of the race and she doesn’t exactly run well outside of the state of California. Draws the rail, here as well, but I just don’t see another in here who can beat this one at a very short price.
Race 11) 4-13-3
Finish up the card with an MSW at 1 1/16 for three-year-olds and upward and older. There appears to be absolutely zero speed in this race. Perhaps the speed will come from the #6, as he bobbled at the start in last and stretches out. Showed some speed two-back in his maiden voyage. This race goes through TAP and the #4, Unrighteous. Gets the service of Rosario, while also dropping from graded stakes company when last seen in the Tampa Bay Derby. #13, if he draws in, is a second start colt that can improve. Makes the surface switch from synthetic to dirt for Colebrook.