Very average card for a Saturday, at Oaklawn, but at least we can enjoy some racing, in this fiasco we are currently living. Enjoy race day at Oaklawn, and as always, let’s box them and bet them!
I always love talking horses and handicapping. If I see anything during the race day follow me on Twitter @ BoxEmandBetEm and I’ll add up to minute info at Oaklawn Park.
Good luck and good racing!
Race 1) 4-5-8-3
Let’s get things rolling with a straight maiden race to start the card. This race is written for three- year olds and upward. Some of the three-year olds, entered, have run against elders already. Johnny Tiznow is one of those and is a second start horse, who ran a solid race at first asking. #5 actually drops out of allowance ranks and adds the hood for Miller, who is struggling at the meet. #8, Vaya Con Dios, for Diodoro is a money burner, no question.
Race 2) 4-9-6-1-1A
This group is a bad field. Mica Bay, #4, drops in claiming price and certainly the drop makes sense. He is stringing together his third race and has improved each out. Any improvement or simply running his last race will make him tough to fend off. Hollendorfer takes the shades off another money burner, Starring John Wain, and also takes the understandable class relief. He encountered a bit of traffic, last out, so if he can race clean, he fits on figs, but will come from the back of the pack. There isn’t a ton of knock in here, so the #6 can get a nice trip, though I don’t care for the jock. Round it out with the Broberg entry.
Race 3) 7-3
Scoring, off the claim, hopefully will do that here. This will be m single in the early pick 4. Should get a nice trip, from the outside post, and Villafranco wheels him back relatively fast off the claim. Cox, with My Boy Lollipop, though this one doesn’t make my heart go giddy up, necessarily, is certainly logical, on the slight drop. Has burned money in his two starts.
Race 4) 7-8-1-11
Moonshine Miss, a second start horse, was bet heavily in debut. Robertson hits hard, second out, and I expect this one to improve off that race. Is tactical and Mojica got a feel for this one last out. Another second start horse, Daigle, #8, will show pace and outran her odds in her unveiling. Talamo takes over on the rail horse, as Santana is still sitting out, as this one is another second start horse. Will have to gun from the rail as there is some knock in here. The #11 has been working well. VanMeter has had a strong meet and note Garcia takes the mount. A must include for multi’s.
Race 5) 7-10-6-3
Bottom level claimer here, folks. On paper, there simply isn’t any pace in this race. With that, hopefully Eramia can get this one rolling early and get him settled into a nice rhythm. I expect #10, Stuart Hall, to be a bit closer to the pace on the class drop, and but like much of these isn’t a win machine. Wickets Way, #6, should sit a bit closer as well, on the class drop. Round out the super with #3, Millwood.
Race 6) 6-7-4
Second off the layoff, Headland, the top choice, goes out for a red-hot barn in Steve Hobby. Takes the class drop and owns four wins over the Oaklawn park oval. Baze certainly knows this charge well and has some nice numbers and decent class to draw from. I’m hoping Quinonez will be flying late to close out the exacta. There should be pace to chase. Caliente Candy certainly loves the distance as well. The class drop should help as well.
Race 7) 6-9-2-3
Carlos Sixes, top pick, is two for two, at the meet and draws a nice stalking post here. Broberg put a maintenance work into this one since winning last out and should have no excuse not to acquit himself well again. I’m trying to beat the Diodoro horse, off the claim here, something that I will regret, I’m sure, as Freedom Hall has to be on your late pick four tickets.
Race 8) 3-1-4
Speaking of Diodoro, I like him in this race. Three out of four in the money at Oaklawn and should be siting on his best in his third start off the layoff. Comical, for Assmussen, on the rail, drops out of an overnight stakes race and goes second off the bench. Has faced some nice fillies on the West coast and ran against another, that I like tomorrow, in the Gulfstream Park Oaks as well. Cox has been red hot with his three-year-old fillies this year and you must include #4, though has lost many races at very short odds.
Race 9) 3-6-2
I’m going to single the Borel boys here. This horse has run solid races in open company and loves the state bred ranks at Oaklawn. Hasn’t had a clean trip, in either win at the meet, but has been much the best in those races.
Race 10) 10-9-2-3-4-7