Oaklawn Park, Sunday, February 9th, 2020 1st Post 1:30 CST
Looks like the way to make money so far this meet is to bet anything trained by perennial Canterbury champion Robertino Diodoro who is firing at a 41% win clip, with a 27-1 winner in yesterday’s 7th race. Off/on showers predicted today so track may change throughout the card. Be alert, watch for track tendencies, handicap sharply and bet aggressively!
Best Bet: Race 1, #4 Reelfoot
Longshot: Race 3, #3 Sun Dress
Race 1: Maiden claimers for a 16K tag start off today’s action and per my intro, it appears Diodoro is going to start the day off by winning with Reelfoot. If he can run back to his last he should win this by open lengths. This horse also has the best early AND late pace numbers, best bet. Go for Jim has 3 solid works since making the biggest equipment change in the game. Stonegate ran some fast races in SoCal but has been on the shelf for over 13 months, will wait and see. Selections R1: 4-2-8
Race 2: Love to Learn runs 3rd time for HOF trainer Asmussen and in his last he was 4W and ran 2nd to a horse that went on to win her next race. The rail horse Settle It will take a lot of money, and well deserved, with a solid MSW score vs Cal breds down the now defunct SA hillside course (thanks PETA), but her last 2 on dirt have been questionable at best. Miz Nightcap has 5 solid works coming into this after being on the shelf since last April, has good speed, maybe will figure it all out in her 4 year old season. Selections R2: 7-1-9
Race 3: You won’t see a Sun Dress in my neck of the woods for another 4 months or so, but you might see this gal in the winner’s circle today. She has all the speed needed to choose her spot going into the first turn, gets pace master Jon Court. Mo’s MVP was involved in the same duel as Sun Dress 2 back at CD, see her sitting 2nd and getting first run. Late runner She Might Tell hopes for a speed duel up front and just may get it, can’t fault those that play her but would watch how speed holds up in first 2 races before getting too bullish on this Florida-bred. Selections R3: 3-2-5
Race 4: Jimmy T comes from CD where his debut turned out to be a triple key race where he finished a respectable 4th, and while drawing the rail is not the best but if this son of Will Take Charge improves just slightly he should be getting his pic taken. Captain Don ran a good 2nd last time at Rem while forced to duel on the inside, should appreciate the outside draw. Connections speak more about Biggs than his one effort in the afternoon, but he has been working well. Selections R4: 1-11-3
Race 5: Bajan Cash is hoping for a lot of speed up front and it is guaranteed he will get it, but the question always is in these 5.5F dashes is will there be enough time to get it done, which often is NOT the case. We will see. Speaking of speed horses, El Venue can gun and has finished 2nd in 2 tries over the Oaklawn oval. Pocket Personality should also benefit from all the speed up front and be a factor late. Selections R5: 10-7-9
Race 6: 3 year old fillies trying to graduate going 2 turns into the short stretch kick off the late p-4, and 435K purchase Strong Flag gave a good account of herself in her 3rd place debut at CD in a key race, and with being from a GC dam the two turns should help more than it hurts. Visual Magic ships in from SoCal where she is 0-4 but has finished in the money the last 3, including a game rail effort in her last at Los Al. Santa Ana Winds has passed a lot of horses in her two tries, something that is a good indicator of upside in a young filly. Selections R6: 2-1-3
Race 7: Strike That is a 50K claim out of dominating 1st time out Del Mar victory back in August and now resurfaces here for the first time for Diodoro and M and M Racing who was not only leading owner last year but set a new record for Oaklawn. Hidden Ruler ran some very nice races last year at OP and fits well with his tactical speed. I used to argue Next Gen was the best Star Trek series, but more and more I lean towards Voyager. Regardless, this SoCal invader for Sadler had some traffic issues at the same level back in Nov and still ran close second. Selections R7: 4-8-3
Race 8: This is another race that it would be prudent to watch how speed holds up in the prior races, because if it isn’t holding well then Sky Promise should be, in the words of the late, great Terry Wallace, “picking them up and mowing them down!” Damn I miss Terry. Laughing Fox brings stakes winning credentials to this affair but this Union Rags colt has been off since running up the track in the Travers Stakes back in August. Night Ops fires 2nd time off the shelf, which Cox hits with at almost 30%, and ran 2nd to Laughing Fox in the inaugural OP Invitational last “Stay Until May”. Selections R8: 6-2-11 Race 9: Breeze Rider is on top of every single Bris category, has Asmussen/Santana in her corner, and draws outside post. Jewel Thief is a bit of a mystery horse as she ran big in her debut back in June but has been sidelined since, has a string of solid works leading into this. Symphony Hall is first time Diodoro, has plenty of speed and judging by her performance 2 back at CD she will be praying for rain. Selections R9: 9-8-6