Our Handicappers

The early pace should be honest in part to the complexion of the field, the two inside runners and the two S. Becker runners in this spot. #3 LUCKS ME has the benefit of a race this season and back under similar conditions with the Arrieta and the addition of blinkers to suggest intent and must return to a top effort here. Stablemate #6 TORTUGA ISLAND will show up in her first start as a sophomore against older and her best race to date were on the lead and must improve off her form here last season with today’s par similar to those OC events.

#4 RIBBONSINHERHAIR will make a belated second start this season and first time in her career to run for the claiming today. Today’s event lands a softer spot than the allowance back in January where she turned in a competitive effort on the day. She has tactical speed to put herself in the race and a solid finishing kick to stalk and pounce.

#7 INSIGHTFUL MISS went off at longer odds than LUCKS ME in the common race last month, though overlooked and turned in a strong effort follow a less than ideal break. She could benefit from that race and the shift to an outer post and a repeat effort had her right back in the mix. #5 GREEK HEIRESS has held her form all season and on this Oaklawn main track that should transfer to this group. Value is still required as she comes off a PERFECT trip win and takes the slight step up here. 

Steve Asmussen will send out a pair in this race and tough to ignore #1 NAUGHTY LOTTIE as she comes into this race first off the claim, off back to back wins and the highest figure in this field by a lot in her most recent start. She makes the transition to this circuit two months after that race and as big as the figure stands out over the others it is equal to the big drop in class for this event. Stablemate #3 SHE DAZZLE take a subtle drop here and has been rather common in the races this season though the shorter distance could be to her advantage as she has a solid record at this distance and has the foundation from those races this season as well.

The shift to the outside post for #7 AWESOME VIEW could be the subtle change she requires to move up in this spot and step forward off her races this season. This will be her second start off the claim and returns to a level similar to the once where she was picked up on 3/3 when part of the Fast early pace duel/FTQ.

#3 SWEET SWEETFANTASY has a look right back under similar conditions and from a competitive show finish behind an open length winner Evie’s Encore last month. The handling was not the move ideal as she was shuffled out of position early and in this case Vazquez back aboard can look for some redemption here. The place finisher #9 PIVOSKY had a longshot look on the day with some buried form though could be shorter coming off that recent result and finds a change in post and different race dynamic that could make things tougher here than last out.

#2 UNSTABLE PRINCESS moves up on the drop along. She has held her form this season though has not been at the right level for those races to translate to anything competitive.  The move at this time in the season and in her career is logical to make the shift to claiming company for the first time.

#8 WHAT’S TO DO has buried form at this level a competitive race going back to February with the SLOG and X_WIDE trip and off that race and claim for Haran remained protected until the 3/24 event when moving up to make a WIDE MOVE in that race. De La Cruz aboard that day will shift to stablemate #6 QUIERO DINERO one of many in this field stretching out in distance for this race. The blinkers will be added today and with the distance change alone she should like others including #1 LIL TOWN SIS and #5 GATA RUNZ along with #4 GI GIS MAP in the race should create an honest early pace. 

#4 AIN’T THAT A KICK had a legit EX – EXCUSE at this level last month and will return with another look in here. Stumbling out of the gate had her far off the pace and the track conditions while the rain had stopped still left a lot of standing water on the track. The early pace should be contentious something that has benefit them in the past to work a trip with their off the pace runstyle. The trip will be crucial for #11 HUMOR ME NOW once again with the far outside post. #10 FASHION IDOL also with a compromised break in a different race on 3/15 she was in against fillies and mares and steps up with the change here.

#9 QUINCY MARKET showed early speed and stayed on as the BOS though and honest past while giving up recency at a slightly higher N2 last month. They should hold their form back for this race and placed at the right level where they can compete.

#8 NACHO CHROME is a lightly raced 4yo and will make their second start against winners here coming back from a WIDE trip three weeks ago in the QUINCY MARKET common race. NACHO CHROME will require a move forward here though has shown speed figure improvement with each start, has held his form this season and the experience over this course and distance with Esquivel and brings some tactical speed along with the current conditioning. 

#9 RUNNINFORCASH returns back with Contreras the trainer for the dominant win back in late January. The effort that day was  new top some regression was expected and to the credit of the prior connections they gave him the time between starts and likely assisted last month. Their effort was honest given the rise in class and contesting a Fast early pace, further factors to upgrade in this spot.

#10 CANADIAN PHAROAH will be given another look this season and in this spot, a much lower race par then the other events this season. That should move them up naturally here today and with form that fits with the others here and favorable runstyle for today’s race shape. He could be overlooked in this full field and off the recent running lines. #12 EGO has been a frustrating type creating his own trips this season with a BTL effort back last month and validated the race with the place finish two weeks ago. He will be given a look right back under similar conditions with form that fits though requires some price compensation especially on the win end. 

#11 PATTERN BET comes into this race on the class drop and off an EX – EXCUSE in the 3/21 OC allowance event. She had a big look on the day and coming off a traffic trip under similar conditions back in February. The class drop to run for a tag is less of a concern with the meet in the final weeks and she did run in open claiming company to start out the season.

Arrieta will take back over on #6 TOO PRETTY a change back to the win rider from last year. She is one that has more “route speed” and was caught up in the sprint speed duel off the layoff in February. Her for should transfer at this level and distance and while she has some up short this season losing ground last she finds considerable class relief here especially from the most recent start in against open allowance company.

#2 HOT SPRINGS BLING returns to the preferred sprint distance and the significant class drop looking for the first win and competitive spot this season. This will be the first time in a long time she had been in for the claiming tag and the move should be right to place here where she can compete though there are others in here following that same move including #1 CHAI TEA one that must work a trip from the rail though in the right spot to compete here and some racing luck for #13 MOCHA KISS currently sitting on the AE.

#9 TOP GUNNER was claimed for $50k back in late December and protected following the claim, he held his form, ran his race though was not on the level of his competition. He will return today to the claiming level; a slight drop though could have some takers at the tag and the connections would have intent placing him where he can get the win should they end up losing him in the process.

#7 PAPA ROCKET does not hold any strong edge in this field overall though presents upside in his form cycle with this race second off and should move forward in this spot with the conditioning and fitness from the shorter starter allowance sprint last month. A top effort has him on par and his runstyle fit for today’s race shape.

#3 RUGGS will look to hold his form coming off the conditional claiming and not without a chance to do so as he has run well here at Oaklawn over the seasons and is at a reasonable level for his abilities. #1 SAMURAI PRINCE will look to turn the tables from the place finish that day. He has the benefit of that start coming off the layoff and could be some intent back in this spot and slight class rise. On their best day there is not much between the pair and would let the board separate the two. 

#6 THREEFIFTYSEVEN ran a huge race back in the first part of the meet and since that race he has held his form and without a claim the connections have him eligible for this starter allowance from the race two weeks ago. They will also find a subtle change in post and race shape that could be contentious early and set up a trip similar to the December race. His stablemate #9 AIR COMBAT also fits the eligibility with the 4/4 common race two weeks ago and winning that race by open lengths figures to be the more “obvious” of the two. AIR COMBAT turned in a figure that day and stepped up back to his top form. His top form clearly has him as a contender and his only hurdle is holding that form on shorter rest as otherwise he checks the boxes as the horse to beat.  

#10 ATOMIC TONE could be sneaky in this field and another that could benefit from a contentious pace with some legit pace horses on the inside with #3 HAPPYMAC, #4 GOOD HEART and #5 CONCEPT stack up side by side in this field. ATOMIC TONE is clever in this race with the lone eligibility start, the win back on 3/3. He requires that effort though one that has back numbers that stack up and consistent with AIR COMBAT on his best day and one that also can pop in an every other pattern and has that form cycle upswing here. 

#3 MAHOMEY should get a lot of attention and deserving off his form and consistency this season pairing back to back wins under the similar conditions today. While logical and starting the analysis there he is capable and in many ways the horse to beat though projects to come back at shorter odds today and has been beat as the favorite in the past.

#7 BETTY’S CASH does not have that big fast number that stands out in this group, though should be sitting on a top effort with the 41-day freshening returning in this spot. He ran a winning race under similar conditions back in February with a GRITty front end effort and that trip of trip could give him the jump on many of the main contenders.

#5 WHERE’S RANDY being one of those and one that can be considered a main contender, though often his own biggest hurdle. He lacks early speed often paired with a SLOG though is at the right level to contend for a top spot and coming into this race with progressive form and a better draw than the race three weeks ago forced to drop back to SAVED ground before making a strong CLOSE. 

#12 CLASSIC CINEMA turned in a strong effort on debut setting a fast pace and a flow upgrade nearly pulled off the upset in his second start controlling the pace a fast pace from start to finish. They will be in send mode again with the outside post and could find similar separation in this field and with many wheeling back from that 3/24 common race.  

#3 AMAZING SUCCESS being one of those and one that has been favored twice this season and unable to fulfil that role. His figures have declaimed since the debut back in February and the effort from those figures from the first two starts are required to compete and hold the edge here.  #6 STRING THEORY turned in a similar effort with a poor start in his debut that 3/24 race and a slight move forward off that experience has him on par with that rival and could present value of the pair as well.

#7 YEAGERS STRATEGY could be a live longshot in this race. He was a longshot in the common race last month and one that has had gate issues in each start. Though on a fast track and every other pattern he returns to here could suggest intent. Further intent as Esquivel will be back aboard and was the debut show finish rider back in December.

The class change comes into play for #4 ROCKET SANDERS and should be the right move for him and step forward naturally in this group. His debut figure fits as a contender though some concern on that day he was carried by the track profile and has not run back to that number since.