Oaklawn Park Full Card Analysis – Friday, 2/13/26 – By Eric Solomon

We’re back with another four racing week at Oaklawn Park. The Friday afternoon card is headed by the American Beauty Stakes for fillies and mares that will sprint six furlongs. First post this afternoon is set for 12:30 PM (CST).

I’ll be covering this exciting meet on the ITM Blog, along with posting some updates and thoughts from time to time on Twitter @EricSolomon718. Feel free to reach out!

Race 1:

We’ll pop the cork today with a $16K starter allowance contest for fillies and mares going six furlongs. Antique Silver (#6) is the top pick for me in this, while making her first start since finishing a distant second in the Wilma Mankiller Stakes at Will Rogers Downs in her last start. She’s run well on this course when she’s facing more realistic opposition. She’s been outclassed in her two starts in open allowance company, but she was a winner here with open $30K-$25K claimers here on Opening Weekend. I think with this smaller field, she should be able to sit a good talking trip and make a run at the frontrunners in the late stages. I like Sombra Dorada (#1) quite a bit in this spot. She has speed from the inside and she should be able to keep pace with Tell Me When (#7) in the early stages. Getting back on the dirt after a dull effort on the Tapeta should be what the doctor ordered for this Goldencents mare. The only thing keeping me from locking her in as the top pick is that I do believe the weather affected her training schedule. She came here before Christmas, so even with the planned break in racing, I don’t think the plan was for there to be this large of a gap in between races. She was entered on Sunday in a race that was originally supposed to be run 12 days ago. Jordan Blair cross-entered her in this spot, which I do think was a smart move. I do wonder if that extra time will affect her in the final furlong of this on though. She was really sharp three back at Churchill in $30K N3L starter allowance company and if she can produce that kind of effort here, I think she’s got this race in the bag. At lower odds, I’d be a little wary of getting too invested, but I do think she’s worth using on the multi-race tickets.

Race 2:

$12,500 maiden claimers sprinting six furlongs will start the first Pick-4 wager of the afternoon. Arkansas breds will run with a $20K claiming tag at this level. Coastal Breeze (#3) and Irish Whiskey (#5) squared off on December 14th, with Irish Whiskey finishing a little less than two lengths ahead of his rival. Both horses were claimed out of that race and both ran back rather quickly, in advance of the January break here at Oaklawn. Coastal Breeze faced a much tougher bunch and didn’t run well. He showed a brief burst of speed before fading to 7th that day. Irish Whiskey faced a group that was similar to this field where he was sent off as the 2-1 favorite. He hit the front after making a sweeping, four wide bid, but he could not sustain that momentum as he was caught late. Steven Asmussen trains Coastal Breeze and he’ll hand over the reins to his son Erik, who has done well with some of his runners at this meet, especially ones at longer odds. If the morning line odds hold true, I think there’s better value on Asmussen’s runner, especially with a little more time in between starts and in his barn. Both are worth using though as Irish Whiskey has been quite sharp since shipping back here from Southern California, The wild card is Mo El Grande (#9) as he’s set to make his first start since August of 2024. That was a good effort at Ellis when facing $50K maid claimers that day. He drops to the bottom, but has been working well enough to make me believe that he could be a contender. I don’t like the 3-1 number whatsoever, but I do think I’d want to be backed up with him. 

Race 3:

Fillies and mares will go six furlongs here in this $40K-$35K N3L claiming race. I’m looking for a big effort from Dozen Diamonds (#8) in this race. She’s making her 15th career start today, but only three of those races have come on a traditional dirt course. While both of her wins came on the turf, her third efforts on dirt were all solid and all three of those races would likely be good enough to beat this field. She’s getting class relief for Chris Hartman, whose barn is heating up after a slow start to this meet. An interesting longshot option in this race is Frolic in the Park (#9). She’s making her first start off the claim and despite racing with a higher tag, she is getting class relief as she is moving out of open competition into a non-winners of three lifetime race. She looked good, winning her first two starts on synthetic at Presque Isle and Turfway, but she failed to run back to those races while having some various gaps in her running lanes. She shipped here and tried the dirt for the first time in a tougher spot. She drew the rail in a larger field that day. She went to the front and then faded when under pressure. She moves to the outside where I think she could be more comfortable. She’s had a chance to get used to racing on real dirt and I do think she could be a nice fit at this level. 

Race 4:

The racing office carded the first Ratings Handicap here at Oaklawn and nine runners opted to compete in this six furlong race while carrying a $55K purse. We’ve seen some of these races carded in Texas before and they’ve appeared in the condition book for the Spring Meet at Keeneland. This is a competitive race where four of the nine runners that entered are stakes winners. However, Ninja Warrior (#4), who is my top pick, is not one of them. He’s making his second start off the layoff after struggling in a N2X allowance race in his last start. He was very sharp on this oval last season though and he ran a big race when making his second start off the bench last January. Greg Compton got his first winner of the meet here last weekend, so his barn may be trending in the right direction. There’s not a ton of speed signed on for this contest, which may bode well for Normandy Coast (#3). He’s making his second start off the layoff after finishing third behind Ryvit and Tejano Twist in an allowance race. Those are stakes quality horses and Tejano Twist just missed in the King Cotton Stakes here on Sunday. He was a winner in the slop in the Palisades Stakes at Keeneland this spring, which was a race that was originally scheduled for the turf. He came back with a decent effort in the Chick Lang Stakes on Preakness Day before a dull effort in the Maxfield Stakes at Churchill. Something was amiss following that race as he was sidelined for six months. I thought he was a little keen last out when he jumped out to a  three length lead, trying to get the jump on Ryvit. I’m looking for him to be a little more relaxed on the front end here. Henro (#6) is the class of this field, but he could be pace compromised if there’s no real pressure on the pacesetter. He’s a closer that can get home at this distance, but for him to be at his best, they need to be cooking up front. Three of his five career wins have come at this distance, so even though he doesn’t sprint on the dirt a ton, it may be what he does best. 

Race 5: 

We don’t get too many races at this meet contested at 5 ½ furlongs, but that’s the case with this $12,500 N2L claiming event. There are a lot of changes for the morning line favorite, Sexagenerian (#5). He was claimed by Tom Amoss after a solid third place finish at this level in his last start. He’s been gelded since that race and comes back to the races without blinkers for the first time in his career. He’s had a few decent works over the track, so there’s reason to believe he could move forward off his last effort. However, I do wonder if those changes are going to affect his early speed. He was quite relaxed when stalking the pace at this distance and assuming command at the top of the lane at Ellis in August 2024. He;s on the A line for me, but I’m going to lean to Forty Love (#2) as the top pick in this spot. He ran well at this level in December and now he’s making his first start since being claimed by Sean Williams. He doesn’t have great numbers first off the claim, but I do like that he’s employing Cristian Torres to ride. He;s one that might not have the highest ceiling in this field, but I do think he has the highest floor. 

Race 6:

The Late Pick-5 starts with a $12,500-$10,000 N3L claiming race going six furlongs. This is a wide open race, so coverage should be considered here. Copper Echo (#11) makes some sense in this spot. He was sharp two starts ago at Remington where he cleared the N2L condition. He came here and took his shot in a starter allowance race where he was a big longshot. He drew a wide post for that one mile race and he was hung out five wide early on, pretty much eliminating any chance he had to upset that more talented group. Both of his career wins came at this distance and the drop in class feels like a more manageable class level for him. Solevo (#1) is a fairly consistent runner that shipped to Sam Houston during the break here. He faced a $20K N3L claiming group there where he was at the back of the pack early behind a soft pace. I’m not sure if Erik Asmussen misjudged the pace, but he had this horse under a hold early on. I don’t think he was good enough to beat the winner in that race, but it was an odd ride to say the least. His father is the trainer and the owner, and he rode this horse to victory on this oval two starts back. I think he can be better than his last try. While I (#10) was really good for Asmussen last out and was claimed out of that $12,500 N2L race. He moves up in class while running with the same tag here. Tracy Tanner has solid numbers first off the claim as well. I am a little concerned about a bounce, but I think his last was too good for him to be left off my tickets. 

Race 7: 

Fillies and mares will sprint six furlongs in this time restricted $12,500 claiming race. Horses that have not won twice since July 13th are eligible to compete. Summer of Mischief (#10) is a speed and fade type horse, but she’s getting some significant class relief coming into this race. She faced Filly Crystal in her last start and that one is a little faster in the early stages. Summer of Mischief was in chase mode the whole time, but she ran well to be third that day. Filly Crystal came back to beat a tougher group last week so she’s clearly in good form. This feels like a good spot for her to go gate to wire. I don’t know how much Wreaking Havoc (#9)has left in the tank, but this six year old mare is getting some class relief as well. She was about seven lengths behind Summer of Mischief in her last start, but she is making her third start off the layoff today. She improved from start one to start two, and she has finished first or second in 7 of 14 races on this oval. At longer odds, she’s worth thinking about underneath in this race.

Race 8: The $150K American Beauty Stakes:

Six fillies and mares will sprint six furlongs in the featured race this afternoon. The favorite is Majestic Oops (#5) who went on quite a run last year. She won three straight races, including two stakes races, one of which came on this oval. Her form tailed off at the end of her five year old campaign, although her last four losses did come in graded stakes company, two of which were Grade 1 races. We know she likes this course and this is not the deepest field, but I just don’t trust her coming back off the layoff at this distance. I like Velvet Devil (#6) breaking from the outside stall in this race. She put together a very nice three year old campaign which started early last year at the Fair Grounds. She was sharp in defeat in both maiden races there and she went on to graduate from the maiden ranks at Keeneland. After a little break she came back at Ellis and was flat in her return. She cleared the first and second level allowance conditions in Kentucky before moving to stakes company at Mahoning Valley, where she was second best. She wanted no part of the mile or the synthetic course in her last try at Turfway. She’s staying in stakes company and I think she fits well with these veteran mares that she’s up against. I like her chances to pull off the upset today. I really liked Benedetta (#3) in the Poinsettia Stakes here in her last start, noting that she is at her best on a fast course. She was a little flat in that race, idling a bit in the stretch. She makes her third start off the layoff today as she looks to retain her crown in this race. It does concern me that she hasn’t found the Winner’s Circle since her victory last a little over a year ago. She’ll be more of the a backup for me in this race. 

Race 9:

State bred fillies and mares will go six furlongs in this $12,500 claiming race. I like Q’s Your Mama (#12) in this race. She was claimed for $10K when facing a group of open, beaten claimers here last out. Even though her maiden score came at 1 1/16 miles, every other one of her races has been at this six furlong distance. That’s why I thought it was very odd for her to make her return to the races in a two turn route last month. Perhaps it was simply a function of needing a race before the January hiatus. However, Cameron Milligan claimed her for $10K from that spot and he brings her back here where she’s dropping in class and getting back to her preferred distance. Her form was all over the place last year, but her only other effort in a state bred claiming race was a win. Sparkly (#10) has been competing in lower level claiming races in open company and she’s been holding her own lately, winning three back and finishing second in her last start over at Sam Houston. This is her third start off the layoff and while it’s hard to figure out if this is a class drop or a class hike for her, her figures tell me that she fits here. There’s a decent chance that the pace falls apart in this race and if that happens, I’d be looking for the Minnesota invader, Lady Astrid (#11) to be rolling down the outside in the late stages of this one. She makes her 2026 debut after being on the sidelines since the end of September. She was a winner with state bred beaten claimers on this course at the end of the 24-25 meet. While horses from Cline’s barn tend to need a race before they’re at their best, she is well-spotted for her return. 

Race 10:

We’ll close out the card with another race for Arkansas bred fillies and mares. $40K maiden claimers will go six furlongs in the nightcap. This race completely changes if Like a Diamond (#13) draws in off the AE list. She closed well to be second in a state bred $20K maiden claiming race in December. She came back in a maiden special weight race on New Year’s Day where she ran her eyeballs out, finishing a game second that day. With the state bred maiden allowance races going for a $100K purse and this race going for a $46K purse, I do wonder why she isn’t waiting for a different spot. While that tells me her ceiling isn’t as high as her last race suggests, I think she could regress and still beat this group rather easily. If she defects, I’ll take Royal B (#7), who was well behind her in that same race last time out. That was her first start since July, and her first try on dirt. She makes her third career start while getting some needed class relief. I do think she has every right to move forward here. Battisto (#5) could be a live longshot in this race with a clean break. She was in over her head when debuting at Churchill with open $30K maiden claimers. She was away slow and then jostled around early when making her second career start with state bred $50K maiden claimers. Lindsay Schultz has had a solid meet thus far and she got this Yorkton filly to improve last time out. I wouldn’t be shocked if she ran better once again today. 

2025-26 Meet Statistics

Top Pick Winners: 34/165 (20.6%, $249.00 $1.51 ROI)