There’s a 10 race Friday afternoon card at Oaklawn highlighted by a Ratings Handicap in the 9th race. Post time for the first race is 12:30 (CDT).
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 | Top Pick | A | B | C | Exotics Menu |
| 1 | 8 | 8,1 | 2 | DBL, PK3, PK5 | |
| 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | DBL, PK3, PK4 | |
| 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | DBL, PK3, PK5 | |
| 4 | 4 | 4,7 | 6 | DBL, PK3, PK4 | |
| 5 | 2B | 2B,2 | 5,4 | DBL, PK3, PK6 | |
| 6 | 5 | 5,1,4 | DBL, PK3, PK5 | ||
| 7 | 5 | 5,8 | DBL, PK3, PK4 | ||
| 8 | 3 | 3 | 5 | DBL, $3 PK3 | |
| 9 | 1 | 1,5 | $5 DBL | ||
| 10 | 6 | 6,1 | 3,5 |
Race 1:
I landed on Maxxus (#8) on top in this $15K maiden claimer that starts the day. He drops in class after a dull effort on a fast, but sealed track here last month. While the course was labeled “fast” there was a lot of moisture on the course at that point in the day. That race is not going to go in the books as a race on an off track, but it should. His two efforts on sealed and wet courses were abysmal. He showed some speed last out, but was spinning his wheels when being asked for more run. He’s been more relaxed on true fast tracks and I think he’ll run a better race today at this level. Princeton (#1) tried sprinting last time out after two route races at the start of his career. His effort with $24K maiden claimers wasn’t terrible and the fact that he’s coming back a few weeks later is a positive sign. He broke at the back of the field, but was moving well into striking position. Jaime Torres tried the rail, but was shut off, which was enough to keep him off the board. Abel Cedillo gets the call today. Empire Ranch (#2) is cutting back to a sprint after some longer races. He had a sharp September at Churchill but his last two starts were poor. He takes a deep drop in class in hopes of righting the ship.
Race 2:
This is the first of two $12,500 starter allowance races today. Both of them are reserved for horses that have competed in a $12,500 (or less) claiming race in their last two starts. I’m not going to try to beat Jackman (#4) who is a beast on this oval. He has two wins already this season and his only dull effort on this course in the last two years was a direct function of a brutal trip. He’s been unclaimed in his last two starts and his new outfit moves him to a protected spot. While this is a tougher group than the last two fields he’s seen, he should be able to score if he runs his race. Prayforpeace (#3) is the backup for me here. He scored for the first time on this course in his last start where he was claimed for $10K by Chris Hartman. Most of his best work has come on a fast dirt track, winning 7 of 27 times in these races throughout his 44 race career.
Race 3:
I’m not trying to beat the favorite, Low Key (#5) in this $32K N3L claiming race for fillies and mares. The last time she was entered in a race with a claiming tag, she closed well to score despite breaking slowly. She’s come close while coming from off the pace in some nice N1X allowance races. The smaller field today should allow her to stay in closer contact with this group in the early stages. Her class should carry her home. The backup for me is going to be Mysidehustle (#6). The N1X allowance condition here is above her pay grade. She was facing full fields in both of those races and she was never really able to get going in either race. She has a little more tactical speed than the top pick and she is getting the leading rider aboard, which is a significant upgrade from his recent rider.
Race 4:
Three year olds will dash six furlongs in this $50K maiden claiming race. I think the class of Unauthorized (#4) is going to be the difference maker in this race. He drops in for a tag for the first time after finishing a beaten third when cutting back to this distance last time out. Rodolphe Brisset has strong numbers with runners dropping into maiden claiming company for the first time. Prime Suspect (#7) was claimed for $75K two back here. He was bumped up to maiden allowance company after faltering badly last out in a route race. He cuts back to a sprint and returns to a level where she was competitive at three starts ago. A live longshot in this spot that I’ll be using as a saver is Rochester (#6). He debuted in a $150K maiden claimer at Churchill in November at this distance. He shipped here and was dull in an optional maiden claiming race when going a mile in his last start. He’ll make her first start since the end of December while cutting back in distance and getting some class relief.
Race 5:
12 runners are entered in this $12,500 N2L claiming race, however there are only 10 betting interests. One thing to keep in mind is that Skibbidi Rizz (#1A) and Fast Joker (#2) are cross-entered in a sprint race at this same condition tomorrow. I’d prefer Fast Joker in this spot compared to the sprint tomorrow, but his stablemate, Higginsville (#2B) would be my top pick here. He’s making his second start off a lengthy layoff and dropping in class while doing so. He returned in a $32K N2L sprint race last month, catching a sloppy course at the end of a miserable weather day. That race was clearly just to get him started. This feels like a much more realistic spot for him while he should also be more fit. I’d be fine playing him on his own, but I’d have no issues with getting Fast Joker on the ticket as well, should they decide to keep him in this spot. He was making his first start since June when he was claimed at this level last month. He’s had two sharper AM drills since that race and he had two turn form last year that would be very competitive with this group. Skyler (#5) is stretching out to two turns after several sprint races of late. He has the best early speed in this field and should be able to set the temp while breaking from post position three. Whether or not he can keep finishing throughout the stretch run remains to be seen, but I do think he fits at this level. Scottish Storm (#4) was also recently entered in a $32K N2L claiming race here where he misfired badly. That effort was not very encouraging, considering the fact that he was claimed for $40K four starts ago. Blinkers are going on in hopes of getting him right here.
Race 6:
The Late Pick-5 begins with a $26K-$23K N2Y claiming sprint for fillies and mares going six furlongs. This is a bit of a “tweener” condition, which can make stacking up recent class levels a bit tricky at times. The favorites, Tell Me More (#1) and Promises to Dance (#4) could very well find themselves in a race all their own here. Both mares are speed forward and both should be close to each other most of the way around. However, if Francisco Arrieta is a little too aggressive with Promises to Dance, I could easily see a pace meltdown scenario developing. I’ll make Progeny (#5) the top pick, making her first start off the Lindsay Schultz claim. She was sharp three back in an open $30K-$25K claiming race, although her last two efforts have left a little to be desired. She showed some life late in a comparable spot last time out and if the two favorites start duking it out early, she could be the beneficiary late. I’ll use both favorites on the A line, giving a slight preference to Tell Me More. She’s starting in the pole position on the rail and she has wins in five or her last nine starts.
Race 7:
I’ll try to get away with only using two runners in this open $50K claiming race for older runners going a mile. Speed Bias (#5) is better than his last start suggests. He faced a good N2X field on a sealed and sloppy course on a miserable weather day here last month. He was good enough to be third in the Grade 3 Essex Handicap here last season and I’m expecting a step forward while getting some class relief in his start off the layoff. Classic Legacy (#8) is coming off a race at the Fair Grounds where he went two turns on the dirt for the first time in a while. He has finished on the board with much more frequency than he has won races, so I’d caution against taking too short of a price on him. However, he’s been very sharp in these higher tag claiming races when he does drop to this level.
Race 8:
The $3 Late Pick-3 gets under way with the other $12,500 starter allowance on the card. This one is carded at 1 1/16 miles. I’m siding with Ga Mo Tak (#3) in this race. He was a winner with beaten $12,500 claimers last out in a race where he was claimed off of Brad Cox by Heather Irion. That was his first victory in five starts in this hemisphere. He was sharper in longer races in Chile so it’s not surprising that his two best efforts in the US came in two turn dirt races. Keeping him protected feels like a vote of confidence for this one here. The backup for me in this spot will be Hot Gunner (#5). I’m hopeful that he can add some value to the exotics in this spot. He’s not the most consistent type, but his win here last month at 23-1 feels like a step in the right direction. He’s only four years old, so there is still some grow-up potential with him.
Race 9:
The featured race today is a Ratings Handicap for horses that have not won a race in three months. They’ll dash 5 ½ furlongs here. The favorite is Kant Believe It (#5) is going to be on most of tickets after finishing 4th in the Poinsettia Stakes here at this distance back in December. She’s been remarkably consistent in her recent races, especially here on the Oaklawn dirt. She’s the speed of the speed and the one for them to run down. However, I do think Electrifying Lady (#1) can catch her. She was very consistent in races outside of Arkansas, so that does concern me a little bit. However, she was fairly consistent prior to her last race where she simply didn’t have it. She has rebounded from dull efforts in the past, so I’ll try to get a little value by taking her on top.
Race 10:
The Friday nightcap is a $12,500 claiming race for Arkansas bred fillies and mares. If I’m alive, I’d want coverage in this race, and I’d start with Q’s Your Mama (#6) on top. She ran a bit of a weird race at this level last time, lingering in last before making a run at the leaders. She finished 6th that day, but I do think she’s better than that. Perhaps Keith Asmussen learned something from that race since he’s getting the return call. Jeri Dawn (#1) might be better equipped to beat this group in her next start. However, she has many solid efforts on her resume that would play very well with this group. Her 0-24 record on this course is hard to ignore, but there are plenty of warts to go around with this field. Memory Maker (#3) got tired late when facing these runners last time out. She is trending up and she ended her 2025 season on a strong note with a pair of solid efforts in Louisiana. She’ll need to step up to win this race and while I’m not certain she can get all the way back here, I do think there’s a decent chance that she hits the board. She’s Stormin (#5) is the morning line favorite after a pair of strong efforts in her last two tries. If she can maintain her best form, she’ll be tough. However, she was big longshot in her last two and now she’ll be in the role of the hunted as opposed to the hunter.
