Horse Racing – Oaklawn Park – April 9, 2020

Hope everyone is hanging in there and that all is well with family and friends. For those who wish to partake in a little sweet thoroughbred racing action we have assembled some thoughts for today’s Oaklawn Park card.

The racing is competitive at Oaklawn Park and the field sizes are excellent. The handicapping challenge is DAUNTING here but note that the payoffs are among the best in North America on a consistent basis.

Make sure to listen to Nancy Holthus who does a fine job with the analysis!

Best of luck if you take a stab or two! Play safe and have fun.


Race 1

Most likely winner – #8 Every Single Day

Value pick – #13 Rigmarole

Potential bombs to hit the ticket at a big price – #4 Dehydration, #10 Butyoucalledme

MEGALOCKS Oaklawn Park INSIDER says……#8 Every Single Day has ALL MEGALOCKS TRAINER TEAM member T Amoss calling the shots and shows impressive figs….Amoss is deadly on the move from turf to dirt…..#13 Rigmarole draws in and just missed in her first start (2nd by a nose)….Outside post should provide sweet stalking potential…..#5 Collude is 0/6 and has burned a lot of money for punters in her career will try and beat her….Same with #3 Alena Marie who is 0/11 lifetime….#4 Dehydration was well bet in both career starts and gets a sneaky jockey change to O Mojica….#10 Butyoucalledme may be worth a small shot at yuuuuuuge odds…..Drops from MSW….2nd lifetime start and license to show a much better effort….gets lasix….Decent work tab…..Note was bet down to 6-1 in her first lifetime start.

UPDATE

Congrats MEGALOCKS BOMBS AWAY CLUB members. #3,#5 did indeed perform just well enough to not win. 13-1 winner.

Finish 4-5-3-2

28.00 11.40 7.30

4.00 3.10

3.50

Ex = $132

Tri = $391

Race 2

Most likely winner – #4 Drexel

Value pick – #8 Leo Del Reo

Potential bombs to hit the ticket at a big price – None

Should be able to get a good price on no matter whom you plan to back at the windows….Will try and beat the WHITE HOT #3 Call Me Derby who has won in back to back starts at big odds….He has moved forward in four straight races may be time for a bit of a bounce?…..#4 Drexel has a preferred racing style and gets ALL MEGALOCKS JOCKEY TEAM member R Santana Jr in the saddle….#8 Leo Del Reo moves up off a MCL score and should be in a good spot coming for home…..#7 Wasabi Moon has a legit shot but his racing style could be problematic if there isn’t enough speed to chase.

UPDATE

#3 gets it done and held in the SHADOW OF THE WIRE. Nice exacta. #8 was rock solid at 9-1.

Finish 3-8-2-1

11.90 6.70 4.30

9.10 6.00

4.00

Ex = $147

Tri = $942

Race 3

Most likely winner – #1 Eskendereyas Dream

Value pick – #7 Tracking Gold

Potential bombs to hit the ticket at a big price – #12 Wrath, #5 New Year’s Luck (3rd, 4th)

Another crazy OAKLAWN AFFAIR!…..We’ll take a stab with #1 Eskendereyas Dream who resides in the excellent T Amoss barn and is another one of his horses that might be ready to roll on the turf to dirt move….Drop in class and inside draw won’t hurt…..#7 Tracking Gold also takes a big drop and comes out of a VERY SPICY race that has seen the winner and runner-up both win next time out…..#8 Cowboys Dream should be in the mix but we don’t like the 1/18 mark….#9 Campaign Spy moves up off a MCL win and has been well bet in each of his last four starts….#12 Wrath makes his first start for ace trainer R Diodoro and shows a strong work tab…..NOTE however that horses in the last 30 days at the meet from posts 10+ are 1/26…..Would demand at least 6-1 odds on this horse….#5 New Year’s Luck could spice up the exotics by hitting the top 4 would use him underneath.

UPDATE

Wire to wire job from #12. #1 couldn’t get there. Exacta not what we hoped for this am BUT given the closing odds it was fair.

Finish 12-1-9-3

7.60 4.70 3.30

5.70 3.40

2.70

Race 4

Most likely winner – #9 Riker

Value pick – #8 Tre Lee Devine

Potential bombs to hit the ticket at a big price – #11 Meetme At d’Street, #3 Meanbone (3rd, 4th)

#9 Riker makes his first start for fine trainer J Sharp and the Sharp/Garcia combo is typically DEVASTATINGLY potent…..Should be speed to run at….#8 Tre Lee Devine moves to the I Mason barn and shows a couple of recent figs that make him dangerous…..Low profile jockey might help the odds a bit….#11 Meetme At d’Street is one of several that have shown the ability to leave and then FLAME OUT…..He will be yuuuuuuge odds maybe worth a buck or two….Shows some QUICKS in the first fraction and gets the blinkers on….Recent 5F work is nice and he is 4/15 in the top two at this distance (but 0-5 at OP)…..#3 Meanbone is worth including in the bottom of your vertical wagers….Good connections….Bet down to 2-1 last start…..Should be able to pass a number of these in the stretch….#12 All Shacked Up will take money but note he has been off for 882 days (!) and horses off more than a year this meet at OP are 1/29 (-84% ROI, -64% place ROI).

UPDATE

Our worst call of the week but it was an OAKLAWN SPECIAL! A gazillion horses every race and at some point crazy stuff happens. #1 destroyed the field and was wrapped up at the wire. Check out the prices. #3 Meanbone got into 2nd at a billion to one but sadly we didn’t have the right combos.

Finish 1-3-4-7

27.60 12.20 8.40

19.40 10.80

22.40

Ex = $404

Tri = $8762

Super for 20 cents – $7802!

Race 5

Most likely winner – #12 Kinetic Swagger

Value pick – #2 Runtech

Potential bombs to hit the ticket at a big price – #7 Dr Beets, #4 Tapit on Race Day (3rd, 4th)

Handicapping is always tough at Oaklawn!…..#12 Kinetic Swagger shows good figs and workout pattern but not crazy about the 0-9 record….#2 Runtech drops from the MSW ranks, has a good post, and trainer C Richard is effective with trainer changes and turnbacks…..#7 Beets resides in the excellent Diodoro barn, drops in class, adds lasix, was recently gelded, and shows a CRACKER of a workout on April 3….Lots going on but will be worth a shot at decent odds….#4 Tapit On Race Day is 0-11 but should be able to hit the top-4…..#8 Rahaal flew home last start but was 106-1 and is 0/5 life.

UPDATE

Finish 5-3-7-12

#12 was in a great spot and flattened out in the stretch…..#7 got in the top 3 and paid well to show.

14.90 7.60 5.00

7.10 4.20

8.60

Race 6

Most likely winner – #4 Artemus Eagle

Value picks – #1 Davidic Line, #2 River Finn

Potential bombs to hit the ticket at a big price – None

Will try and beat the likely favorite (or co-fav) #8 Icecap who really POPPED in his first ever win last time out…..He now faces winners and horses from the outside post at this distance this meet are 2/43…..#4 Artemus Eagle has a perfect running style and great connections….Note the BIGGIE SIZE work on March 21…..#1 Davidic Line makes his 3rd start off a layoff and trainer P Holthus is on a 6/20 run in that scenario (129% ROI)….#2 River Finn is in the excellent B Cox barn, shows a good work pattern and moves from turf to dirt.

UPDATE

Finish 5-1-2-3

#4 was a big disappointment. Nice finishes for the #1 and #2 and paid well for place and show. Trainer T Amoss does it again!

43.00 13.90 7.70

4.00 2.90

6.90

Race 7

Most likely winner – #1 C’Est Mardi

Value pick – #5 Princess Lucky

Potential bombs to hit the ticket at a big price – None

Another puzzler gonna need a drink after this handicapping win or lose…….#1 C’Est Mardi gets a nice draw, a drop in class, and shows a good workout pattern……#5 Princess Lucky has been off a long time but drops from the MSW ranks and trainer J Ortiz shows some deadly angles….could be a SURPRISE PACKAGE……#4 Quiet Dawn has been working well but is 0/10 life.

UPDATE…..Congrats ROMP CLUB members. Easy winner. #4 was just good enough to not win and complete a nice exacta.

6.60 3.90 3.00

5.90 3.70

3.60

Ex = $36

Tri = $201

Race 8

Most likely winner – #3 Town Champ

Value pick – #1 Tuggle

Potential bombs to hit the ticket at a big price – #9 Replete (3rd, 4th)

#3 Town Champ should be a HOT HANDFUL…..Great boxscore, solid connections (although S Asmussen a bit cold at the moment), and speed-wise is at the top of his game…..#1 Tuggle makes his 2nd start off a layoff and had a fine race last time out….Note that he is the only 3 yr old in the field…..#9 Replete should be able to pass horses in the lane given the number of speedballs signed on…..Might spice things up with a 3rd or 4th place finish….#5 American Mandate is coming off a career-best fig but is 1-12 lifetime…#2 Union Ride is a good bet to hit the top-4 but may have too far to come in the lane.

UPDATE…..Congrats EXACTA POUNDER CLUB members. Cold 3-1. #2 got up for 3rd. #5 still has trouble getting to the wire first. Let’s get that pick 3 buh buh.

Finished 3-1-2-5

6.60 4.00 2.60

4.00 3.20

4.60

Ex =$20

Tri = $84

Race 9

Most likely winner – #11 Readyformycloseup

Value picks – #6 Austin’s Gal, #10 Easy Tiger

Potential bombs to hit the ticket at a big price – None

Jockey R Santana Jr is on the MEGALOCKS JOCKEY MOUNT RUSHMORE and hopefully he can get the job done for us in the finale….She drops in class and should be well spotted turning for home….#6 Austin’s Gal turns back in distance and was a beaten fav last out….Low key connections might get us a SPICY price….#10 Easy Tiger could be a SURPRISE PACKAGE in her first start….Talamo/Catalano combo is nice and she is well-bred……#5 Gurl You Fine also makes a big drop in class.

UPDATE…..Our respect for jockey R Santana Jr runs deep. Congrats MEGALOCKS STONE COLD PICK 3 CLUB members.

Finished 11-3-5-1

6.00 4.00 2.80

6.60 4.60

2.80

See ya tomorrow !