SATURDAY,
APRIL 13
SPOT PLAYS
OAKLAWN
Race 5
#3 Unsweet Tea
First
starter wasn’t well bet but showed good speed and was hooked in a speed duel
and finished fourth after defeating the early challenger. Earned a field-best
speed figure there, but may be overlooked today based on the disappointing loss
last time when she was too close up to too fast of a pace. Worth another try
and can knock off the big favorite in this race.
Race 12 – Arkansas Derby
#1 Improbable
Plus
play exacta box w/#8 Country House
#1 Improbable is a Grade 1 winner who exits his first career
loss last time in the Rebel Stakes where he narrowly lost to Long Range Toddy,
who was in mid-season form while this horse returned from a long layoff needing
a race. Now ready to strut his best stuff in the second off the layoff for
trainer Bob Baffert who has often owned the big Oaklawn Park prep races the
last decade. Likely to be a sloppy track, and this horse has the best chance to
take advantage of the wet track conditions.
Play in exacta box with #8 Country House, who finished a
solid second behind War of Will two races ago in the Risen Star at Fair Grounds
and then made a big middle move in the Louisiana Derby last time before fading
late. Can make amends here as the beneficiary of a potentially very fast pace
scenario with tons of speed and tactical speed entered in this race likely to
set up a fast pace that will favor his late-closing running style.
SATURDAY, APRIL 13
OAKLAWN
RACE 1
1 – #5 Summer Storm 5-2
2 – #1a Ransomed 7-2
3 – #3 Cash Register 4-1
RACE 2
1 – #6 Ucanthankmelater 4-1
2 – #7 Tales of War 9-2
3 – #8 Street Trust 3-1
RACE 3
1 – #3 Bow and Arrow 5-2 best bet
2 – #6 Never Give In
2-1
3 – #8 Facilitatorot H 8-1
RACE 4
1 – #1 Mitole 4-5
2 – #4 Whitmore 1-1
3 – #2 Bourbon Cowboy 15-1
RACE 5
1 – #3 Unsweet Tea 6-1
2 – #4 Annie and Caroline 9-5
3 – #2 Poets Dreamed 5-1
RACE 6
1 – #1 Landeskog 3-1
2 – #6 Pyron 5-2
3 – #7 Rowayton 9-5
RACE 7
1 – #2 New Frontier 6-1
2 – #12 Malibu Mo 7-2
3 – #5 Breaking News 5-2
RACE 8
1 – #2 Mo’s Mojo 7-2
2 – #7 Hollywood Critic 3-1
3 – #6 On Patrol 10-1
RACE 9
1 – #2 Pioneer Spirit 10-1
2 – #1 Tenfold 7-2
3 – #7 Quip 4-1
RACE 10
1 – #5 Single Gem 6-1
2 – #2 Lighthawk 3-1
3 – #10 Tiz McNamara 5-1
RACE 11 – Arkansas
Derby
1 – #1 Improbable 8-5
2 – #8 Country House 12-1
3 – #3 Omaha Beach 2-1
4 – #11 Long Range Toddy 5-1
RACE 12
1 – #6 Cowboy Diplomacy 5-2
2 – #3 Rotation 3-1
3 – #8 Verve’s Humor 7-2
4 – #5 Flatout Winner 5-1
