SATURDAY,
FEBRUARY 27
SPOT PLAYS
OAKLAWN
Race 9
#8 Test of Will
Blew the
break to start last in a field of 11, then made a solid middle move but was
spent from those early efforts and could only recover for fifth. Just needs a
clean start to show what he’s made of at a nice price for Larry Jones.
Race 10
#4 Jackie’s
Warrior
Plus play
exacta box with #1 Essential Quality
#4 Jackie’s Warrior is a multiple
Grade 1 winner who won’t win the Kentucky Derby but certainly can win a Derby
prep like this race at the 1 1/16th-mile distance. Tired late in the
Breeders’ Cup, so he still needs to prove he can even go this far, but the key
to this race is likely to be the pace. Jackie’s Warrior looks like the best and
possibly only speed in the race and is a threat to steal the Southwest Stakes
wire-to-wire for leading trainer Steve Asmussen.
Play in
exacta box with #5 1 Essential Quality, who is a perfect 3-for-3 to begin his
career including two grade 1 wins at Keeneland at this distance topped off by a
victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and an Eclipse Award as champion 2yo.
Returns to the races off the layoff for this 3-year-old debut and all eyes will
be on this horse who has legit Kentucky Derby aspirations. Seems to be the best
of this field, the only question today is whether he can overcome what looks
like a pace disadvantage in this race chasing the possible lone speed Jackie’s
Warrior.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27
OAKLAWN
RACE 1
1 – #5 Ace Destroyer 4-1
2 – #4 Bitumen 3-1
3 – #6 Kitchen Fire 5-1
RACE 2
1 – #1 La Pulcinela 7-2
2 – #4 Gravitron 5-1
3 – #12 Northern Heart 5-2
RACE 3
1 – #3 Here Comes Doc 5-1
2 – #8 Kowboy Karma 7-2
3 – #10 Intrepid Heart 5-2
RACE 4
1 – #6 Gallant Plunger 7-2
2 – #8 Mau Mau 8-1
3 – #2 Handy 15-1
RACE 5
1 – #8 Davidic Line 7-2
2 – #1 Haydens Havoc 8-1
3 – #7 General Trev 5-2
RACE 6
1 – #5 Totally Jimbo 15-1
2 – #4 Aasr 5-2
3 – #8 Meistermind 8-1
RACE 7
1 – #7 Mystic Guide 9-5
2 – #4 Owendale 2-1
3 – #2 Hunka Burning Love 9-2
RACE 8
1 – #9 Kimari 2-1
2 – #5 Headland 8-1
3 – #3 Amy’s Challenge 5-2
RACE 9
1 – #8 Test of Will 8-1
2 – #10 Name Rejected 3-1
3 – #9 Stilleto Boy 7-2
RACE 10
1 – #4 Jackie’s Warrior 8-5
2 – #1 Essential Quality 3-2
3 – #7 Spielberg 9-2
RACE 11
1 – #8 Beaver Hat 7-2 Best Bet
2 – #6 Warrior’s Map 5-1
3 – #9 Dunph 12-1
4 – #12 American Dubai 8-1
