Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Mary Rampellini handicaps the Friday, February 13 racing card at Oaklawn Park, including her projected 1-2-3 finishers. Her best bet of the day comes from Race 10.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: Like a Diamond (10th race)
Tenth Race
1. Like a Diamond
2. Redriver Storm
3. Tallahassee
The also-eligible LIKE A DIAMOND has been right there in each of her starts at the meet and owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure. REDRIVER STORM brings good speed to the table. TALLAHASSEE is back at the distance of her best race to date.
Here are Mary’s thoughts on the other nine races on Friday’s Oaklawn Park card.
First Race
1. Talkin in Cursive
2. Sombra Dorada
3. Tiffany Twist
Oaklawn races from Friday through the holiday Monday this week in a special schedule. In the opener, TALKIN IN CURSIVE moves back into the starter ranks following some good races in New York. SOMBRA DORADA has speed and the rail and is something of a fresh horse as this marks her first start since early December. TIFFANY TWIST figures to be making her case through the lane on the cutback to one turn.
Second Race
1. Irish Whiskey
2. Gun Fire
3. Coastal Breeze
IRISH WHISKEY has proven competitive against steeper. GUN FIRE has been lining up against higher-priced foes. COASTAL BREEZE is well-versed at the six-furlong trip.
Third Race
1. Dozen Diamonds
2. Sultry Kitten
3. Bang Bang Fury
DOZEN DIAMONDS was prominent last out in a quick-paced race. SULTRY KITTEN hooked a quality winner last time, with that one coming back to take an overnight stakes at Oaklawn, then run second in the Grade 3 Bayakoa won by champion Nitrogen. BANG BANG FURY figures to be strong through the stretch on the cutback to one turn.
Fourth Race
1. Henro
2. Normandy Coast
3. Osbourne
This is one of the new ratings handicap races and the first of the meet at Oaklawn. HENRO is back at one turn, and when last seen at the configuration, he hooked Usually Wrong, a stakes winner on turf and dirt who is to run back in a Saturday stakes at Fair Grounds. NORMANDY COAST hooked a millionaire last out in Ryvit, who is to run back Sunday in a stakes at Sunland Park. OSBOURNE gives up recency to these, but has run some races that put him right in the mix in this spot.
Fifth Race
1. War of Destiny
2. Sexagenarian
3. Forty Love
WAR OF DESTINY makes his dirt debut with a supportive pedigree. He also cuts back to the one-turn configuration of his maiden win. SEXAGENARIAN has speed as an asset that should serve him well at this five and a half furlong trip. FORTY LOVE has been a popular claim.
Sixth Race
1. Ravin’s Town
2. Ben Franklin
3. Solevo
RAVIN’S TOWN was just edged as the favorite last time out. BEN FRANKLIN might get the right kind of setup, as there appears to be a decent amount of speed in this spot. SOLEVO can also take advantage if the pace gets too hot up front on Friday.
Seventh Race
1. Summer of Mischief
2. Tartaria
3. My Bossy Lady
SUMMER OF MISCHIEF hooked a next-out winner in Filly Crystal last time in what was this one’s first race since October. SUMMER OF MISCHIEF would seem to have reason to move forward in her second race back. TARTARIA looks like a runner working her way back into the winner’s circle. MY BOSSY LADY has reason to move forward in her second start since July. She’s a consistent sort as a rule.
Eighth Race
1. Majestic Oops
2. Tapit Quick
3. Asternia
MAJESTIC OOPS is back at one turn, and the last time she raced at the configuration, she was Grade 1-placed at Saratoga. She might get an ideal setup behind a few of these. TAPIT QUICK could also get a decent setup, just off the speed. She figures to make good use of the bit of added real estate she picks up in this spot. ASTERNIA is a multiple-stakes winner who is proven at this distance at Oaklawn. More on each of the entrants in the Closer Looks feature in Daily Racing Form.
Ninth Race
1. The Girl in Red
2. Sparkly
3. Courageous Cappen
THE GIRL IN RED showed excellent speed on the cutback from two turns to one last out and might be sitting on a peak effort here, in the third start of her form cycle. SPARKLY gets a shot in the Arkansas-bred ranks with the meet now on at Oaklawn. COURAGEOUS CAPPEN was just edged last out and is a logical choice back. The start was her first since October.
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