Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Mary Rampellini handicaps the Friday, March 27 racing card at Oaklawn Park, including her projected 1-2-3 finishers. Her best bet of the day comes from Race 6.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: Phenomenal Dream (6th race)
Sixth Race
1. Phenomenal Dream
2. Higginsville
3. French Knight
PHENOMENAL DREAM was beaten less than a length for everything last out when closing from last. A concern is whether he will get the right setup, but hopeful large field will produce a contested pace. HIGGINSVILLE sprinted off the bench and now returns to the two-turn trip of his best recent races. The sprint he exits produced two next-out winners, with the runner-up coming back to win for $40K at OP with a Beyer of 86 and the sixth-place finisher, a $16K conditinoed claimer at OP, with a Beyer of 74. FRENCH KNIGHT should be sharp for the move back two turns off the sprint start.
Here are Mary’s thoughts on the other eleven races on Friday’s Oaklawn Park card.
First Race
1. Irish Guard
2. God’s Country
3. Mandatory Mission
The Racing Festival of the South continues Friday with the running of the Fantasy and the Matron. In the opener, IRISH GUARD faces older rivals, but represented himself well against such foes last time and gets in quite light – toting 10 less pounds than both GOD’S COUNTRY and MANDATORY MISSION. GOD’S COUNTRY has a nice foundation of races for the move to a mile and an eighth. MANDATORY MISSION gets the continued support of the high percentage Torres.
Second Race
1. Brilliant Man
2. Unload
3. Camp Daddy
BRILLIANT MAN moves back to the distance of his last win. UNLOAD might be tough to handle with a repeat of his last race. The one to beat. CAMP DADDY owns some strong recent Beyer Speed Figures.
Third Race
1. She Called
2. Bee Bluff
3. Majestic Tornado
SHE CALLED exits a key race. The winner came back in her next start to take an N1X allowance at Hou with a Beyer of 73 and the fourth-place finisher, a $16K conditioned claimer, at OP, with a Beyer of 74. BEE BLUFF caught a quick crowd last out at Oaklawn. MAJESTIC TORNADO is another coming out of a quick race.
Fourth Race
1. Favorite Day
2. Barb
3. Miracle Mark
FAVORITE DAY was second last out to a quality kind of winner and the start was this one’s first at two turns. BARB is from a Grade 2-winning mare who ran out $685K. MIRACLE MARK hooked a talented sort last out in Nu What’s New, who has since become graded stakes-placed and who is on deck for the Oaklawn Mile here Saturday. MIRACLE MARK is a half-brother to champion Whitmore ($4.5M).
Fifth Race
1. Rabbit Hound
2. Drum Roll Please
3. Face Value
RABBIT HOUND is back in the straight claiming ranks after a good fourth against starter foes. DRUM ROLL PLEASE makes the same move and his last win came in the claiming ranks. FACE VALUE has run a number of races that would put him right in the mix against these.
Seventh Race
1. Pike Place
2. Papa Yo
3. Quality Chic
PIKE PLACE moves to a mile and an eighth and there are reasons to believe he will make good use of the added real estate he picks up in this spot. PAPA YO enters in peak form, as he’s seeking his third straight win. QUALITY CHIC cuts back to a distance over which he is stakes placed.
Eighth Race
1. Eli’s Promise
2. Top Gun Tommy
3. Eglise
ELI’S PROMISE brings tactical speed to the table and last out was second to a quality kind of winner. TOP GUN TOMMY delivered as the favorite last out, winning in good time at this distance at Oaklawn. EGLISE has been flattered since his win last out, with two runners he defeated coming back to win in their next starts. The ninth-place finisher came back to win for $8K at OP with a Beyer of 65 and the 12th-place finisher, for $10K at OP, with a Beyer of 77.
Ninth Race
1. Haulin Ice
2. Zeitlos
3. Asternia
The Matron has brought together a strong group of fillies and mares. The multiple Grade 3 winner HAULIN ICE went over $1M in career earnings last out at Oaklawn and in the process set a new standard for Arkansas-breds. She faces other speed in this spot, but draws outside most of her primary pace rivals in what could lend itself to a tracking kind of trip. Grade 2 winner ZEITLOS makes her first start since the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in which she closed for fourth. The race has since become a key one, with the winner coming back to take the Grade 2 D. Wayne Lukas Stakes at SA with a Beyer of 96 and the third-place finisher, the Grade 3 Bayakoa at Del Mar, with a Beyer of 94. ASTERNIA is a multiple stakes winner coming off a career-high Beyer Speed Figure. It’s one of the best last-race numbers in the Matron. WONDROUS is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Maxfield ($2M).
Tenth Race
1. Forty Love
2. Woodspoint
3. Tip Toe Joe
FORTY LOVE has been a popular claim among stables. WOODSPOINT brings good speed to the table. TIP TOE JOE is a consistent performer who was just edged last out at Oaklawn.
Eleventh Race
1. Explora (scratched)
2. Counting Stars
3. Taken by the Wind
The millionaire EXPLORA draws outside for the Fantasy and the post could lend itself to an ideal tracking trip off the speed situated to her inside. She proved herself over the local oval last out in her first start outside of Southern California and remains a top candidate for this year’s Kentucky Oaks. Triple Crown nominee COUNTING STARS has compiled an excellent record over the local strip this meet, as she’s won an overnight stakes, a two-turn stakes, and was a close second to top choice in the Honeybee. She could get a nice stalking trip off the speed. Grade 3 winner TAKEN BY THE WIND is 3 for 4 and has shown versatility in her races. More on each of the entrants in the Closer Look feature in Daily Racing Form.
Twelfth Race
1. Not for Everyone
2. J J’s True Bet
3. Lady Belle
NOT FOR EVERYONE ran a good second on the cutback to this distance last out and is a logical choice back. J J’S TRUE BET finally shakes the very good Appealing Addie. LADY BELLE was a smart debut winner and earned a competitive Beyer Figure.
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