Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Mary Rampellini handicaps the Sunday, March 1 racing card at Oaklawn Park, including her projected 1-2-3 finishers. Her best bet of the day comes from Race 8.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: Fancy Fairlane (8th race)
Eighth Race
1. Fancy Fairlane
2. Silver Syndicate
3. Market Runner
FANCY FAIRLANE was second last out to Golden Tempo, who returned in his next start to win the Grade 3 Lecomte at FG with a Beyer of 81. In addition, the eighth-place finisher from the race FANCY FAIRLAINE exits came back to win a $30K maiden claimer at FG with a Beyer of 67 and the 10th-place finisher, a maiden allowance at Hou with a Beyer of 57. SILVER SYNDICATE ran a promising third in his debut, when he set the pace and took the field to deep stretch. He would seem poised to move forward for the start. MARKET RUNNER exits a race won by Reagan’s Honor, who returned in his next start to win a FG allowance against older rivals with a Beyer of 96. This one cuts back to one turn and is a half-brother to a pair of notable sprinters in Grade 2 Saratoga Special winner Showcase and overnight stakes winner Bourbon Bash ($593K). It’s the female family of Volatile. MUNNINGS CHALLENGE is the first foal from Amy’s Challenge, according to available produce records. Amy’s Challenge was a five-time stakes winner, with some of her success coming at Oaklawn, and she ran out $687K.
Here are Mary’s thoughts on the other eleven races on Sunday’s Oaklawn Park card.
First Race
1. Gewurztraminer
2. Bright Spark
3. My Noble Knight
Rebel Day has arrived and Sunday’s stacked card also includes the Honeybee Stakes, the new Pig Trail overnight stakes, the return of Booth, and some notable maiden special weight races. In the opener, GEWURZTRAMINER gets the nod for the fact that he can be closer to the pace than some of his chief rivals. He also put up one of his best career Beyer Speed Figures last out when racing over this mile and an eighth distance. BRIGHT SPARK finished a neck in front of top choice last time. This one is from a multiple stakes-winning mare who ran out $735K. MY NOBLE KNIGHT looks like a nice fit with these.
Second Race
1. Dual Monarchy
2. Sharp Swinger
3. Tom Cat Tuesday
DUAL MONARCHY can be closer to the pace than he found himself last time, when he had some trouble at the start. SHARP SWINGER looks like one these will have to run down under Irad Ortiz Jr. SHARP SWINGER is a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Desvio ($509K). TOM CAT TUESDAY was third last out in a race that went quite quick.
Third Race
1. Booth
2. Tejano Twist
3. Book Smart
BOOTH is back! The winner of last year’s Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn launches his season, and he is one who twice before has won from off the bench. As for the race he exits, the winner returned to take the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic with a Beyer of 97, the third-place finisher came back to win an allowance at Ellis Park with a Beyer of 95, and the sixth-place finisher, an allowance at KD, with a Beyer of 90. BOOTH also won last year’s Grade 3 Whitmore and Commodore overnight stakes at Oaklawn. He’s a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Bright Future ($947K). TEJANO TWIST was just edged last out by runner who has emerged as the meet’s dominant sprinter. TEJANO TWIST is a multiple stakes winner who leads the field in earnings with $1.6M. BOOK SMART might get an ideal tracking trip off the rail-drawn BOOTH.
Fourth Race
1. Tre Italiani
2. Senior Officer
3. Zero Sugar
TRE ITALIANI cuts back to one turn and barn-sharpened skills for the cutback with a bullet half-mile move in 46 seconds at FG. In the words of Paris Hilton, “That’s hot!” SENIOR OFFICER owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, but gives up recency to all of these. He’s from a multiple Grade 3-winning mare who ran out $343K. ZERO SUGAR is another turnback prospect and looking for stakes-placed runner to be making his case through the lane. Another to consider is PRIME POWER for the Beyer he put up in his debut.
Fifth Race
1. Catching Freedom
2. Batten Down
3. Systemic Change
The new Pig Trail features older horses over 1 1/2 miles. CATCHING FREEDOM has a nice foundation of races for the added ground he picks up and on the stretch out from a mile and a sixteenth could be up in the race from the start. He could either show the way or track BATTEN DOWN, who set a quick pace in his last start at Gulfstream. SYSTEMIC CHANGE could get a nice stalking trip off top two choices. He’s also proven at Oaklawn.
Sixth Race
1. Henro
2. Run Classic
3. Barksdale
HENRO ran a big race on the cutback from two turns last out and the sprint went in good time. He’s a two-time stakes winner and a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Street Band ($1.1M). RUN CLASSIC owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, but gives up recency to these. He’s proven class as a stakes winner. BARKSDALE exits a quick race and for his OP debut has had a chance to work in Hot Springs.
Seventh Race
1. Whitley
2. Bossofmi
3. Cattle Baron
WHITLEY has been favored in both of his starts. He battled from the bell last out in his first start off the bench and ultimately finished third in race that went faster than par. BOSSOFMI exits same race as top choice, and it’s become a key one. The eighth-place finisher came back in his next start to take a $40K maiden claimer at OP with a Beyer of 57 and the 10th-place finisher, a $20K maiden claimer, also at OP, with a Beyer of 65. This one is a half-brother to stakes winner Punchy Girl. The 3-year-old CATTLE BARON faces some older rivals, but two back was second to runner who goes later on the card in the Rebel. Others of interest include AMORE and BEMIS.
Ninth Race
1. Explora
2. Taken by the Wind
3. Search Party
EXPLORA has been the picture of consistency in her young career, running first or second in her six starts to date. And some of those races have come at the highest level, as she was second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. She’s back at the mile and a sixteenth distance of her win in the Grade 2 Oak Leaf. TAKEN BY THE WIND has done nothing wrong in her career, winning all three of her starts, including her two-turn debut last out in the Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds. She has tactical speed. SEARCH PARTY ran a big race last out when taking the Martha Washington in her first start against winners. She’s now 2 for 2 at this distance at Oaklawn.
Tenth Race
1. Gethsemane
2. Banksy’s
3. Maximum Effort
GETHSEMANE last faced Reagan’s Honor, who returned in his next start to win an allowance over older rivals at FG with a Beyer of 96. BANKSY’S earned a notable Beyer of 81 in his career debut last out, and it’s the best career number in this spot. DRAGONES is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Leofric ($951K). MAXIMUM EFFORT exits a key race. The sixth-place finisher came back in his next start to win a maiden allowance at FG with a Beyer of 86 and the eighth-place finisher, another maiden special weight at FG, with a Beyer of 73. This one is from a stakes-winning mare who ran out $403K.
Eleventh Race
1. Litmus Test
2. Blackout Time
3. Soldier N Diplomat
The Rebel is a tough read. LITMUS TEST might be difficult to run down if he’s able to give these the slip at the start. He’s proven at both this level and at this distance; he’s represented himself well against some of the top members of his crop, and he owns the field’s best Beyer Speed Figures. A question mark for runner set to break from the inside is whether he will have to deal with a fair amount of pressure from rivals situated to his immediate outside. BLACKOUT TIME was second to an eventual champion last out in his stakes debut and in the process finished in front of top choice. He is making his first start since October and shows a strong series of works for his return. SOLDIER N DIPLOMAT again draws a wide post, but he has natural speed in an asset that could help him secure position into the first turn. He might get an ideal trip just off the leaders, while others of interest include the capable runners SILENT TACTIC and RANCHO SANTA FE.
Twelfth Race
1. Like a Diamond
2. Sky High Angel
3. Breaker Wave
LIKE A DIAMOND has moved forward from her first start to her second and for this trip will be first Lasix. She is from a stakes-winning mare who ran out $117K. SKY HIGH ANGEL ran a credible race off the bench and can move forward in her second race back. BREAKER WAVE faces older rivals, but ran a promising race in her career debut.
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