DRF's Horse Racing Playbook for Friday, April 12, 2024

Daily Racing Form has served as the most trusted source of news and information about the sport since 1894, and moving forward we have decided to provide a free daily playbook – something that both hardcore horseplayers and casual observers can reference to get informed of each day’s action.

12:25 LRL 1st BOURBON WILDCAT (#3, 8-1) was wired by odds-on Lady Zeta in a slow-paced race where they ran 1-2 all the way around the track. Tracked in between horses, dropped down inside, then finished evenly along the rail. She's on a long losing streak with lots of minor awards on her page, but seems back in form, and can stay close to the expected moderate pace. -Dan Illman

1:42 GP 2nd Not a lot to go by from a workout standpoint although MENSA (#2, 6-1) does show a pretty good gate drill on a very limited tab and did fetch $135K at the yearling sales last October. Mom won both her starts at 2. Barn can certainly have one ready off the bench. -Mike Welsch

2:04 KEE 3rd There are several potential pace players in this short field, but CYCLONE MISCHIEF (#3, 9-2) is the horse I expect to make the front. Last top races came the better part of a year ago in the FLA Derby, but willing to guess he hasn't totally lost it. Back on Lasix, FWIW, and those one-turn miles his last two starts might not be what he really wants. Plenty of work for this and 1-1 at KEE. -Marcus Hersh

2:14 GP 3rd MISS M M (#5 5-1) comes off her best yet from a Beyer standpoint on Tapeta and galloped out like a horse who will relish the extra sixteenth to work with today. Should come running best at the end. -Mike Welsch

2:36 KEE 4th MOREAU (#4, 12-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Marcus Hersh).

3:03 TAM 6th WILD ARMY BRAT (#7, 9-2) is a DRF Best Bet (Kenny Peck).

3:18 OP 4th AMERICAN ICON (#7, 9-2) "lost" the blinkers two races back and has stepped up his game. He gets in light under apprentice Erik Asmussen, who is back at Oaklawn for a bit following a highly productive meet at Sam Houston. -Mary Rampellini

3:28 AQU 5th SCREW LOOSE (#1, 4-1) ran an improved race when cut back to sprint last time at a lower level; was scratched from another race at that level last week but enters back right away and looks like a good fit here despite the bump back up in price; probably doesn't want a mile but thought he ran better than it looks two back when forced to duel on a fast pace. -Mike Beer

3:33 LRL 7th JESTER'S SONG (#2, 4-1) hopped ever so slightly at the start, but recovered well enough to prompt a moderate pace from in between horses. Couldn't step with the favored winner on the turn, but stayed on evenly in between for a minor award. Takes slight dip in class, and might try to revert to rating tactics that worked in New York last year. -Dan Illman

3:35 TAM 7th GERICAULT's (#8, 9-2) dam, Kitten's Girl, raced only once on the turf but she did win that race (66 Beyer), and she was retired after running 4th in a restricted stakes race on the grass in her second start; this colt ships in from Turfway and takes a class drop for new trainer Kerri Raven, who does well with runners off this type of intermediate "layoff". -Kenny Peck

3:40 KEE 6th Debuting LOTSANDLOTSOFCANDY (#5, 15-1) does have a gap in her work pattern but has since come back with encouraging drills - encouraging, in fact, is too soft a word for the March 11 gate drill at Fair Grounds. Video shows the filly breaking sharply, flashing speed, and then working strongly around the club turn and far down the backstretch. Very impressive. -Marcus Hersh

4:02 AQU 6th SILKEN DOLLAR (#4, 6-1) is a DRF Best Bet (Mike Beer).

4:15 GG 1st The experienced hands in here aren't all that imposing so firster LISA'S DOCTOR S (#1, 4-1) has some appeal. He looks plenty fit off lots of works for a trainer who has super debut-win numbers, and there's pedigree, too, as 4 of his 6 sibs are multiple winners including Emma's Dance ;(222-5-3-1, $121K). -Michael Hammersly

4:16 GP 7th RAPTURE BAY (#6, 9-2) is a DRF Best Bet (Mike Welsch).

4:39 TAM 9th One more shot for MILLE DREAMS (#7, 6-1), who failed to run to a couple of strong efforts back in December in her last two starts, but she did have trouble two back and she was caught wide in her latest; she'd be tough to stave off in the lane if she were able to run to her best figures in this finale. -Kenny Peck

4:48 GP 8th A couple of first time starters demand a long look in the finale. BEAUTIFUL THIEF (#1, 9-2) a New York bred who has remained locally for debut instead of being shipped up north to run with state breds, perhaps a bit of a red flag, although has kept and held own with some good company prepping for her bow including Chaplin who was a wire to wire MSW winner with 81 Beyer on the turf here during Championship meet. -Mike Welsch

4:54 OP 7th STOMPING HOTROD (#3, 9-2) finished in front of a number of these last out when second to Holding Pattern at this distance at Oaklawn. YOU VEE CEE exits same race as top choice, finishing third in what was this one's first out since July. More than capable. -Mary Rampellini

5:04 AQU 8th FLASH KISS (#3, 6-1) got wired by one of the rivals he meets again in this spot back in December while making his way back from a layoff, then improved to win his next start going a mile with a determined finish; got tired last time after chasing in a race that was run at a solid pace and came back for the closers late; cuts back with tactical speed. -Mike Beer

5:48 KEE 10th EJTIMAA (#10, 10-1) is a 3yo facing older horses for the first time (should get more than the seven pounds he does) and is drawn wide for his first dirt-route start. Still, the price ought to be right to guess he could overcome all that. Form improved about 10,000% when he was switched to dirt two back - can't say where his ceiling is yet. -Marcus Hersh

7:12 GG 7th TRINIDAD (#2, 5-1) ran on well to be a good 3rd at 27-1 in a race like this here Feb. 9. His connections took a shot and sent him to SA to try some tough optional claimers but that didn't work out. He returns to a track you know he likes and to company he's been effective with in the past. -Michael Hammersly