Hammersly: Oak Tree at Pleasanton pick four for Sunday, Sept. 24

A sharp Southern California raider may prove to be your linchpin in the first leg of Sunday’s pick four (races 6-9) at Oak Tree at Pleasanton. If she can do the expected (likely at a short price, unfortunately), spreading in the second leg, a very tough distaff sprint, may help you snag a price.

Race 6
RIZZI’S HONORS (#3) comes here from Del Mar fresh off a romping win over $16K N2L claimers. Trainer Peter Miller not only saw fit to claim her (32 percent off a claim), but he gives her a multiple-level price hike despite the fact she’s out of “jail.” SOCIAL TABOO (#1) is another Southern California raider who comes here off a sharp second for $20K at Los Alamitos on Sept. 7. She’s worked strongly since then and, should Rizzi’s Honors fail, is the likely candidate to take advantage.

A’s) 3
B’s) 1
C’s) None

Race 7
Loads of speed in here, but FAST AND FOXY (#1) might be the quickest and the best. Toss out that turf-stakes sprint against males at Golden Gate on June 10, and you’re left with nothing but strong outings going back to last fall. That said, she has no margin for error. PRINCESS ASHLYN (#5) ran third, just Fast and Foxy, when they met in a Sacramento stakes July 22, so she has the ammo to run with that mare. She has 11 top-three finishes in her last 12 starts. EMMY AND I (#8) has a ton of speed and comes here freshened off two big wins at Golden Gate. She won her only prior start here. INVESTED PROSPECT (#10) found Grade 3 foes to be too much at Santa Anita on June 18 and then tossed in a clunker vs. many of these at Sacramento on July 22. She’s been freshened since then, and that may get her back on track. She won her only prior start here.

A’s) 1, 5
B’s) 8
C’s) 10

:: Get bonus PPs and watch Sunday’s Oklahoma Derby card live from Remington Park

Race 8
PLAYING THROUGH (#3) faced tougher in his first two starts, both at Del Mar, and may appreciate moving to this track and facing this caliber. MON CAMO (#7) showed good speed in his debut here Aug. 11 before finishing fourth. He can improve off that and has two bullets since. BOLD CHARMANT (#5) was a non-threatening fourth routing on turf at Golden Gate on Sept. 4, but this return to dirt and sprinting may get him back on track.

A’s) 3, 7
B’s) 5
C’s) None

Race 9
KERN RIDGE (#3) came back after nearly seven months to win at Sacramento on July 29 and was then a decent third here Aug. 20. Today’s slight drop may prove critical. OIL CHANGE (#6) won two straight this summer, including a win for $4K here Aug. 5. He blew the start here Aug. 20 and was a non-factor seventh, but with a better beginning, he can be in the hunt from the start.

A’s) 3
B’s) 6
C’s) None