Rampellini: Oaklawn Park analysis for Sunday, April 19, 2020
Oaklawn Park analysis for Sunday, April 19, 2020
BEST BET: Run Ballerina (1st race)
First Race
1. Run Ballerina 2. Sailaway and Hide 3. Line of Faith
The card Sunday features an optional-claiming route for older horses that drew a slew of stakes winners. In the opener, RUN BALLERINA looks like best-bet material. She's moving into the statebred ranks after she was just edged against open foes and also owns the field's best collection of Beyer Figures. SAILAWAY AND HIDE was third for a similar price last time. LINE OF FAITH exits a key race, with the eighth-place finisher coming back to take a $16K maiden claimer at OP with a Beyer of 39 and the 12th-place finisher, Julie Arkansas, another $16K maiden claimer over the local strip, with a Beyer of 43.
Second Race
1. Symphony Hall 2. Foreign Exchange 3. Frontier Woman
SYMPHONY HALL draws off the rail here after starting from the fence in three of her last four races. She has class appeal as one who has seen steeper. FOREIGN EXCHANGE might get an ideal setup behind a few of these and she also could be sitting on a peak race in her third out since November. FRONTIER WOMAN has moved forward with each of her starts at the meet and owns one of the field's best last-race Beyer Figures. Another of interest is LIL RED VETTE.
Third Race
1. Sacred Union 2. Shackadelic 3. Mi Bella
SACRED UNION, who has experience at this mile and a sixteenth distance, is a class play as one who has been facing steeper. She also owns the field's best collection of Beyer Figures. The rail-drawn SHACKADELIC is a May foal who might prove to be the one to catch on the move from a mile back to a mile and a sixteenth. MI BELLA moves back to the distance of her best career finish to date.
Fourth Race
1. My Darling Sofia 2. Can't Touch Me 3. Our Girl Abby
MY DARLING SOFIA has tactical speed and the look of a runner on the improve. This marks her third out since September. CAN'T TOUCH ME finished in front of top choice in their two run-ins this meet at Oaklawn. OUR GIRL ABBY, like he top two, has more win experience than a number of these.
Fifth Race
1. Bobby Axelrod 2. Baringer Spring 3. Jerry's Got Aces
The also-eligible BOBBY AXELROD would be a chief player were he to draw into the body of the field. He was third against steeper last out and owns a series of competitive Beyer Figures. BARINGER SPRING cuts back to one turn after showing speed around two and that can be an effective move with a horse. He's also been lining up against steeper. JERRY'S GOT ACES exits a race that has produced four next-out winners. The winner came back to take a $30K starter at OP with a Beyer of 88; the third-place finisher, a $16K claimer at OP with a Beyer of 67; the fifth-place finisher, Corrana En Limen, a $10K maiden claimer at DeD with a Beyer of 46; and the sixth-place finisher, Trashtalkinyankee, a $25K maiden claimer at OP, with a Beyer of 74.
Sixth Race
1. Here's Carlos 2. Burciaga 3. Pete Marwick
HERE'S CARLOS is back in the claiming ranks after facing starter foes and note the race he exits went in good time. There appears to be enough speed in here to fuel his late run. Here’s Carlos also would seem best-served with a fast track, site of three of his four wins. BURCIAGA, who can be closer to the pace than top choice, has reason to move forward in this, his second out since December. PETE MARWICK split the field on the cutback from two turns to one last out and could be even sharper here, in his second straight sprint start. GUSKA MON SHOES is looking for career win No. 13.
Seventh Race
1. Wicked Indeed 2. Oro de Tejano 3. Jay Vee Bee
WICKED INDEED should be sharp for the move back to two turns off a sprint start in which he finished a fast-closing second. ORO DE TEJANO must overcome the wide post, but can make a real impact with a repeat of his recent two-turn races at Delta Downs and Fair Grounds. JAY VEE BEE is a consistent sort who was favored in his most recent out. He owns a series of competitive Beyer Figures and a strong record at Oaklawn. Others of interest include GOLDEN SCEPTOR and DAVIDIC LINE.
Eighth Race
1. Jaccat 2. First Alternate 3. Summer Storm
JACCAT invades from Santa Anita, where she was second at this $50K starter-allowance level in her most recent out Feb. 21. She has tactical speed and owns one of the field's best last-race Beyer Figures. FIRST ALTERNATE cuts back to one turn and the last time she sprinted she was second by a nose at Oaklawn. First Alternate is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Now I Know ($461K), who also was trained by Von Hemel. SUMMER STORM should be sharp for the six panels off the 5 1/2-furlong start. Further, the outside draw might give Baze options.
Ninth Race
1. Two Thirty Five 2. Dr. Dorr 3. Lone Sailor
TWO THIRTY FIVE moves back into the overnight ranks after facing Grade 1 rivals last out in the Santa Anita Handicap. He's further appealing for a strong series of Beyer Figures. DR. DORR brings natural speed to the table and would seem to have reason to move forward here, in his second out since August. Baffert is a co-breeder on the runner who has had a chance to work over the local strip. LONE SAILOR shortens up some in distance to a mile and a sixteenth and his last win came at the trip here at Oaklawn in January. He had notable trouble last out. Lone Sailor is one of three graded stakes winners in the field that overall has drawn five stakes winners. On a few pedigree points, MY SIXTH SENSE is a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Sweet Reason ($1.4M). MUSICAL AMERICA is from a multiple Grade 1-winning mare who ran out $797K. THIRSTFORLIFE is from the same mare as multiple Grade 1 winner Cavorting ($2M). Thirstforlife exits a race that produced two next-out stakes winners in Night Ops and Canadian champion Sky Promise.
Tenth Race
1. Merneith 2. Good Shabbos 3. Visual Magic
MERNEITH cuts back to one turn after showing speed around two, which can be a winning move with a horse. This one also owns the field's best last-race Beyer Figure. Merneith is by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah - who won two major stakes at Oaklawn. Baffert, who trains Merneith, also trained American Pharoah. GOOD SHABBOS hooked a runner last out in Edgeway. The start was this one's first since October. VISUAL MAGIC has an age edge on top two as she is 4.