We liked two keys last week in the same race at Fair Grounds and one, Get the Prize, was an impressive winner while the other, Hitch, whom we liked a little better, stopped on a dime. Still, we are not sniffing at the winner who paid an astonishing $19.60 and won off like a really good horse, Get the Prize was one of a group of 20 BreezeFigs maidens last week who came home first, seven of them kicking off BreezeFigs exactas and another a BreezeFigs trifecta.

I’ll be taking a run at the early pick four at Tampa Bay Downs by singling Shanghai Shuffle in a soft N2L sprint (race 4) while trying to catch a price elsewhere with a couple of spread races. Here’s the strategy:

Race 3: This turf mile for $20k 3-year-olds is about as wide open as they come, so I’ll take plenty of coverage with six of the nine starters.

Race 2: Ribbonite (#3)
Her rider lost the irons in the early stages last time, which prevented her from getting to the lead.
Has run faster than her rivals and has done so against tougher competition.
DRF Formulator Fact: Over the past five years, Jeremiah Englehart is 35 for 75 (47 percent, $2.26 ROI) with horses dropping in claiming price by 50 percent or more in dirt sprints.
7-5 on ML

Aqueduct | Race 8 | Post Time 4:40 p.m. (ET) | Go to the FREE TimeformUS PPs

Not already a TimeformUS member? Sign up now

Saturday’s national stakes schedule is not exactly an embarrassment of riches. There is the Grade 2, $200,000 Buena Vista at Santa Anita and the Grade 3, $100,000 Hal’s Hope at Gulfstream. Otherwise . . . well, there’s always next week.

Buena Vista Stakes

Vasilika has been an absolute win machine since moving into Jerry Hollendorfer’s barn off a $40,000 claim just more than one year ago. She has since scored in 9 of 11 starts, including the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive, the Grade 2 John C. Mabee, the Grade 2 Goldikova, and the Grade 3 Megahertz most recently.

SONNETEER
Trainer: Keith Desormeaux     
Last Race: Feb. 18, 8th   
Finish: 4th by 3 1/2 lengths     
Beyer: 88

He invaded from Southern California for the Razorback Handicap that drew 14. Sonneteer had just two rivals beat early, advanced strongly along the rail on the final turn, was forced to check in the stretch when in tight between rivals, then re-rallied to save fourth. Desormeaux said the horse is a candidate to return to Oaklawn for the Essex Handicap.

LAWTON
Trainer: Bret Calhoun
Last race: Feb. 15, 4th
Finish: 5th by 1 3/4
Beyer: 80
The turf course seemed to be strongly favoring the inside paths when this race was run, and this horse, breaking slowly in his first start back from a long break, was wide, then wider throughout the turf sprint.

Race 2: Team Win (#6)

Probably needed her first race, as she took very little money when debuting in a dirt route.

Gets a positive rider upgrade to leading rider Manny Franco, indicating that she may be well meant for her second start.

DRF Formulator Fact: Over the past five years, Todd Pletcher is 20 for 55 (36 percent, $2.10 ROI) with maiden second-time starters in dirt routes who also debuted routing.

7-2 on ML

Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest Stakes, 1 1/16 miles, Oaklawn Park, Feb. 18, 2019

(10 Derby qualifying points for a win, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth)

Winner: Super Steed, by Super Saver
Trainer: Larry Jones
Jockey: Terry Thompson
Owner: Michael Pressley and Steed Jackson
Beyer Speed Figure: 87

HARDEST PART
Trainer: James Allen
Date: Feb. 15, 8th
Finish: 5th by 5 1/2
Beyer: 67
Off the board here, but he actually held well until the late stages, yielding to the stalkers and closers only in late stretch.