Oaklawn Park Picks: Edge to Edge a strong pick in January 23

Celebrated Oaklawn Park is like a college town ... a college town of horse racing, that is ... Hot Springs is celebrating some glorious racing. With a cancelled card due to the extreme cold on Friday, they were able to race on Saturday! Now we head to Sunday, and the betting options are the best in the country! 

At Horseracing.net/us we have you covered, including all of the action! It is a good time for some of the best that North American racing has to offer. Stay tuned! 

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Most Likely Winner: (Race 6: Firewolves #4, 3/1):

Trainer Brad Cox has a reputation for strong conditioning, and putting young horses in the proper spots to win. Here is a young filly by Practical Joke, a sire that has already made a name for himself … and then some. I like her chances after she ended up 2nd last time. Getting her debut out of the way is a splendid sign, and I think having Florent Geroux back aboard is a positive. With count ‘em … 5 works to her credit since her last race, she should be able to break her maiden against this MSW Co. going around 6F … Cox knows how to win.

Wagering Recommendation: $100 Win, #4

Off-the-Pace Play of the Day: (Race 2: Verklempt #4, 15/1):

Trainer Paul Holthus is the son and grandson of horsemen, and his experience is one of his greatest assets. He uses only cooked oats, in the old school style, and though he does not have an expansive stable, it is a good one. This is one of his runners that he has entered on Sunday, and I think this filly by Overanalyze will appreciate the class drop after running against tougher in OC50k Co. She is in for a tag here, and that means she could get claimed. Holthus is probably hoping that does not happen, but with a piece of a $32,000 purse, it might be worth it. The best news for bettors … she will be an excellent price come post time. I think jockey Tiago Pereira is waiting to break out at the Meet … he gets the call.

Wagering Recommendation: $100 Bankroll, Graduated Wager WPS #4 ($10-W, $15-P, $75-S)

Spotlight Race of the Day: (Race 8: Dirt, 6F, AOC50k, 4+):

Here is yet another tough OC50k, going 6F at Oaklawn. There are so many tracks in America where this might be a BT/Non-G. In Hot Springs, it is sui generis … “of its own kind.” I would not assume, if I were you, that Steve Asmussen’s Happymac #3 is the winner. Though the colt is by Runhappy, and has experience sprinting, the downside is the layoff … he has not been seen since July … Saratoga. Of course, he will be well-backed, and there is the fact that the last time he was at Oaklawn, he won a MSW93k by 10 lengths … Still, I am willing to take on Joel Rosario and Co., and counter with Chris Hartman’s Edge to Edge #1. I like this colt by Competitive Edge because not only did he win nicely last time in early December at Oaklawn, but he is testing deeper waters. Hartman is a conditioner with good sense and solid numbers. His sprinter already has 4 lifetime starts over this track, and that equates to skill/involvement. Francisco Arrieta, who was on him last time, gets the call once again, and his Meet is progressing well. The speed figs look good, and with a clean break, he might be able to strike the front, or lay 1 to 2 back from that 1-hole … I want to use these 2 aforementioned runners in an ice-cold Exacta. It is time to load up!

Wagering Recommendation: $2 Exacta Cold, 1 w 3

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Enjoy another fab Sunday trackside! Best of luck on another run at Oaklawn Park!