Oaklawn Picks: DiVito's long shot Mojo Man on March 5

Oaklawn Park is housed in a university town ... a university town of horse racing to be precise ... The southern village of Hot Springs is hosting an extended festival with some superb racing. Betting options are the best in the country! We are facing another 2 days of wonderful racing from the celebrated home of Arkansas Thoroughbred culture!

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Most Likely Winners: (Race 6: Connie K #4, 5/2) and (Race 9: Gar Hole #9, 2/1)

The Downthedustyroad Breeders’ S. $150k and the Nodouble Breeders’ S. $150k are for Arkansas breds, and let’s face it, there is really only 1 horse in each race that is worth considering. Randy Morse’s Connie K #4 is just a monster, and John Ortiz’s Gar Hole #9 might be the best AR bred ever … I know! I am sure that both of these entries will get hammered at the windows because they have a burgeoning fan base. It is deserved. Maybe the play is to tote watch on Saturday … see if you could get 4/5 on either of them. That would be a gift, in my estimation.

Wagering Recommendation: $100 Win, #4 in R6, #9 in R9

Off-the-Pace Play of the Day: (Race 8: Mojo Man #1, 12/1):

Outside of the pair of ARK “Non-G” races, this one, an ALLW101k, could be a “feature” on any card. It has a nice group of older males that will be blowing and going down the backstretch. Oaklawn recently upped its purses in this category, and it is just another reason why they are the best of the best … I am going to make a bold statement in this spot, and go all in on a runner that I think is classy and ready to fire. I was behind Jimmy DiVito’s Royal Daaher a couple of weeks ago, and I think his 7-yr-old gelding is in a similar spot. Whether he gets bet down from 12/1 is a question, but I don’t think that will happen. Most of the money here is going to flow towards Ron Moquett’s Seven Nation Army #5 and Cip Contreras’ Home Base #8. Don’t get me wrong … those are fine choices, but DiVito has some tricks up his sleeve. This seasoned runner is dropping down from a much tougher spot. The son of Stay Thirsty might not get Francisco Arrieta in the irons, but having Ricardo Santana aboard is not too shabby a replacement.

Wagering Recommendation: $100 Bankroll, Win #1

Spotlight Race of the Day: (Race 5: Dirt, 6F, St. ALLW10k, 4+):

One of the races that I think is a major value spot is this “Starter.” As I have mentioned before, these can be very difficult, but strong opinions will out. Thumbing through the form, look for Cipriano Contreras to have the favorite when the tote starts to flicker. At 5/2, I suppose One for Richie #7 should get the nod. After all, he has a pair of ALLW Co. races under his saddle. He won the 1st, and ended up 2nd by a whisker … The excellent Francisco Arrieta gets the call once again, and if he wins the break, it could be over in the initial furlong. I am willing to take this one on, because he just looks to be way too short of a price. Instead, I much prefer an 8-yr-old from Karl Broberg’s midst—Win With Pride #6. I interviewed one of the 501 Boys for a “Claiming Game” piece I did back in January, and they have such passion. This gelding by Distorted Humor was a regular up at NYRA last year, and he came to Oaklawn for his last race off-the-claim. That was a Clm16k against the likes of Town Champ and Storm Advisory. With Ramon Vazquez aboard, he rode the rail to a nice score. Now in this spot, Broberg goes with David Cabrera. The Texas-based conditioner has superb numbers with 2nd-timers like this, and he should be a great price at 5/1. A couple of other entries that I want to use are Norm McKnight’s Seau #8 (also by Distorted H.), and Ingrid Mason’s Tappin Fora Dance #5. Both of these are strong sprinters that could help us finish off our ticket. This race is going to be an absolute joy to watch … and bet on!     

Wagering Recommendation: $2 Superfecta, 6 w 5/7/8 w 5/7/8 w 5/7/8

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Enjoy another fab Saturday trackside! Best of luck on another run at Oaklawn Park! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter … Horseracing_USA !!!