Friday's Best Bet: Lynn's Map plots right Smarty Jones course

Opening Friday’s 8th race from Oaklawn Park is the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes for 3-year-olds traveling one mile on the main track (Post Time - 4:52 p.m. ET).

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The pace should be fast as #1 Lykan, #4 Nucky, #6 Gold Street each have sprint speed.

#8 LYNN’S MAP (6-1) drew post 14 and scratched out of the Lecomte (G3) last Saturday. His stablemate Enforceable captured that event. He owns improving numbers and has won two straight. I like his running style versatility, and he could easily be this good.

#3 Shared Sense (12-1) is an intriguing maiden for Brad Cox. He stretched out in his second start and improved to miss by a 1/2 length as the chalk Nov. 8, and Lynn’s Map beat him that day. He was second in the Churchill slop on Nov. 30 and the winner ran faster than Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) hero #2 Silver Prospector (5-2). The latter was my value top choice. He drew well and is versatile but won’t be 7-1 this time.

#7 Shoplifted (3-1) bounced back with a nice off-the-pace victory in the Remington Springboard Mile. The $800,000 purchase might be on the upswing and seems to fit well in the non-graded ranks.

#9 Three Technique (9-2) fired in all four sprints as the chalk in New York (two wins and two runner-up finishes). Let’s see if he can overcome the outside post in his first start around two turns. He has been stabled at Oaklawn Park since late last year, showing four local breezes for this.

Wagers:

#8 to win

Exacta Box 3-8

Trifecta Key 8/2-3-7-9

Trifecta 2-8/ALL/3    

January 2020 Best Bet Winners

Jan. 1 - TEXAS WEDGE ($6.20)

Jan. 3 - BELLAZANO ($6.80), Exacta ($8.00)

Jan. 4 - DESERT STONE ($16.20), Exacta ($22.10), Trifecta ($31.65)

Jan. 8 - Codrington/Tootsie Exacta ($15.00)

Jan. 9 - STUNNING SKY ($6.00)

Jan. 13 - LUVINMEISEASY ($7.60), Exacta ($21.20), Trifecta ($16.80)

Jan. 22 - ROSEBUD'S HOPE ($9.40)

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