Thursday’s Best Bet: Brilliant Man may be on beam at Oaklawn
Thursday’s ninth race at Oaklawn is an optional-claiming event for 3-year-olds who have never won two races. They will be traveling one mile on the main track. The scheduled post time is 5:55 p.m. EDT.
Click here for Oaklawn entries and results.
No. 12 Brilliant Man (12-1) moved to the Chris Hartman barn and showed marked improvement in his local maiden win Feb. 18. He figures to stalk the pace from the outside post under Rafael Bejarano.
No. 5 Big to Do (2-1) wired the field in the slop as the favorite in his dirt route bow at Fair Grounds on March 1, and that race originally was scheduled for turf. Brad Cox has good stats with his recent graduates trying winners for the first time, and Flavien Prat wins races with this barn.
No. 2 Count Dracula (3-1) improved his speed ratings in all three starts. He switched to dirt and earned his diploma at Fair Grounds on Jan. 21 and missed by a neck in the Black Gold in the mud March 2. The improving colt should be forwardly placed.
No. 1 Maximus Magic (9-2) romped from an outer post in his local maiden win at this distance Jan. 1. He regressed on a good track Jan. 28, and bounced back with a runner-up finish at 37-1 odds Feb. 24. He should attend the pace from the inside post.
No. 10 Give Me a Reason (8-1) held on by a nose in a much improved effort in a local maiden route Feb. 24. He should be all over the pace.
Wagers
No. 12 to win
Exacta box 5-12
Trifecta 5-12/1-2-5-10-12/1-2-5-10-12
Recent Best Bet winners
March 1 – Princess of Me ($5.80), exacta ($11.80)
March 3 – Du Jour/Easter exacta ($28.20)
March 6 – Spikezone/Just Beat the Odds exacta ($7.80), trifecta ($22.40)
March 7 – Insensitive ($5.00)
March 9 – Sweet Azteca/Adare Manor/Green Up trifecta ($94.60)
March 10 – Medoro/Zona Verde exacta ($15.20), trifecta ($33.60)
March 15 – Abhita ($6.40), exacta ($27.60)
March 17 – Sharp Aza Tack ($5.20)
March 18 – Kiss and Tell/Lady Zephyr exacta ($40.40)
March 19 – Lake Bee/Power Slam exacta ($15.60), trifecta ($32.40)
Thursday – Olympic Dreams/Tabeguache exacta ($25.60)
Tuesday – Pistol Liz Ablazen ($8.60)