Weekend Plays: Answer In can rebound in Oaklawn allowance

After finishing a mild third in the Southwest Stakes (G3) over a month ago, Answer In makes his second start of 2020 in an Oaklawn Park allowance optional claimer on Saturday. The race is for 3-year-olds who will run around two turns at 1 1/16 miles.

Given the lack of stakes races or open tracks because of the coronavirus situation, it is refreshing to see a good 3-year-old such as Answer In competing, win or lose. He disappointed in the Southwest as the favorite, but the situation is different in this softer spot.

Answer In leads off the five April 4 Oaklawn and Gulfstream selections.

Oaklawn Race 8: Allowance Optional Claimer, 3YO

Back in the Southwest, a couple of factors made Answer In a questionable bet, including a wide post and overeager public, who bet him down to 8/5.

The situation is different in this spot. Answer In is 3-1 on the morning line, and if the public bets him down to 8/5 again, those odds fit better against optional claimers. Unlike last time, he avoids any horse on the talent level of Silver Prospector or Wells Bayou.

Also, Answer In was caught five wide on the first turn in the Southwest. Despite running wide, he did not fare that badly and stayed in the mix for the most part. Only toward the end did Answer In start to fade, as he lost by 6 1/2 lengths while still holding third.

For the third-place finish, Answer In earned a respectable 112 TimeformUS Speed Figure. No other horse in this race owns a TimeformUS figure above 110. Also, notice how the runner-up Wells Bayou won the Louisiana Derby (G2) in his next start with a 115 and the fifth-place Taishan returned to win a local allowance optional claimer with a 116.

Expect Answer In to handle this field at a short price.

Oaklawn Race 7: Allowance, 3+, F

After fading to fifth in a local one-mile allowance, Dulce Ride also makes her second start of the year. She shortens up to six furlongs for trainer Brad Cox.

Ignore Dulce Ride's route attempts. This mare wants to run a shorter distance, as evidenced by how she always hangs or loses ground in one-mile races.

Sprintwise, Dulce Ride has turned in some strong efforts. Back in late 2018 at Santa Anita and Keeneland, she ran second three times in a row with a 102, 103 and 107 on TimeformUS. Ignore the poor sprint effort on synthetic at Golden Gate Fields in 2019.

After the synthetic flop, she went on the shelf for a year and transferred from Anne Meah to Cox. It is a good sign that Cox has not dropped her to a claiming race off the recent loss.

If Dulce Ride can work out a trip in this 12-horse field, she is a major threat.

Oaklawn Race 10: Maiden, 3+

At first glance, this is a tough maiden race to figure out with 12 horses and two also-eligible entries hoping to draw in. But the nod goes to Aztec Empire.

Aztec Empire looks interesting because of his upside. Even though this is a 4-year-old colt, he only shows three career starts, one last year and two recently on this track.

In Aztec Empire's Feb. 27 start, he was pinched at the start. From there, he ran evenly on the inside and finished a mild fourth, 8 1/2 lengths behind the winner.

One month later, he enjoyed a better trip sitting close to the pace. But for some reason, he momentarily lost position approaching the far turn and ended up four lengths behind at one point. But under heavy urging, he clawed his way back to lose by 2 1/2 lengths.

On paper, Aztec Empire's running line is a minor Z pattern.

Also, considering Ron Moquett is the trainer, the public is not likely to overbet this colt. He is a fair bet at 4-1, and a value play at anything above those odds.

Gulfstream Race 9: Starter Allowance, 3YO

Over at Gulfstream, Inter Miami returns to dirt after flopping in his turf debut only last weekend. After taking a bad step, he ended up last by 20 3/4 lengths.

Cross out the failed grass experiment. On dirt, Inter Miami is a good horse who won a Florida-bred optional claimer on March 4 with a 99 TimeformUS Speed Figure. No other horse in this field has ever hit 99 on TimeformUS, giving Inter Miami a huge advantage.

Prior to that effort, he finished sixth in the Swale Stakes (G3) and fifth in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes against horses that likely would start at even money in this race.

Inter Miami is 5/2 on the morning line, which sounds optimistic given his figure advantage. If he starts at that price, that is an excellent value.

Gulfstream Race 11: Allowance Optional Claimer, 3YO

The promising 3-year-old I'll Fight Dempsey makes his second start after a successful career debut on Feb. 29 for trainer Todd Pletcher, where he won by 2 1/2 lengths.

Even though the final margin is mild, his time of 1:10.64 was faster than the Hutcheson Stakes time of 1:11.64 only one race later at the same distance.

He now stretches out to seven furlongs, and that is a minor concern. But note that his dam Azara is a More Than Ready half-sister to Tepin and Vyjack, two familiar routers.

I'll Fight Dempsey is destined for better races. Given his talent and future prospects, he is acceptable at a short price against this mild group of optional claimers.