Oaklawn Park Pick 5 Picks: March 26, 2020

As the Coronavirus pandemic spreads throughout the country, the number of racetracks shutting down operations temporarily continue to add up. With that being said, I will shift my focus to Oaklawn Park specifically the Pick 5 on the back half of the card. I’ve previewed each race in the sequence and my ticket that I will play as well. Today’s 50¢ Pick 5 has a lot of competitive races and plenty of opportunities to make money!

Best of luck!

Race 5: Claiming $10,000-$8,000 for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles (8.5 furlongs) on the dirt. Purse $17,000

There are a few logical horses that I will include in the first leg of the Pick 5. One of the runners who caught my eye in here is #7 Hesluck. It’s difficult to find runners who are dropping in class, shown early speed, and won their last race. He’s been in the money 4/8 times and shows consistent results. His early speed may prove to be vital, as the rest of this group has failed to do so. The most likely winner is #10 Napoleon’s Empire. After running in non-winners of one, he drops into a $10,000-$8,000 claiming event. He has faced much tougher in the past and is the class of this group.

Race 6: Claiming $10,000-$8,000 for 4-years-old and upward going 1 mile (8 furlongs) on the dirt. Purse $18,500

William Martin has enjoyed success with #1 Esposito as of late. On February 22, he broke out of the gate well and wore down Omen of Change in the stretch. In his most recent effort, he took the lead in the stretch but failed to hold off Canadian Game who edged him out by a neck. #3 Carmelo drops into this group after running in three straight starter allowance races. He was outclassed but has shown success at the claiming level. Look for him to get back on track in a very favorable spot. My top choice is #6 You Split Tens for Federico Villafranco. He takes a step up in class today after winning by a couple of lengths last time out. His early speed and Martin Garcia aboard make him very tough to beat.

Race 7: Claiming $6,250 for fillies and mares 4-years-old and upward going 6 furlongs on the dirt. Purse $17,000

#4 J P’s Gladys never got going in her last effort on a very sloppy track here at Oaklawn on March 13. On February 8, she was dead last for the first half of the race and caught Council Rules at the wire. Joe Talamo gets the call for David Fawkes as he looks to get J P’s Gladys back to her winning ways. #7 Gemini Journey like J P’s Gladys also failed to fire on March 23. The last time she ran on a fast track, she won by open lengths at the $7,500 level here at Oaklawn Park. At a decent price, she must be included in all multi-race wagers.

Race 8: AOC $62,500 for 4-year-olds and upward going 6 furlongs on the dirt which have never won $15,000 two times other than maiden, claiming or starter bred allowance races. Purse $62,000

This is the most difficult race in this sequence, as I can make a case for most of these horses. I’ll start with my top choice #3 Augie. He has finished first or second in five straight races dating back to 2019. He is very consistent and certainly loves Oaklawn Park. Fernando De La Cruz will be aboard again as Augie looks to make it two in a row. Robertino Diodoro is one of the best trainers in the country and he has a great chance to improve on his numbers with #4 Silver Ride. Silver Ride won at the $80,000 level three starts back and makes him a tough competitor here. #10 Glory Stars on paper doesn’t look like he has a chance. He has won two out of three here at Oaklawn Park and has won five times at this distance. At morning line odds of 15/1, he is the perfect longshot to shatter the tote board.

Race 9: Maiden Claiming $40,000 for 3-year-olds going 1 mile (8 furlongs) on the dirt

#4 Special Day drops into this spot for Jerry Hollendorfer as he gets the tag for the first time. He’s faced much better in the past including Honor A. P., Tizamagician, and Azul Coast. He will not be facing any talent like those three and should take advantage of a much softer field. Joe Sharp will try Oaklawn Park for the first time with #9 Bayern to Be Wild. He was very competitive at the $50,000 level at the Fair Grounds and is a logical choice here. 

THE TICKET

$0.50 PICK 5 – 7,10 / 1,3,6 / 4,7,13 / 3,4,9,10 / 4,9 – $72

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