Handicapper Tips & Picks

3-CARMALIETA has been splitting better fields at Oaklawn. Speedy runner gets a speed handling rider. Might never look back. 5-BALLYBAY BEAUTY got bumped around a bit in last, her first start after getting claimed by this barn. She’s been racing mostly in sprints recently but think she’s far better going long. She’ll display better speed with the stretch out. Can give top choice a run for the money. 1-GREAT OWL stretches out for the first time. She has good sprint speed but she tends to fade late. Not sure the stretch in distance will help her chances. 

2-LOLITA J is fresh off a good second-place finish at Fairmount. Drops to her lowest level yet. She has tended to run out of gas late recently but her last couple races were contested on off tracks. She did finish second in her lone fast-track race. Might leave them all behind in this spot. 5-STYLISH GIRL tired while meeting better on the turf in her lone race. Drops a few levels and moves to the main track. Will most likely be heavily favored but no guarantee that she’ll win this. 1-LILAS OAK TREE also drops. She has never shown much speed, at any distance, but she always raced at higher levels. Might come alive with the class drop.

5-RACEDAY ATTIRE needed last. She was making her first start since November and had only three slow drills going into the race but she was able to press the pace early and get to the lead in the stretch. She did tire late but that effort was the tightener she needed.  3-DIXIE PENNY is another that just missed and she was in against tougher. This consistent mare always seems to finish in, or almost I, the money every race. 2-MARY MOONGLOW, similarly to top choice, figures to be even better in her second start of the year. She was right there from the start in that last race and fought gallantly for the lead but had to settle for second place. May get by all today. 4-LALY is making her first start of the year but she has been good off layoffs and her barn knows how to get them ready. This mare beat better in her final start of 2025. Could pick up where she left off. 

5-SILVER QUARTERS goes for his fourth win in a row. He came from far back to score the victory in a race that was originally scheduled for turf. That was his first dirt win. He had been far better on synthetic and turf. He’s back on the law for this race. There should be plenty of speed to set up for his late run. Seems likely to extend his streak. 2-WICKED SUPRISE lost his last race by 58 lengths but he was making his first start of the year and, as with the case of top choice, it was a race that got moved to the main track. He won his final two races of 2025, both on the weeds. Just going to ignore that last start. Think we’ll witness far better in this contest, as long as it stays on the turf. 8-GRAND ILLUSION was another that didn’t handle the move to dirt in his most recent start but also another than won two of his three previous turf starts.

5-SINE QUA NON sports the highest recent speed figures and has often faced tougher competition. However, although this late-running gelding won three of his nine turf races, they have all be sprints, with his longest coming at six furlongs. All his route races leave a lot to be desired. Can’t really see a reason why he does poorly in routes, but he does. He should be tough in this spot but there is no guarantee. This looks like the perfect spot for 4-JOURNEY to make his 2026 debut. While he might not be the only, or even the best, early speed in the race, the distance is exactly what he needs. All four of his wins came on this turf course, two of three at this exact distance. Should be right there all the way around. 1-PROTONIC POWER has been in poor form for months but it always seems like he saves his best for local races. He won the last two times he ran here, beating rivals at this level both times. 

There are many in here with speed but not sure any can get the distance. I landed on 5-CANTARITO. He looks like one of the few in here that will finish with anything left while most of his rivals, including those likely to be fighting for the early lead, have been tiring in shorter sprints. 4-CHI TOWN PRINCE is likely to be favored and might deserve it. He races for one of the top barn, he gets the top rider, and he’s dropping in class. But he is one of those that have been running out of gas early. 3-REGAINED POWER fits many of the same statistics as Chi Town Prince. It seems likely that those two, along with a couple others, could be vying for the lead which could compromise their chances.

Don’t think it’s likely to happen but 8-SUPER MCKINZIE is entered for the main track only and would likely be very tough if this race got moved to dirt. 7-THIS BEAU KNOWS ships back from Florida. He finished second in his last two races at Tampa and the winner of last came right back to win his next start. 5-URGENT ACTION makes his debut for the red-hot Block barn off a good set of drills. He is the stablemate of this Beau Knows. He gets the top pilot in his irons for this race. But he is a 5-year-old making his first start. Have to wonder why. 3-HURRICANE EXPRESS could be the best of the speed. He finished third in his most recent race after leading early. But he is making his 20^th start as a maiden and this race is a sixteenth longer than his last. 4-STORM BACK might be worth another look. He’s moving up in class but he did finish second in his last two turf races.