Oaklawn Park Picks – Saturday April 11, 2020

By Bob Hill
Tracksideview Feature Writer —-

Choices for places to invest our money on our handicapping skills or hunches are quite limited these days. Here are full card picks for Oaklawn Park for this Saturday, including commentary on the two feature races of the day. Playing the chalk at Oaklawn has not been a profitable strategy this spring, so I encourage you to be sure to include some price horses in your selections regardless of which types of wagers you are making. Good luck.

Race 1: 1-7-9-3

Race 2: 8-3-4-10

Race 3: 8-3-5-2

Race 4: 5-1-2-4

Race 5: 5-2-11-9

Race 6: 7-6-2-9

Race 7: 13-11-6-4

Race 8: 9-4-2-5

Race 10: 6-7-10-12

Race 12: 9-5-10-1

Race 9: Oaklawn Mile for 4yo & up

2-14-3-7

This listed stakes race has Grade 1 quality with Mr. Money (2), Tom’s d’Etat (3), and Improbable (14) set to go. All are making first starts for 2020. Tom’s d’Etat is best at longer distances so trainer Al Stall is probably looking at other races to come, but this guy has posted six consecutive 100+ Beyer speed figures including one off the bench so he is very capable of winning. I think that Improbable is the best horse in this field at the distance of a flat mile, but his post-position draw to the far outside represents a tough hurdle to overcome. His work tab shows almost nothing but bullets. Mr. Money is trained by Bret Calhoun who has his horses ready to roll race after race. I think the slight edge of being drawn inside Improbable will produce the win for Mr. Money. Snapper Sinclair (7) is one of three Asmussen entries vying for fourth place.

Race 11: Oaklawn Stake – 1-1/8 miles for 3yo

1-4-12-8

Basin (1) finished third behind Nadal in the G2 Rebel Stakes. That one, as they say, “Ran them off their feet.” Basin pressed a very hot pace from about three lengths behind the leaders. He gutted out third place at the end of the race. Given that the Rebel was Basin’s first start of 2020 after months on the bench his effort is testimony to his quality. He had to have gotten plenty out of the Rebel effort. With Geroux in the irons, I like Basin to win this race going away. Thousand Words (4) was undefeated before losing last out in the G2 San Felipe to another Baffert star, Authentic. This son of Pioneer of the Nile cost a million dollars, but many who have watched him doubt his ability to carry much speed very far. He’s probably good enough to hit the board in this field, but I see his arrow pointing downward. This is a chance at redemption. Farmington Road (12) is a Pletcher trainee that did not draw into the Louisiana Derby. He also got stuck far outside in this race meaning jockey Martin Garcia will have to work hard and be smart to work out a good trip for him. This race will speak volumes as to whether or not he chases the Triple Crown going forward. Taishan (8) is improving with each race this winter.