McLean's "Bonus Coverage" Handicapping: Oaklawn Park on Saturday, Feb. 25

McLean’s “Bonus Coverage” Handicapping: Oaklawn Park on Saturday, Feb. 25

(Stats to be updated after Turfway Park’s card on Friday night)

Here’s our looks at the final 5 races at Oaklawn Park today, including the G3 Honeybee and the G2 Rebel Stakes:

7th: 5-11-7/1-4/10-8-9/2/3-6…Carusel Stakes…I give the nod to Yuugiri (5) in this return to Stakes action. This 4YO filly didn’t run again in 2022 until late December after spitting the bit and running 13th in the G1 KY Oaks. Don’t know if this daughter of Shackleford ever relished two turns. Maybe. She won the G3 Fantasy over this Oaklawn Park track at 11/16-miles. But this one has natural and gifted speed. Loved the return here on Dec. 30 when cutting back to the sprint distance. Mud was no issue, either. Won easily. Training well since. Looks fit and ready. One to catch, IMO. Samurai Charm (11) ships in from snowy CA after running 3rd in the G2 Santa Monica at Santa Anita on Feb. 4. Cuts back from the 7 furlongs to this 6 panels and should love the distance. Has 2 wins in 4 starts going this far. Picks up top rider for this one. Pretty Bride (7) won easily here on Dec. 17 going 51/2 furlongs. Has 2 wins in 3 tries at 6 furlongs, too, and both of those here. Has speed and will challenge our top pick. I bet the 5 across the board and then box the top 3 in the exactas. I will key the top 3 numbers over the 1-4 in two smaller units. I will also key the 5 over/under the 11-7-1-4-10-8-9 in two smaller units, as well.

8th: 8-9/6-7-1/5/2/8/4…Albizu (8) gets my top number here. This 5YO son of Include has a win in two starts here and should improve off the last one, when he bobbled at the start and never truly recovered. Before that? Had hit the board in five straight, including two wins. Like. Fitzpatrick (9) could be a nice longshot here. This one moves to a new trainer, who wins with .12% of the last 57 to make the first start for the new barn operation. Has been off since last June and was sold for $45,000 at the KEE Horse’s of Racing Age Sale late last year. Working OK for the return and gets a top rider up. I give a shot here. I bet the 8 across the board and then box the 8-9 in the exactas. I will key the 8-9 over/under the 6-7-1-5-2 in two smaller units.

9th: 2-9/3-4/1-10//8/7//5-6…Golden Hornet (2) is returning from a short break for a trainer who has won .26% of his last 385 starts and has gone 1-1-0 in two starts here this meet. This one has speed to burn and will gun it early and often. Has 3 wins and a 2nd at this distance. Rider is 2 for 81 here this meet. Ugh. But one of those two wins was on this one’s back. Hmm. Life is Hard (9) cannot be dismissed, IMO. This 5YO son of Running’s has gone 2-2-0 in 4 starts here and he barn wins with .20% of the last 60 to make the 2nd start off a layoff. Ran huge last time out in first try since last June. Improvement and this one wins. I bet the 2-9 across the board and then box these two sternly in the exacts. I will key the 2-9 over/under the 3-4-1-10 in two smaller units. 

10th: 7/4-2-8-3/5-1/9/11-12/6-10…G3 Honeybee Stakes…The first “Key Play of the Day”at Hot Springs comes here with Wet Paint (7). This 3YO daughter of Blame is coming off a super impressive 2-length, come-from-behind win in the Martha Washington Stakes here on Jan. 28. Full of run that day and the rider returns for another shot at glory on this “Road to the KY Oaks.” Looks like the distance won’t be an issue, and I love the sire line. Look out here. Work on Feb. 19 was spot on. Spot. On. I bet the 7 to win/place/show and then key the 7 over/under the 4-2-8-3-5-1 in the exactas. More on the 4-2-8-3 than the rest. I also double down on this win wager.

11th: 5-1/7-3-6/2-4/8-9/10-11…G2 Rebel Stakes…Trainer Brad Cox is absolutely loaded with top 3YO colts this Spring and this could be another inauguration ceremony and another tap on the shoulder towards the 149th Kentucky Derby. I give the edge here to Giant Mischief (5), one of two from the Cox barn. This one will make the 2023 debut here after nearly winning the Springboard Mile at Remington Park last December. That was the first set-back for this son of Into Mischief. Gets a new rider here with the mega-talented Irad Ortiz, Jr. shipping in for the mount. Wow. That’s a huge step up in guidance and the works are spot, spot, spot on. Look out here. Verifying (1) is a 3YO son of Justify and another Cox pupil. This one cruised here on Jan. 14 in an allowance try. Should have won. Did easily. Now, moves back into Graded Stakes company. Was 2nd in the G1 Champagne before a horrid trip at KEE in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Off slow the day and bothered at the start. Never had a shot. This one is the one to beat here. Look for a Cox duo. I bet the 5 across the board and then box the 5-1 exacta sternly. I will key the 5-1 over (only) the 7-3-6-2-4 in the exactas, too. 

Gene McLean began his professional career in 1977 as a sportswriter and columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader in Lexington, Ky., and was recognized as one of the state’s best writers, winning the prestigious “Sportswriter of the Year” honor in 1985. Now the President and Publisher of The Pressbox, McLean sets the vision for the site and still finds time to handicap races, interview trainers and keep his finger on the pulse of the industry,