Mr. Ed's Best Bets for Oaklawn Park on Saturday, February 24

TRACKING MR. ED: Last Saturday at Fair Grounds a Win ($80) + a Place ($14) + an Exacta ($76.50) = $170.50 worth of winning tickets on $180 in posted racing action. A net loss of $9.50, an improvement over the previous week and indicates profitable days ahead, including my Oaklawn Park best bets.

DERBY COUNTDOWN: With 10 weeks to go until the May 4 Run for the Roses, here are Mr. Ed’s EXCLUSIVE ELEVEN top contenders: 1-Dornoch, 2-Siena Leone, 3-Timberlake (choice to win today’s Race 11 at Oaklawn, see below), 4-Fierceness, 5-Track Phantom, 6-Hall of Fame, 7-Locked, 8-Hades, 9-Domestic Product, 10-Nysos (Baffert trained, currently not eligible) and 11-Victory Avenue. (Subject to change each week)

ON THE ROAD TO KENTUCKY DERBY (continued): Today finds Mr. Ed’s picks at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, featuring the $1.25 million G2 Rebel Stakes for 3YOs. The super-competitive 12-race card features three other stakes and totals more than $3.4 million in purse money. Weather forecast: Sunny. Track condition: Fast&Firm. Infield: Open … While Oakland is one of the few tracks Mr. Ed has yet to visit, everything he’s heard about the Arkansas oval is positive. “Hot Springs and the track are Saratoga Springs south,” according to a lifelong horseplaying friend. On Mr. Ed’s bucket list.

WHO TO WATCH TODAY AT OAKLAWN: Jockeys Chris Landeros, Keith Asmussen, Tyler Gaffalione and BJ Hernandez all have live mounts and merit consideration … Trainers Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox, D. Wayne Lukas and Kenny McPeek all have several entries and will compete for trips to the Winner’s Circle … First race post time at Oaklawn Park is 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. Here are Mr. Ed’s selections:

Race 4 (2:31 p.m. ET/11:31 a.m. PT) — $150K Allowance at 6 furlongs for 4YOs & upMr. Ed likes #6 LAKE RADIO (5-1 morning line) for local conditioner Matt Shirer, whose stable is winning at a 24% clip at the meet. The hard-charging colt needs another step forward off two second-place finishes over the oval. Peruvian jockey Martin Chuan rides.

Wager: $10 to Win and play over and under 2,3,8 in $5 Exactas. ($40)