This the last of the 10-4-2-1 races this prep season. The race is the 9th on the Oaklawn card with the post time set for 3:09 p.m. PDT.
Here is a look at some of the key horses in the race:
Cutting Humor (3-1): A lukewarm favorite, this $400,000 purchase out of the Todd Pletcher barn has only one win in four starts, that in a straight maiden race. In his last start he was second in an optional claimer at Gulfstream on January 18. I am guessing he is favored simply because he hails from the Pletcher barn. He may turn out to be the best, but to me he still has something to prove.
Gray Attempt (7-2): William Fires trains and Shaun Bridgmohan rides for the winner of the Smarty Jones, the prep race for this one. He wasn’t the favorite, was right there at 5-2. He has won three straight and has three big works in a row over the track. He has led at every point of call in his last three starts.
Sueno (7-2): Keith Desormeaux trains the horse that was second in the Sham at Santa Anita but leaves California to escape the big dogs coming into the prep season at SA. Corey Lanerie rides for the first time for a horse that has two wins in four starts. The last win was December 1 in the Gold Rush at Golden Gate Fields.
Jersey Agenda (5-1): A second in his debut has been followed by two straight wins for trainer Steve Asmussen. Ricardo Santana has the ride for the fourth straight start on horse that likes to go to the front and figures to vie for the lead again here.
Long Range Toddy (10-1): Three wins in the last four starts, with the lone loss a second by a neck in the Smarty Jones makes this runner possibly the value play of the day. Another trained by Asmussen, with Richard Eramira the pilot, Long Range Toddy will be one to watch sitting just off the pace and getting first run on the leaders.
Boldor (12-1): Could be on the outside looking in for Asmussen, but I like this horse a bit. He has not run a bad one in his three starts and was a solid third in the Smarty Jones while pushing the pace. He figures to improve here and if things fall apart up front, there is every reason to think he may have a shot. Ramon Vazquez has the call for the second straight race.
By Dennis Miller