By Joe Quillen
Saturday 3/16/24 – Oaklawn Park Race 9 – Whitmore Stakes
With no Kentucky Derby prep races until next weekend, we head to Oaklawn Park for today’s ninth race, which is the Grade 3 Whitmore Stakes where seven older horses will sprint six furlongs on the main track. Post time is set for approximately 5:23 pm Eastern time.
Favored in today’s race is the 2 Tejano Twist (9/5 morning line) who finished second last time out in the King Cotton Stakes and one his other attempt at Oaklawn was a win in the Ring The Bell Stakes, which I highly doubt is named for my Philadelphia Phillies. He took this same path to today’s race last year and was victorious. He’s going to be at the rear of the field and will look to pass them all in the stretch.
The 3 Ryvit (2/1 ML) is the exact opposite of the favorite. He is going to go for the lead and play catch me if you can. That win in the Steel Valley Sprint at Mahoning Valley is an exception to the rule as he was bumped around a little there at the start.
Ryvit will have company on the front end here. The 5 Ninja Warrior (5/1 ML) likes to run on the front end as does the 6 Jaxon Traveler(12/1 ML). If these three horses hook up together, it’s going to look like a race that Tejano Twist will romp in on Saturday.
The 1 Osbourne (8/1 ML) shortened up to six furlongs today after he couldn’t close last time out. He shortened up to a sprint here and could get a piece of that speed duel develops.
The 4 Surveillance (6/1 ML) is third race off of the layoff and goes back to stakes company here. He shouldn’t be that far being the leaders, but he won’t be on the lead. He will probably be pouncing as they head for home.
If Ryvit is alone on the lead here, he is your winner. But I think that we will see either Ninja Warrior or Jaxon Traveler on the front end (or maybe both). This is setting up nicely for the favorite here. I’ll call this 2-4-1-3 and my play is $20 to win on the 2. Good luck everyone, and I’ll see you tomorrow for a St. Patrick’s Day edition of Quills Picks Winners.
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