HORSE RACING

TODAY AT OAK TREE AT HOLLYWOOD PARK

By Richard Eng

Post Time 1 p.m.

Race 1 - 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $23,000, Claiming $25,000, 2-year-olds

4 The Phenom - Crapped out last time after running 2 good races in a row; chance to redeem himself as the favorite.

5 Edgewick Road - Sliding down the claiming ladder to this career-low class; value with low percentage rider up.

Long Shot - 6 Sammy Choi

Race 2 - 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $12,000, Claiming $8,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

4 Squeeze Me Tight - Mike Mitchell gave Kerwin John 2 money shots at Fairplex; big rider switch to Joe Talamo.

8 Victory Dash - Dead-late closer plunged in class and won last out; never a sure thing with that running style.

Long Shot - 6 Mary Strong

Race 3 - 6 furlongs, $55,000 Anoakia, Fillies, 2-year-olds

1 Tales in Excess - She's better than she showed in last; the key will be what P Val does with Gone Rebel.

4 Pleasing Sunrise - Dead-late closer will hope a big speed duel erupts; will sit in arrears for one brush.

Long Shot - 5 Gone Rebel

Race 4 - 6 furlongs (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $38,000, Maiden special weights, 2-year-olds

8 Mr. Artistic M D - FTS from a live baby barn; bred to win early and gets Joel Rosario, watch the tote for clues.

6 Shelter Cove - Ran well in debut at Fairplex; must handle turf and gets P Val for an aggressive ride.

Long Shot - 5 Marker Down

Race 5 - 6 furlongs, Purse $20,000, Claiming $20,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

2 Dish the Dirt - Sliding down in class to the lowest level of her life; her race 2 back is fast enough to win.

3 Ultra Awesome - Speedball tactics last time at Turf Paradise; may look a bit cheap, but all of these do.

Long Shot - 6 Butch Marino

Race 6 - 1 1/16th miles (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $38,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds and up

3 Papa Lev - He's had plenty of chances, but hasn't graduated yet; Barry Abrams adding blinkers on for this.

5 Proud Illusion - Turf debut in last was pretty solid; Armando Lage adding blinkers on, has tactical speed.

Long Shot - 1 Marino's Star

Race 7 - 6 furlongs, Purse $23,000, Claiming $25,000, 3-year-olds and up

6 Sea of Pleasure - Classic speedball tactics with top gate rider P Val up; he'll take this one as far as he can go.

4 Mr. Monkey Jones - Dead-late closer will hope for a speed duel up front; right up the alley of Joel Rosario.

Long Shot - 2 Proud Cardenal

Race 8 - 1 mile (turf, rail at 15 feet), Purse $40,000, Allowance, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

1 Hemera - Rail-hugging ride for Rafael Bejarano; grinder won't have nemesis Blue Maiden in this field.

7 Jet Blue Girl - Expect speedy tactics from this wide post; his turf mile in the Blue Norther was a solid effort.

Long Shot - 2 Nan

Race 9 - 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $13,000, Maiden claiming $25,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

7 Primed - Like the turn back in distance; suspect will close with a lot of power, key is if it's in time.

3 Teenage Dancer - Third start off an 8-month hiatus; exits a MSW race for this much easier spot.

Long Shot - 8 D' Elegance

Best Bet - 1 Hemera (race 8)

Oak Tree Saturday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 16/5/$23.80; Long Shots, 8/1/$13.00; Best Bet, 1/1/$4.00

Oak Tree Totals - 265/73/$560.80; Long Shots, 127/18/$167.80; Best Bets, 16/6/$20.80

SIMULCAST PICK OF THE DAY - #7 Such Time As This (2/1) in race 5 at Keeneland. For scoring purposes, we'll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Saturday, Wishful Tomcat ran third at Belmont Park paying $3.30 to show. Stats - 177/128/$982.50