It is another sunny day in the 40s at Oaklawn, which opened its meet Friday to an estimated ontrack crowd of 20,000 and more than $4.6 million in handle from all sources. The track is anticipated as fast for Saturday's nine-race program led by the $100,000 American Beauty Stakes that drew Grade 2 winner Vertical Oak. There's also a pair of high-end optional claiming routes that could produce starters for the Grade 3, $500,000 Razorback Handicap and Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest. 

For entries, changes, and comments on each horse running Saturday at Oaklawn: https://www.drf.com/race-entries/track/OP/country/USA/date/01-26-2019

DRF Bets: www.drf.com/bets

The Oaklawn main track that was resurfaced in the offseason and that is being raced on two weeks later than usual due to the meet extending into May produced some quick times Friday. Gray Attempt's wire-to-wire mile in 1:36.94 in the Smarty Jones was the second fastest clocking for that stakes since its been run at the trip. Dan the Go to Man, a stakes winner, won a $10,000 starter allowance at six furlongs in 1:09.32. Ricardo Santana, Jr., also was off to a fast start at the meet, with the perennial leading jockey at Oaklawn winning two races Friday. 

There are two key scratches from the Razorback allowance prep, Flameaway and Casino Star. Taking a bit of a shot in here with Dazzling Gem, in part because he has recency on these and because of his strong record at Oaklawn.  

The Razorback prep is followed by another high-end optional claiming route, but this one is for straight 3-year-olds and starters include Jack Van Berg, who was scratched from the Smarty Jones. The choice here is Pole Setter for a few different reasons, including the fact that he is Grade 3-placed and because his dam is a Grade 1 winner. 

Asmussen talks Vertical Oak, who leads American Beauty: https://www.drf.com/track-news/top-news/vertical-oak-can-keep-momentum-going-in-american-beauty-456123

More from Asmussen on his stable at Oaklawn: https://classic.drf.com/news/asmussen-has-tough-act-himself-follow-oaklawn

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