Pick 3 of the Week: 2025 Oaklawn Park Saturday

Oaklawn Park plays host to a fantastic 14-race card on Saturday, led by the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1). I found a three-race sequence that has a lot of appeal to me prior to the feature for the Pick 3 of the Week

Race 8 Wager:

$2 Pick 3: 1,3,8 with 1,2,3,4,7,8 with 5 ($36)

Race 8 – Oaklawn Mile (G3)

A very good field of eight will go one mile in the opening leg. #8 Saudi Crown (7-5) is the sure one to beat for conditioner Brad Cox. The Grade-1 victor is especially good on his best day and has the pace to take the race to his foes from the start in the contest. He has trained well since finishing fifth after leading early in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) last time, and the son of Always Dreaming will have regular pilot Florent Geroux up. But, there are multiple runners who will challenge the favorite if he is not at his best, however. 

Grade-1 placed #1 The Wine Steward (4-1) was game in posting a Fifth Season S. tally in his four-year-old debut and looks logical for Mike Maker. David Jacobson’s red-hot #3 Banishing (9-5) was a close second in the Razorback H. (G3) on the surface most recently and is obviously one to include. 

Race 9 – Maiden Special Weight

Sophomores will travel 1 1/8 miles in the middle leg of the play. I think that the contest is especially wide-open, and while the pair of morning-line choices has merit, I feel that both could be somewhat vulnerable. #1 Sixtyseven Mustang (12-1) is the value of the race for Doug Anderson. The Vekoma gelding ran big after a slow break on debut and ran into Arkansas Derby (G1) favorite Cornucopian second time out. A rail draw and a sprint-to-route move will both benefit the chestnut. 

Second timer #2 The Commack Kid (15-1), #3 Zero Sugar (2-1), morning-line pick #4 Oy Gevald (9-5), Steve Asmussen’s #7 Iron Dome (20-1), and the Brad Cox-trained #8 Zardun (10-1) will all make my ticket. 

Race 10 – Optional Claiming

The six-furlong dash for the boys attracted a strong field of 10, and I will single to close out the wager. #5 Wendelssohn (9-5) was a clear second behind rising star Booth in an allowance run on the course last time out, and the bay colt will be super tough to upend with even minor improvement off of that dash. The four-year-old has been first or second in each of his four runs at the current meeting and gets the nod with Tyler Bacon retaining the ride.