Check out my Thursday (3-5-26) Oaklawn Park Race 7 analysis below.
OP 7 (Ratings Handicap-70k, 4&up, 8.5f dirt) – Post Time 4:35 PM ET
Primary – #4 COOKE CREEK, #1 Saudi Crown
Secondary – #5 Bendoog
Horse Comments:
#4 Cooke Creek (9-2) split next-out stakes winners Hit Show and Rattle N Roll in a neck defeat in the 2024 Lukas Classic (G2). Last year, he won the Battery Park at Delaware in September (blinkers on), and he was clearly second best behind Full Screen in the Queens County in December. Mike Maker is 25% at Oaklawn and he should be forwardly placed under strong speed rider Ramon Vazquez.
#1 Saudi Crown (1-1) is 7-for-16 overall but the 6-year-old horse is not as good as he once was. This is his first start since battling on the pace and fading to 7th of 8 (beaten 10 lengths) in the Hanshin at Churchill (June 2025). He ran well in both local starts last year including a nose victory over Mystic Dan in the local Lake Ouachita as the 1-2 favorite in May. He is 3-for-3 at this distance and should impact the pace from the inside post under Luis Saez (0-for-9 with Brad Cox). He fired a 5f bullet for this in Florida back on Jan. 24.
#5 Bendoog (5-1) shipped to this country in 2023 and he finished in the top 3 in 13 of 15 starts (3 wins). He is 1-for-12 with seven runner-up finishes since June 2024 and he split a pair of next-out winners in a clear, distant runner-up finish as the beaten favorite when last seen November 2025. He landed the place in both local starts and completed the exacta in all four starts at this trip.
Wagers:
#4 to win
Exacta 1-4/1-4-5
Trifecta key 1-4/all/5
Recent 2026 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Feb. 12 – Otherpeoplesmoney ($5.90), Exacta ($22.00)
Feb. 13 – Lovin’ On the Run/Artisma Exacta ($20.40)
Feb. 16 – Oscar’s Hope ($7.20), Trifecta ($142.00)
Feb. 17 – Shining Star ($3.00), Exacta ($8.40), Trifecta ($30.20)
Feb. 18 – My Own ($5.46)
Feb. 20 – Coach Cronin ($3.60), Exacta ($8.60)
Feb. 21 – Doncic ($7.20)
Feb. 22 – Tiger of the Sea ($5.20), Exacta ($10.00)
Feb. 27 – BiggieBiggieBiggie ($5.20)
Feb. 28 – Thought Process/Vibez Exacta ($22.80), Trifecta ($47.20)
March 1 – Mysterious Husband/Call Me Sir/Sneaking Candy Trifecta ($77.80)
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