Oaklawn Horse Racing Picks Including Kentucky Derby Prep & Arkansas Derby for Saturday 4/1/23

The Oaklawn meet continues Saturday with Championship Series races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Two of the biggest graded stakes races at Oaklawn Park are featured with the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes for 3-year-old fillies in Race 10 and the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby for 3-year-olds in Race 12 -- a Kentucky Derby prep race. Post time to start the day on April 1 is 1:30 p.m. ET.

As always, check the program for scratches and changes, monitor the weather, and keep an eye on the track conditions.

(I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure in selected races, which tells you how fast a horse has been running in each of its races after adjusting for track, distances, and conditions).

Oaklawn Betting

Here are some of the best bets to make at FanDuel Racing today, according to numberFire and Horse Racing Nation.

1. Hopper and Smile Happy, Race 5

FanDuel Racing Odds: 10/1 and 20/1
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Race 5 is the $400,000 Grade 3 Oaklawn Mile for older horses. The two favorites are expected to decide this race with Hopper (7/5) and Smile Happy (9/5) offering low payoff potential as the top win picks by numberFire's data.

A modest pace and little pressure up front is expected with Hopper dictating the terms with HOF jockey John Velazquez riding for trainer Bob Baffert. Sharp workouts for Hopper, and he cuts back in distance off his two wins from 10 furlongs to 8. This West coast invader finished fourth in the Santa Anita Handicap in March. Smile Happy finished 2nd in the Blue Grass and Risen Star last year and 8th in the Kentucky Derby.

2. Wet Paint and Pate, Race 10

FanDuel Racing Odds: 10/1 and 20/1
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Race 10 is the $600,000 Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles. This is a Kentucky Oaks Championship Series race with the top 5 finishers awarded qualifying points (100-40-30-20-10). The top win contenders by HRN analysis are Wet Paint (8/5), Royal Spa (4/1) and longshot Pate (20/1). NumberFire's data picks Wet Paint to win.

Wet Paint is 2-for-2 at Oaklawn and close to four wins in a row. Royal Spa has improved her race internals in her last races and has fast and stronger workouts since. Longshots Pate recently moved to the care of trainer Mike Maker. She has moved forward in every one of her last three starts culminating into that near miss in the salty Dixie Bell Stakes at Oaklawn in Feb.

3. Reincarnate and Harlocap, Race 14

FanDuel Racing Odds: 5/2 and 15/1
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Race 14 is the $1.25 million Grade 1 Arkansas Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles. This is a Kentucky Derby Championship Series race with the top 5 finishers awarded qualifying points (100-40-30-20-10).

The numberFire data likes Angel of Empire (9/2), Reincarnate (5/2) and Rocket Can (4/1).

Racing picks are provided in FanDuel's Arkansas Derby preview with the full field and odds.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.