Oaklawn Park’s “Get Out $3 Pick 3” won’t be an easy out for bettors on Friday the 13th. Large, competitive fields fill the lineup in races 8 through 10. Here’s a closer look with a suggested $54 ticket:
OP 8th race (5:10 p.m. EST) -- The field is a combined 14-for-55 at one mile in this crowded starter allowance. UNLOAD, winless in the last 19 months since a stakes victory at Remington Park, was reclaimed by Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen off a pair of decent 6F sprints that made him eligible for this condition. The son of 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner finished third behind the Asmussen-trained Cape Trafalgar (5-21, $312k) two starts back, then launched a good rally into the far turn, peeled out 5-wide at the top of the stretch and flattened out in the final furlong to finish fourth more recently. He has plenty of long-distance experience to summon, including a Grade 3 placing in the 2024 Cornhusker Stakes. LITTLE STEVEN set a solid pace at 1-1/16 miles but couldn’t hold off the winning favorite at 1-1/16 miles. He earned the top speed figure of his career, retains betting value and should appreciate the cutback to one mile. EXCEL CALCULATOR left too much work to do after he hopped at the break, but he advanced steadily in the final quarter mile to finish third behind LITTLE STEVEN. He won one-mile races at three tracks in 2025 and will have to negotiate post 10 to pay off on a claim by new trainer Wayne Potts.
OP 9th race (5:44 p.m. EST) -- KANT BELIEVE IT makes her seasonal debut, but the lightly-raced 7-year-old has quality speed, has run well with similar time off between starts and won two of her last four sprints at Oaklawn with an 80 and 79 Beyer, respectively. LADY ABERDEEN carried her speed to two wins and a third in her last four starts and met multiple stakes winner Nerazurri (5-15, $381k) in between. She might have to find a passing gear, but the price is right to use on the Pick 3 ticket at a suitable distance. If a front-end battle ensues, DEMIDANU could loom in longshot range if she overcomes a bad habit of slow starts. She drew away from KANT BELIEVE IT at 5-1/2 for her last victory a year ago.
OP 10th race (6:15 p.m. EST) -- WILDWOOD QUEEN, hard-ridden between rivals on the turn, exchanged bumps while launching a bid in early stretch, then finished full of run to finish second. She continued strong on the gallop out, earning a playback in the same spot. SHE’S STORMING dueled and found more late to beat the ‘Queen’ at 24-1 odds and could do it again, albeit at a much shorter price. SPARKLY, extremely wide from post 12 while unhurried to the turn, could change tactics with a better post draw, but she’s 0-for-13 at the distance.
Suggested $3 Get Out Pick 3 Ticket
OP 8th Race: 6, 7, 10
OP 9th Race: 4, 5, 6
OP 10th Race: 2, 8
Cost: $54
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