Oaklawn Park Circles & Squares Analysis for Jan. 23

RACE 1:

#1 WAR MUSIC has shown progression race-to-race and makes some positive changes for this third career start. She debuted at the Special Weight level at the first part of the meet, showing run, especially past the wire with a good GALLOP+ out. She followed up the debut on January 7^th presenting as a ROUTER going the six-furlong distance with a slightly improved 66 OptixFIG. She will find that distance change today as well as the welcome class change. She paired up C+ OptixGRADES at the higher maiden level, only average efforts for that condition, that class change should allow for her to race more competitively on the drop.

RACE 3:

#6 PROUD VICTORIA will get a look returning to make her second start of the meet for Allen Milligan. She returned off the layoff here Dec. 5, the opening week, at a higher Optional Claiming event. She likely needed and was given the race returning after 160-days and with the presence of front wraps and lacking public support (52-1) from the assigned 10-1 morning line. Mentally she might have needed the race as well given the restless GATE behavior which played a role in the slow (SLOG) and TROUBLE_S start. From there she moved up early into the faster (X_FLOW) opening quarter, a MOVE that is not easy to see on the running line alone. As she returns today she will take the class drop, a change that is not necessarily as concerning going back to last season with her one win and most competitive race at the $20k claiming level.