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Pick Pony Mini Tip Sheet for Will Rogers Downs – Racing News and Analysis for March 17, 2026

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Race day at Will Rogers Downs features a nine-race all-dirt card highlighted by Oklahoma-bred claiming and allowance sprints, plus a one-mile starter allowance mid-card. The program leans heavily toward five to six furlong events, with many familiar local connections and state-bred barns represented across multiple races.

Weather around the Oklahoma City region, a useful proxy for Claremore, indicates dry, cool March conditions with no current indication of measurable precipitation on or immediately before March 17, and light winds. These conditions, combined with typical maintenance patterns at Will Rogers Downs, support expectations of a fast main track playing close to its standard, relatively fair sprint profile.

Historical tendencies for similar Midwest dirt tracks suggest a mild preference toward forward tactical speed and inside-to-middle posts from five to six furlongs when the surface is fast, though no clear, up-to-the-minute evidence of a strong rail or lane bias was found for today. As a result, horses that can secure good early position from posts one through six without getting hooked in extreme duels are projected to have a modest advantage, with closers needing genuinely hot paces to fully capitalize.

Race 1 is a six-furlong maiden claiming sprint with six geldings, where the pace projects to be honest but not extreme, led by Tin Top (4) and Njustlikethat (3), with Candy Cactus (5) stalking just behind. Njustlikethat (3) and Candy Cactus (5) rate as primary competitors based on tactical speed and rider strength, while Tin Top (4) and Fully Funded (2) hold secondary appeal and Tommy Kat (1) and Diamonds R Lucky (6) look more like longshot or exotics types depending on trip and rail performance.​

Race 2, a five-and-a-half-furlong non-winners-of-two claiming race for fillies and mares, features several pace elements, notably Girls Knicks Now (5) and Presleys Volley (2), with Mirage Code (1) and Misses Millie (4) tracking just behind. Girls Knicks Now (5) and Palmilla's Bet (3) stand out as key players given their projected pace-versus-trip balance and rider assignments, while Presleys Volley (2) and Mirage Code (1) rate as solid secondary contenders, leaving Misses Millie (4), Belle Blaze (6), and Daretocatchlove (7) as longer-priced options that may fill out the exotics if the race shape breaks their way.​

Race 3 is a five-furlong open claiming dash where early speed and weight are central, with Twentyone N Change (2) likely to show strong speed under a light weight, and Baseball Politics (1) and Elusive Power (5) also close to the front. Baseball Politics (1) and Elusive Power (5) profile as primary contenders from favorable inside and outside posts, with Twentyone N Change (2) an important secondary win threat and Night Passage (4) a stalking type likely to pick up pieces, while Sidetown (3) appears more speculative due to repeated prior veterinarian scratches.​

Race 4 is an Oklahoma-bred non-winners-of-three claiming sprint at six furlongs, with Suprising Code (5) and Wild Gold Rush (6) likely to be prominent early, and Callitfateluckarma (1) and Gospel Cozy (2) tracking behind. Rainbow Smiles (4) and Callitfateluckarma (1) look like the most reliable win candidates given their connections and projected trips, Suprising Code (5) and Wild Gold Rush (6) function as pace-dependent secondary options, and Gospel Cozy (2) and She's A Bond Too (3) appear more suited to rounding out trifectas or superfectas.

Race 5, the lone one-mile starter allowance, features a more complex pace picture with Aspiring Comedian (2), Vestes (3), and Bourbon Life (6) likely forward into the first turn, while That's Something (1), Shadowless (5), Prince Rama (4), and Our Dream Rye'd (7) sit just off the leaders. Bourbon Life (6) and Vestes (3) stand out as principal contenders dropping from allowance or similar company, That's Something (1) offers a durable, grinding profile as a key secondary player from the rail, and Our Dream Rye'd (7) profiles as a potentially live secondary threat if fit, while Aspiring Comedian (2), Shadowless (5), and Prince Rama (4) are more likely to be value underlay or longshot candidates depending on the final pace scenario.

Race 6 is another five-and-a-half-furlong non-winners-of-two claiming race for fillies and mares, with Prairie Brat (3) and Bougie Like (5) projecting as the primary pace figures and Cabo Cowgirl (1) and Quart High (4) positioned to stalk. Prairie Brat (3) and Bougie Like (5) appear as key contenders with the best combination of early speed and class fit, while Cabo Cowgirl (1) and Quart High (4) serve as strong secondary options, and An Awesome Legacy (2), Lady Of Light (6), and Railey Jean (7) profile as longer-priced runners that may rely on a contested pace or improved form to impact the outcome.​

Race 7 is an Oklahoma-bred non-winners-of-two claiming sprint at five and a half furlongs, where Title Talk (1), Howboutcha (3), West Of Town (4), and Gospel War Cry (6) all show speed, promising a lively early pace. Gospel War Cry (6) and K Q Spirit (2) rate as the main contenders thanks to their tactical versatility and connections, with Title Talk (1) and Jamesons Chalk (5) as important secondary players that can benefit from ground-saving or tracking trips, while Howboutcha (3), West of Town (4), and Atreidesreflection (7) are longer-shot candidates that can upgrade if the track favors speed or if the pace breaks more kindly than expected.​

Race 8, the Oklahoma-bred allowance at six furlongs, is one of the day's strongest races, with Mortify (1), Slades Tank (3), Big Kitty (4), and One Big Haas (5) likely contesting the early lead, and Washita Valley (2) and Yougotthisjr (6) stalking. Washita Valley (2) shapes as a leading contender given his allowance profile and ideal stalking post, with Mortify (1) another key player assuming he can use the rail effectively, One Big Haas (5) and Yougotthisjr (6) functioning as solid secondary options, and Slades Tank (3) and Big Kitty (4) serving as pace-influenced longshots.

Race 9, a full-field Oklahoma-bred maiden special weight sprint at six furlongs, is the most open and potentially chaotic race, with numerous speed and pressing types including Cool Okie (2), Love U Father (4), Luckyblingmountain (6), Pass The Roses (7), and Leavenodoubt (10), and a variety of stalkers and closers from inside and outside posts. Cool Okie (2) and Luckyblingmountain (6) emerge as primary contenders due to their strong local connections and suitable tactical profiles, while Leavenodoubt (10) and Max's Lucky Bling (11) are important secondary players from advantageous outside posts, and Get Dreamy (1), El Protonico (3), Love U Father (4), Son Of Preacherman (5), Pass the Roses (7), Sandthefloor (8), Clay's Worth (9), and Maximum Power (12) all hold varying degrees of longshot or exotics appeal in a race where trip and race shape are likely to dictate outcomes.​

Across the card, jockeys such as David Cabrera, Richard Eramia, Leandro Goncalves, and Ezequiel Lara carry strong reputations and ride several key contenders including Baseball Politics (1), Rainbow Smiles (4), That's Something (1), Gospel War Cry (6), Washita Valley (2), and Cool Okie (2). Trainers with multiple live entries, including Steve F. Williams, Jory Ferrell, Francisco Bravo, Scott E. Young, and Tyanna Lechtenberg, show significant influence in state-bred and claiming ranks, particularly with horses like Njustlikethat (3), Elusive Power (5), Washita Valley (2), Girls Knicks Now (5), Cool Okie (2), and Cabo Cowgirl (1), reinforcing their barns' central roles on today's program.

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