2023 Oaklawn Handicap predictions, odds, date, post time, lineup: Horse racing expert reveals surprising picks
Bob Weir has studied the Oaklawn Handicap 2023 field and locked in his picks for Saturday's race at Oaklawn Park
By
CBS Sports Staff
•
2 min read
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas can extend his record of victories by a trainer when he saddles Last Samurai in the 2023 Oaklawn Handicap on Saturday at Oaklawn Park. The 87-year-old Lukas has won the Oaklawn Handicap four times (1985, 1989, 2005 and 2014), one more than Joseph Cantey. On Saturday, Lukas goes for No. 5 with Last Samurai, who won last year's Oaklawn Handicap. Last Samurai is the 2-1 second choice in the 2023 Oaklawn Handicap odds. Charge It, trained by Lukas protégé Todd Pletcher, is the 8-5 favorite in the seven-horse 2023 Oaklawn Handicap field. Proxy (4-1), Classic Causeway (6-1) and Stilleto Boy (8-1) round out the top five choices.
The 2023 Oaklawn Handicap post time is 6:06 p.m. ET. With an accomplished field set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you'll want to see what racing insider and Beyer Speed Figure maker Bob Weir has to say before making any 2023 Oaklawn Handicap picks.
A member of the Beyer Speed Figure-making team who is based in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Weir is a two-time qualifier for the prestigious National Horseplayers Championship in Las Vegas. He has produced multiple five-figure days at the track over the years, including a $60,000 Pick 6 at Del Mar in 2014.
Last year he was red-hot in the Triple Crown prep races, hitting the superfecta in the Blue Grass Stakes and exactas in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and Tampa Bay Derby. He also hit the 19-1 winner of the Man o' War Stakes, the trifecta in the Pegasus World Cup, the superfecta in the Met Mile and multiple Pick 4s, including May 14's at Belmont for $1,851.
Three weeks ago, he hit the late Pick 4 at Gulfstream Park and the exacta in the Florida Derby. Last week, he nailed the Pick 5 at Keeneland and the exacta in the Lexington Stakes.
Now, he has handicapped the 2023 Oaklawn Handicap lineup, made his picks and constructed his bets. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2023 Oaklawn Handicap predictions
One surprise: Weir is fading Last Samurai, even though he's the second favorite at 2-1 and won last year's Oaklawn Handicap. Last Samurai has six wins in 24 career starts, and four of those victories have come at Oaklawn Park. His last two starts, the Razorback and Essex Handicaps, came at Oaklawn and were wins.
However, Last Samurai has run six straight races without a layoff, and Weir is unsure how much longer he can maintain his form. "He's clearly a different horse at Oaklawn Park, but I have some concerns whether this five-year-old can put a third top race on top of the last two," Weir told SportsLine. You can see all of Weir's 2023 Oaklawn Handicap picks at SportsLine.
How to make 2023 Oaklawn Handicap picks
Weir's top pick is a horse who has sky-high potential. He's also spicing up his exotics with one of the biggest longshots in the entire field. He's sharing which horses to back only at SportsLine.
So who wins the Oaklawn Handicap 2023? What longshot is a must-back? And how has Weir constructed his wagers? Check out the latest Oaklawn Handicap odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Weir's picks for the Oaklawn Handicap, all from the expert who has produced multiple five-figure days at the track, and find out.
2023 Oaklawn Handicap odds
| Prg # | Horse | Odds | Projection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rated R Superstar | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 2 | Last Samurai | 2-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 3 | Stilleto Boy | 8-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 4 | Proxy | 4-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 5 | Senor Buscador | 15-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 6 | Classic Causeway | 6-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 7 | Charge It | 8-5 | SEE PICKS |
