Pick 3 of the Week: Oaklawn Park Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025

I will take aim at the closing three-race sequence on Saturday at Oaklawn Park for the Pick 3 of the Week. 

Race 8 Wager

• $1 Pick 3: 4,7 with all with 4 ($20)

Race 8 – Tinsel S. 

The nine-furlong tussle attracted nine, and second choice #4 Willy D’s (9-5) looks like the one to beat to me. The four-year-old son of Lookin at Lucky was claimed for $50,000 in March and has been very good since for trainer Mike Maker. Kentucky-bred gelding is a Grade-2 placed stakes winner who has performed well at nine furlongs in the past, and he has to be on the ticket with Arrieta up. 

#7 Rattle N Roll (8-5) is the class of the field and will be the one to hold off late in the opening leg. McPeek pupil ran evenly in the deep Clark S. (G2) most recently and lands in a more realistic spot in this one. The one-run closing type will have Joel Rosario in the stirrups. 

Race 9 – Optional Claiming

A talented field of 10 will go six panels in the middle piece of the play. Six of the contenders have either won or finished second on the oval in their careers, while the other four have yet to race locally in advance of the heat. I’m going to hit the ‘all’ button for wagering purposes, but my top pick is #4 Dive Bomber (8-1), who has won a trio of races in succession. The four-year-old son of Omaha Beach was a pretty impressive winner over a big and talented allowance field at Churchill Downs last time, and the bay has simply never been better. He’ll be tough with Arrieta riding, but I can’t single him in this difficult contest. 

Race 10 – Allowance

Trainer David Jacobson has two interesting ones in the final race of the afternoon, including #4 Turn Up the Trees (5-1), who looks like the controlling speed in the dash. The bay son of Liam’s Map was outrun late in a similar type of race last weekend, but I love the quick turnaround for his third run back with the move to Joel Rosario. I expect the gelding to dictate things throughout at a decent number.