US Horse Racing Tips: Saturday’s picks come from The Big A

Our US Racing expert Paul Quigley has analysed all the races on offer across the pond on Saturday, and is looking to land a few winners to start the weekend.

Check out his US Racing Tips below.

21:40 Belmont At The Big A (Race 7) - Full Moon Madness @ SP

A compact field here but a decent case can be made for at least four of the runners. One of them is Whatchatalkinabout (3). He is an improving four-year-old trained by Wes Ward. In January, he slammed a field of state breds over course and distance in a super quick time. He’s not raced since but that is often the way that Ward campaigns his horses. He deserves plenty of respect but may be overbet off that last run and Irad Ortiz in the saddle.

The best of the new faces to Aqueduct is Anarchist (5). He may be getting back to his Grade 1 best judging by his latest run at Oaklawn. He ran a close third there. The run was better than it looks at he duelled hard with a talented an in form sprinter. He draws well to give jockey Joel Rosario tactical options. If the market goes overboard on the local form, he will be very playable.

Full Moon Madness (1) gets a tepid vote here. He was surprisingly over aggressively ridden in The Grade 2 Carter over seven furlongs last time. The rail drawn runner gets a rider switch to Manny Franco. That may mean a more patient stalking ride. Those tactics worked really well when he won a Grade 3 here in March. He ran out a length or so winner from Surveillance (4). That eight year old ran with credit in The Grade 2 Carter before winning next time.

Silver Slugger (2) has won all but one of seven completed starts. That loss came in a stakes event at Tampa in February.

Since then, he’s wired lesser fields. His speed figures are improving. He’s not out of this if he can make the lead on his own.

23:16 Belmont At The Big A (Race 10) - My Mane Squeeze @ SP

This looks pretty open. My Mane Squeeze (10) deserves plenty of respect on the class drop. She was a five-length winner of a Grade 3 at Churchill last September. On her four-year-old debut, she bettered that when third in The Grade 1 Madison at Keeneland. All her recent form has been over seven furlongs but she won a stake over course and distance last year. That was one of three victories from four starts at Aqueduct.

Sterling Silver (4) is another gal with plenty of winning form at this track. She made it five victories at The Big A when beating fellow New York breds here on her six-year-old debut. She has form in graded stakes too so this level is not a problem. She’s one to consider for the forecast at least.

Jody's Pride (8) is a tougher read. She regressed off a near miss in a Grade 2 at Oaklawn next time. If forgive and forget is your motto, she is the gal for you.

Trainer Chad Brown is double-handed. His Headline Numbers (11) was a clear cut winner of a stake here last month. There may be better to come from her. Likewise stablemate Catherine Wheel (3). She ran third in a stake at here last month.

Prior to that, she became the only filly to beat Takethemoneyhoney (1). The rail drawn runner got back to winning ways with an open length allowance score at Laurel subsequently. She’s improving and looks the gal to catch. Any scratchings of the pace types helps her chances.

The best of the trio Saffie Joseph has entered may be Dazzling Move (6). She ran below her best when behind the selection last time. She’s better judged on a Grade 3 victory at Gulfstream in February.

Morning Matcha (2) and Gun Song (9) also need to rebound. Both may have needed their runs after long lay offs. Morning Matcha (2) now runs over a more suitable distance. Grade 1 runner up last October Gun Song (9) has worked really well since being turned over at odds on when making her comeback.

23:46 Belmont At The Big A (Race 11) - Uncaged @ SP

This is an interesting renewal. The local standard is Captain Cook (8). He won The Withers Stakes over course and distance in February. Upped in class to The Grade 2 Wood Memorial here last month, he was a well held fourth.

In fairness, the first two are likely top class colts. He has some speed in a race lacking an obvious frontrunner. He’s probably the one to run down in the straight.

Trainer Chad Brown is double handed. The former Irish trained Hill Road (4) will take the more money. He excelled himself when third in The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile as he got no pace to chase down. And again when placed in The Grade 3 Tampa Derby. He reportedly had a setback and missed his Kentucky Derby prep and the big race itself.

That and the likely race flow for this stretch runner are possible issues. His well bred stablemate Lordship (10) outfinished a field of maidens at Tampa on his only start to date. The fact that Brown runs in a Grade 3 second time out may be an indicator of the high regard he has of him.

With Irad Ortiz taking the ride, Vassimo (1) will be the better bet of The Todd Pletcher trained runners. He lost his unbeaten record in a pair of Grade 2’s at The Fair Grounds in February and March. He was wide last time and still has a look of a work in progress. This is a drop in class for him. His stablemate Uncaged (8) takes on better after winning an allowance event at Gulfstream.

It wasn’t a fast race but he did well to win after encountering a ton of trouble at the start. He has to prove himself on a dry track but is a potential upsetter along with Surfside Moon (3). He ran second to Captain Cook (8) here in February and may have improve for a recent comeback spin.

Happily Delusional (2) is improving but may need pace to chase down to get more than a minor award. McAfee (5) took a step forward when just behind Captain Cook (8) in The Grade 2 Wood Memorial. He may improve again racing in blinkers for the first time.

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Paul Quigley is a long-time US racing fan and tipster. He provides US Horse Racing Tips for Betfred Insights as well as working for Betfred TV...