US Horse Racing Tips: Paul’s three to follow on Thursday

Our Stateside expert Paul Quigley returns with his selections from across the Atlantic on Thursday.

It's picks from Horseshoe Indianapolis, Thistledown and Saratoga that makes up his latest round of US horse racing tips.

20:43 Horseshoe Indianapolis (Race 4) - Woodaz @ SP

Sleepy (2) and Tap Tap Tap It In (4) finished second and fourth in a state-bred stake here last month. The pair are obvious players now dropping in class into conditions company.

Sleepy has improved in all three career starts. He posted good fractions in a race where the winner came from well back. He’s the one to beat and should confirm the form with Tap Tap Tap It In who seemed to have a no excuse trip. Tap Tap Tap It In is also progressing with racing and did finish ahead of El Michoacano (3) prior to that stake.

However, the stake Sleepy and Tap Tap Tap It In ran so well in did have an odds-on favourite who ran poorly. Maybe the race wasn’t as deep as it appeared beforehand. With that in mind, it could pay to look in a different direction.

Mike's Cyclone (6) won a claimer in a fast time over course and distance last month. He’s a possibility, but it's WOODAZ (5) who gets the vote.

He has been freshened up since a wide-margin maiden win in late April. The form of that race was given a boost when the near seven-length runner-up came back to score.

21:20 Thistledown (Race 8) - Totellyouthetruth @ SP

A couple of veterans are interesting in the finale here. Classic Mo (6) fits these race conditions to a tee. The 11-year-old made a successful return here last month. He did it well, beating a cheaper field of claimers than today by four plus lengths. A repeat of that run may be good enough. There is a chance he improves second time back. If he runs to his form in better races of last summer, he will win this just as convincingly as his comeback.

At the likely prices, TOTELLYOUTHETRUTH (2) is a fine alternative.

He won twice in deeper races to this one late last year. The 10-year-old hasn’t raced since February. His red-hot trainer has a fine record with returning horses. He has been working forwardly. Maybe take him to win in a saver forecast with Classic Mo.

Quiet Amigo (5) has been placed in his last three starts. He is too consistent to ignore totally but may come up just short if Classic Mo and the selection are on their A-game. Off a run in May he holds McGraw (4).

Hotrod Bobby (3) would need the lead on his own to beat this group. That’s what he did when he last won in March. His stablemate Goldstriker (7) was well beaten over a mile last month. He did win his last start sprinting.

22:03 Saratoga (Race 8) - Classic Q @ SP

The feature on opening day of this prestigious Saratoga meet is a stake. It’s for three-year-old fillies over a mile on the grass. It is the first of what is likely to the norm of Chad Brown having multiple runners in these turf stakes.

He is triple-handed here with all of them having upside. Play With Fire (6) is the most proven. She won a similar stake at Pimlico in May. Lavender Disaster (7) won on debut last September. She looked to be making a nice move when taken out by a rival in a Grade 2 in October. Her victory at odds-on against her elders when making her comeback proved she had trained on. Midway Memories (4) has achieved less than her stablemates. She’s only had two career starts, breaking her maiden at Aqueduct in April.

To try to beat one Chad Brown runner in a turf stake is often tough. Beating three of them may be folly. That said, CLASSIC Q (5) has a chance of at least getting into the forecast spot.

She ran off on the front end with Jose Ortiz in a Grade 3 over nine furlongs at Churchill last time. If she can be rated more kindly, she can go close cutting back to a mile.

Click the links for the latest Horse Racing Odds and Today's US Racing Odds

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...