US Horse Racing Tips: Three to watch on Saturday

Saturday sees three meetings take place stateside - Keeneland, Aqueduct and Santa Anita.

Our US Horse Racing tipster Paul Quigley has studied the cards and come up with three selections for your consideration.

23:22 Keeneland - Class President @ SP

Further Ado (6) looks a worthy favourite. He rounded out his juvenile season with a wide margin maiden win here and a Grade 2 score at Churchill. It wasn’t until four weeks ago that he made his three-year-old debut. He finished a close up second in a Grade 3 Tampa Derby. The form of that race was given a big boost when the winner was narrowly beaten in The Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream last Saturday. Although the first Saturday in May is the target, the chances are he takes another step forward second time back

Class President (2) may be the answer as the second or even third choice in the market. He’s improved in all three career starts. Todd Pletcher’s colt was dead game when winning The Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn last month. The runner-up ran another solid race in The Grade 1 Arkansas Derby subsequently. He has tactical speed and draws well. Unlike Further Ado (6) he has enough points to get in The Kentucky Derby already. His connections would love to win a Grade 1 with him.

There are a trio in here who come off victories in non graded stakes. Reagan's Honor (4) followed up a maiden breaker with a six-length victory in an allowance conditions event at The Fair Grounds.

It is worth noting, he beat his elders there. That race came back fast and the third won next time. Creole Chrome (5) has been making hay at the same track. He thrashed a field of Louisiana breds last time. The pair are interesting along with Great White (3). He won a stake on Tapeta at Turfway in February. The runner up franked the form when winning a Grade 3 well here last month. It seems significant his connections want to try him on dirt for the first time. He may be the most attractive of the bigger priced runners.

Grade 1 runner up Talkin (1) was a pace casualty when behind Further Ado (6) at Tampa. Ocelli (7) and Ottinho (9) are also entered at Aqueduct. Both runners have not progressed since they broke their maidens but are hardly exposed so can’t be written off.

23:34 Aqueduct - Albus @ SP

Napoleon Solo (1) lost his unbeaten record on his three-year-debut. That Grade 2 came up ultra deep and he did miss the break. Interestingly, his connections bring him back to the track he won a Grade 1 by a wide margin at. He could rebound but is likely to have company on the lead from the likes of Talk to Me Jimmy (2). He is improving, winning a stakes prep over course and distance by no less than 11 lengths.

Chad Brown’s Iron Honor (13) may go off favourite for this. He made it two from two in his career when taking a Grade 3 over a mile here last month. His pedigree suggests the extra ground should not be a problem.

His wide draw could be an issue. He seems to have the tactical speed to cross and not lose ground on the turn. With doubts over so many these, it’s hard to put anyone off him.

Quite a few of these need to rebound after below par efforts. Bob Baffert’s Buetane (12) has failed in a few stakes since running second to juvenile champion Ted Noffey in a Grade 1 at Saratoga. Bravaro (9) was beaten eleven lengths last time. That was a salty Grade 2 and he had a far from ideal trip. Ottinho (11) didn’t run to his top pedigree when well by Talk to Me Jimmy (2).

Maybe if there is one runner who is worth another chance it could be Courting (8). He is a grinder with no early foot. Slow fractions up front and a speed favouring track played massively against him in a Grade 2 at The Fair Grounds last time. There is a chance he gets pace to chase down.

Two last time out maiden winners have a chance of outrunning their odds. Albus (7) looks to be a much improved three year old judging by a wide margin victory at Tampa. His trainer had considering last weeks Grade 1 Florida Derby suggesting there is another step forward in him. Fellow graduate Steel (4) won his only start to date at Gulfstream in February. He overcame a slow start. This may turn out to be not a strong Grade 2 so you can see why his connections are willing to take a shot.

Ocelli (5) seems to have had his limitations exposed in back to back stakes. Red Zone Runner (10) thrashed a stakes field at Parx last time. He meets much tougher rivals here but could be a much improved runner since a trainer change.

00:46 Santa Anita (Sunday) - Intrepido @ SP

As is the norm over the last few years, Bob Baffert has big chances in this race. Potente (2) beat Robusta (4) by a head with So Happy (5) back in third in a Grade 2 prep for this event. He was following up a maiden win on debut.

Being so lightly raced, there may be better to come from him. His old rival Robusta (4) has improved in all four career starts. There is a chance he makes the lead on his own. That will depend on how So Happy (5) is ridden. His bubble if not burst was deflated last time after a Grade 2 victory over seven furlongs prior to that. The fact his connections want to pursue these sort of distances seems a positive.

In terms of speed figures, Baffert’s Cherokee Nation (1) is the horse to beat. He finally put it all together in a maiden here in late February. The winning margin was ten lengths and the final time was super fast. Key then was a good break which was not in case in his previous two starts. If he can repeat that, he likely wins this.

Intrepido (7) was an upset winner of a Grade 1 winner here as a juvenile. He made a fine three year old debut when a close up second in a Grade 3 here in late February. Like all of these, he is beatable. He may be a price with The Baffert trained pair taking plenty money.

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