US Horse Racing Tips: Three to follow at Saratoga on Friday

Paul Quigley, our resident US horse racing expert, is back on Friday to take a look at all the cards on offer across the Atlantic to pick out what he considers to be the best bets on offer. He's fixated his gaze on the action taking place at Saratoga, with all three of his selections coming from this meeting.

Read on for his US Horse Racing Tips.

Horse Racing Odds

22:07 Saratoga (Race 8) – The Wild Applause Stakes – Paris Carver (2) @ SP

This has a look of a 3/1 or even 7/2 the field race. The former Ger Lyons trained Smexy (6) improved second time Stateside. She ran third in a pretty deep stake at Penn National in late May.

That form looks as good as any in here. Like her, Paris Carver (2) started off her career in Ireland. She only ran twice as a two-year-old, going to the sidelines after The Queen Mary Stakes last June. There is a good chance she improves stepping up in trip after breaking her maiden sprinting at Monmouth.

The filly with the highest last time out speed figure is Pillar of Beauty (11). She won a conditions event here last month in a fast time. If she can run the same race over this longer distance, she’ll be hard to beat.

She has a tricky wide draw. So too does Code (10). That filly is improving, losing narrowly to Faye's Gold (5) at Churchill last month. To a Flame (7) comes out of better races. She ran well in a deep Grade 2 at Keeneland in April. Her trainer has given her some time off after a wide trip in another better race than this one at Churchill.   

Lovely Grey (8) and I Love Giraffes (9) are possible late players. The first named was stakes placed on Tapeta but has form on turf. I Love Giraffes (9) beat two next time out winners at Laurel in May. Like almost all of these, if things break their way, she can go close.

Scratch It (1) has a look of a work in progress. So far, she hasn’t ran a contending race but her trainer Brad Cox rarely runs a horse over their heads.

22:41 Saratoga (Race 9) – The Schuylerville Stakes – Voyager (1) @ SP

None of these two year old fillies has had more than one start. The majority of them are likely to have plenty of improvement in them. That is certainly the case with Voyager (1). She was slowly away when second on her debut at Churchill.

Her trainer Mark Casse had a nice second time out winner in a stake at Churchill on Sunday. With the prospect of speed to chase down, she may outfinish her rivals.

In terms of speed figures Luminous Beauty (8) and Washton (5) have ran the fastest so far. The quick Luminous Beauty (8) was ran down by a next-time-out stakes winner on debut. Second time, she beat a good yardstick by six lengths here. Washton (5) won on her only start to date at Churchill. She did well to overcome trouble in running. Her trainer Steve Asmussen has won this stake three times before.

Prime Aurora (2) won a maiden in a fast time at Gulfstream on debut. It looks like she has been kept fresh for this race. She may be a price going for a low profile trainer. Like her, Madeleine Swann (4), Harper's Corner (6) and Costa Linda (7) all won their only starts to date. The trio all showed plenty of speed so may be part of a crowded front end.

23:15 Saratoga (Race 10) – The Saranac Stakes – Glavine (7) @ SP

The final stake on the card at Saratoga on Saturday is another competitive affair. It’s never a bad idea in turf events here to give a long look to a Chad Brown runner. His Arizona Territory (11) has won both his starts since his debut.

Last time in a conditions event at Aqueduct, the grey beat a decent type in Print (8) by three lengths. He looks the horse to beat under Flavien Prat. His draw and his likely price are the only negatives.

Glavine (7) is likely to be second favourite. He left his juvenile debut behind in both starts at three. A clear-cut maiden breaker was followed by a close up fourth in a Grade 3 here. He was poorly positioned early in a race it paid to be forward.

With a better start, he should make the podium at least. He’s an easier read than Teddy's Rocket (4). He won on debut here last summer before being drawn out of it in a Grade 1 at Woodbine. Maybe he needed his comeback when a meek fourth at Aqueduct. 

Blinging It Back (9) has stakes placed form. It may be significant that Jose Ortiz gets off him to ride Siyouincanada (1). He belied his weakness in the market to wire a field of maidens on debut at Churchill.

That was a good field he beat and the final time was good. He catches a field with little speed so may be loose on the lead. He’s dangerous under that scenario. Like him Tiz Trouble (5) won his only start to date. He outfinished a field of maidens at Gulfstream by six lengths. This is a big step up in class but to the eye he was very impressive.      

Print (8) has ran an improved race since being second best to Arizona Territory (11). Go Grey (3) and My Favorite Bird (6) have fine efforts at Delaware and Laurel to their names.

The pair are not impossible to have. Neither are Zeppelin (10) and A Little At First (12). The first named has ran well in stakes in Florida and Kentucky since winning on debut. A Little At First (12) may get no love in the market as he only beat a field of New York breds last time.

He did beat some decent yardsticks. If Javier Castellano can get him out alertly, he may not lose any ground on the first turn.

Heeere's Johnny (2) is a seven-raced maiden and an unlikely win candidate. He did run well at The Breeders’ Cup and could be a late player.