US Horse Racing Tips: Paul picks out three to follow on Friday

There's another good card at Saratoga that our US horse racing tipster Paul Quigley has focused on for this preview of Friday's action from across the pond.

Read on for his US Horse Racing Tips for Friday, June 6.

22:46 Saratoga (Race 11) - Good Cheer (2) & Bless the Broken (5) @ SP

The unbeaten Good Cheer (2) will be a long odds on favourite. She made it seven wins from as many career starts when winning The Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill last month. Brad Cox’s filly did it by two plus lengths with a trio of these behind her. She stays very well but has sat behind slow fractions in the past and won well enough. Even if the rains come that shouldn’t be an issue as she’s won twice on wet tracks.

Anyone looking to oppose the favourite will likely be zoning in on Scottish Lassie (1) and Shred the Gnar (4). The rail drawn runner won a Grade 1 at Aqueduct by a space on her second career start last October. She followed that up with a well held fourth in The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Even more worrying was a modest third on her three year old debut when facing an apparently simple task. She may have needed that run and could have her best days ahead of her. That is certainly the case with the hat-trick seeking Shred the Gnar (4).

She followed up a wide margin maiden win a seven length allowance score at Churchill. Based on speed figures, she’s already as fast Good Cheer (2). If she can run back to that with a likely different pace dynamic, she could overturn the favourite. She showed on debut, she’s not a purely need to win type.

La Cara (3) was afforded an easy lead when winning a Grade 1 at Keeneland in April. She had to be more aggressively ridden to make the lead when fading behind Good Cheer (2) at Churchill. Nine furlongs probably taxes her stamina. Likewise Look Forward (6). She finished behind La Cara (3) at Keeneland but rebounded taking a seven furlong Grade 3 at Churchill.

Bless the Broken (5) has twice finished behind Good Cheer (2), latterly in The Kentucky Oaks. She would need a lot of things to go right to reverse the form. If as is possible, a few of these lock horns on the front, she has a decent chance of staying on and the being best of the rest. The late runner may be the one for the forecast.

23:25 Saratoga (Race 12) - Bellezza (6) Each Way @ SP

There are some very talented fillies and mares in this line up. That said, on form She Feels Pretty (8) looks a cut above. She has looked much improved since trainer Cherie DeVaux put blinkers on her. That resulted in back-to-back Grade 1 victories in the second half of 2024.

Looking at her four year old debut, she looks the one to beat in his division this term. At Churchill last month, she showed her usual fine turn of foot to beat Gimme a Nother (3) by a couple of lengths in a Grade 3. She has tactical speed. In a race where the early fractions may be modest, that is a positive.

The former South Africa based Gimme a Nother (3) ran with credit when second best to She Feels Pretty (8). She is a solid place chance and an obvious gal for the forecast. Her

stablemate Beach Bomb (7) was on a hat-trick when second best to Bellezza (6) in a Grade 3 at Aqueduct. The winner was having her first start Stateside after running to a decent level with Ger Lyons. She showed a fine turn of foot. If She Feels Pretty (8) is to be turned over, the four year old may be the one to do it. At very least, she is worth using in forecasts along with Gimme a Nother (3) behind the favourite.

Forever After All (1) is a tough read. Based on a nine length Grade 3 win at Keeneland in April, she can win this. That race was run in a bog by US standards. She seemed on fair when just behind Beach Bomb (7) and Immensitude (2) at Gulfstream prior to that.

As an upsetter, Edict (5) may have at least as much upside. She ran second in a Grade 3 at Aqueduct on her comeback. This turf track can often play well to speed. If jockey Manny Franco gets her out on an easy lead, she may be hard to reel in.

00:04 Saratoga (Race 13) - Excellent Truth (8) @ SP

This is a quality and competitive renewal. The first three home from The Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland reoppose. Choisya (9) went off a very fair price considering her sharp form in Dubai. She must have been touch and go to keep that race as she put the runner up Excellent Truth (8) in tight late on. She could confirm the form but the pair she beat both have upside.

The former French trained Excellent Truth (8) was having her first start in nine months. Her standout run was when second in a Group 1 at Deauville.

Second time back and a cleaner trip and she could come out on top here. If the rains come, it will help her chances. She may be well bet and oldsrivals Choisya (9) and Kehoe Beach (5) may offer a bit of value. Kehoe Beach (5) set decent fractions when third behind Choisya (9) and Excellent Truth (8). Her connections may not have liked how wide Frankie Dettori kept her as Irad Ortiz is aboard today. The one worry with her is competition for the early lead.

The winner of this race doesn’t have to come out of The Grade 1 Jenny Wiley. As well as Excellent Truth (8), Chad Brown has two other runners entered. The three year campaign of Segesta (3) was curtailed after a fine second in The Grade 1 Belmont Oaks last July.

She faced a tough task against She is Pretty on her comeback. If she takes a step forward, she can be in the mix. So can the pair that come out of Grade 3 at Aqueduct last month. Brown’s Dynamic Pricing (1) overcame a wide trip to win.

The third Heredia (10) had no visible excuses. It was her first start since running third in The Group 1 Sun Chariot in October 2023. Her trainer Graham Motion has stated she badly needed that run.

This is such a deep race that runners with graded stakes winning form will be big prices. Special Wan (2) and Simply in Front (4) come off victories at Gulfstream and Churchill respectively. If things break their way, they could make the frame. Sacred Wish (11) a Grade 1 winner last year had a wide trip when fourth behind Choisya (9) and Excellent Truth (8) at Keeneland. Do Gooder (6) looked great when making the lead on her own in Florida.

A Lilac Rolla (7) was placed in The Irish 1,000 Guineas and Falmouth Stakes before going to the sidelines. With European Group 1 form, she looks up to this class. She may need the run but is in very capable hands in Bill Mott.

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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...