US Horse Racing Tips: Paul’s six to watch on Saturday

Our Stateside expert, Paul Quigley, has taken a look at all the racing action from across the pond coming our way on Saturday, hoping to provide a few winners.

Check out his US Racing Tips below, which come from Woodbine, Del Mar and Saratoga.

21:14 Woodbine (Race 7) - She Feels Pretty @ SP

She Feels Pretty (4) is the best turf filly in North America. She rounded out her three-year-old season with back-to-back clear-cut Grade 1 victories. She’s looked just as good this term with two more stakes victories.

Her winning run came to an end in The Grade 1 Diana at Saratoga. It was only by a head and to a classy former French-trained mare. If she runs her race, she is unlikely to be beaten. She won a Grade 1 on her only previous visit to Woodbine. The one time she tried today’s distance, she was successful in a Grade 1 at Del Mar.

Charlie Appleby was successful in a Grade 1 at Saratoga last Saturday. The winner was a progressive type. His Diamond Rain (3) has a similar profile. The daughter of a Betfred Oaks winner has been successful in both her starts at Haydock and Newcastle this year.

The latest was a Group 3. She has beaten some decent gals in England, but not of the quality of She Feels Pretty (4). If she takes another step forward, she may give the favourite a race.

The rest of this field is made up of locally based fillies and mares. They look a cut below on form. Only a neck separated Ready for Shirl (7) and Venencia (1) in a Grade 2 here last month. The winner may improve for more ground. Literate (2) outfinished Caitlinhergrtness (5) in a Grade 3 on Tapeta last time. Caitlinhergrtness (5) won last year’s King’s Plate. She seemed to have no excuses when beaten six lengths by She Feels Pretty (4) last October.

The four-year-old could outrun her odds if she makes the lead on her own. Hurricane Clair (6), who ran freakishly well last time, may keep her honest up front.

21:49 Woodbine (Race 8) - Ice Chocolat @ SP

This looks wide open.

The inconsistent Old Chestnut (3) easily beat Simcoe (6) in a Grade 3 here in May. The runner-up franked the form by winning next time. He does his best work on the lead. There is other speed like Victory Achieved (1) in here. The rail-drawn runner rounded out last year’s meet by rattling up a hat-trick. He has not raced since January but has been working really well.

Playmea Tune (5) was coming back after a layoff when fourth in a Grade 2 here in June. He and I'm A Gambler (7) went close in this race last year.

Like most of these, if things go their way, they can win this. That could be the case with Ice Chocolat (4). He has only raced once since winning a Grade 3 over a mile in June 2024. He was a talented late-running sprinter back in the day. In the hope he’s ready, he may go well at a price on his comeback.

22:34 Woodbine (Race 9) - Scorching @ SP

This is a wide-open renewal. No Time (10) may go off as a lukewarm favourite. She is a filly taking on the boys. That move has produced many winners of this race, including last year.

She is improving, being a clear-cut winner of The Woodbine Oaks last month. Like all of these, a mile-and-a-quarter is the furthest she has gone. She wasn’t exactly stopping over a furlong shorter last time.

Quite a few of these ran in a traditional stakes prep for this over nine furlongs last month. Sedburys Ghost (12) beat Notorious Gangster (3) by just over a length with Scorching (4) third. The first two home look like stayers who will improve with more ground. Scorching (4) less so.

He ran well, the way the race was run, maintaining a quick pace. If the race flow is softer, he may go close here. He loses John Velazquez, who stays with No Time (10). New rider Jose Lezcano is at his best with these front-rank types. Dewolf (8) ran deceptively well when behind Sedburys Ghost (12) last time. He could outrun his odds.

Tom's Magic (11) is a new face to Woodbine and tries Tapeta for the first time. He is a two-time stakes winner on turf, the latest at Monmouth in June. He’s a nice fit class-wise, and his trainer, Michael Stidham, has a good record when he ships to Woodbine.

Unlike him, Mansetti (1) is proven on the surface. He beat the comebacking Scorching (4) and Sedburys Ghost (12) in a Grade 3 here in June. That pair paid a compliment to the form next time. Add him to the list of possibilities in this race.

The wild card in here is Runaway Again (7). He broke his maiden by nine widening lengths on debut last month. He looked to be learning on the job, looking green in the early stages. This is a tough task, bearing in mind his inexperience, but he could be up to it. Winning rider Ryan Munger sticks with Sedburys Ghost (12) but Javier Castellano has been booked.

22:44 Saratoga (Race 10) - Nitrogen @ SP

There is only a small field here, but there are a trio of top-quality fillies entered.

If she hadn’t run here in June, Good Cheer (2) would be long odds on for this. She made it seven victories from seven starts when winning The Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill in May. On the back of that, she was a very short price for The Grade 1 Acorn. She ran poorly. Whether it was the glue-like sloppy track or something else, she now has questions to answer.

The two main rivals of Good Cheer (2) are hardly bomb-proof either. La Cara (6) was the filly that was the winner of the Grade 1 Good Cheer (2), but ran poorly here in June.

She seemed to relish the underfoot conditions and the speed-favouring track. Massively in her favour is again the likely lead on her own. She is not guaranteed to be suited to the step up to a mile and a quarter. If she races within herself on the front end, her stamina may not be tested fully.

As well as La Cara (6), trainer Mark Casse has Nitrogen (4) entered. She is a multiple-graded stakes winner on turf. In her one run on dirt, she slammed two rivals by a space in a Grade 3.

That race was switched from the grass and ran on the main track, labelled as sloppy. She has the pedigree that suggests she will act on a dry surface. It is an unknown.

The remaining trio are unlikely to figure if The Big Three run their races. As that’s far from certain, they are worth considering at least for the forecast. Queen Azteca (5) won The Grade 3 UAE Oaks at Meydan in February.

She ran second in The Swedish Derby against the boys last month. She’s a tough read. Less so Margie's Intention (1), although she looks a cut below the best of these. She had Kinzie Queen (3) behind her when second in The Grade 3 Delaware Oaks in June.

23:11 Woodbine (Race 10) - Dresden Row @ SP

Cruden Bay (3) went to the sidelines and a below par fifth in this race last year. He made a successful return in a Grade 3 last month. The seven-year-old had Piper's Factor (1) back in third with Lucky Score (6) back in fifth. The step up to a mile is not a problem. His comeback was four weeks ago, so he may avoid the dreaded bounce.

War Strategy (10) may have needed his comeback when third to Twin City (2). He improved off to be narrowly beaten by a head by a runner fancied to win The Grade 3 sprint earlier on the card. He is unexposed beyond seven furlongs.

Unlike him, the stamina of Dresden Row (5) is proven. He won back-to-back stakes over further last year. Both his races this year have been good ones. His second start back was deceptively good. He may be playing at the odds here, possibly using Cruden Bay (3) in reversed forecasts.

Piper's Factor (1) ran his career best over the course and distance. He has a chance of reversing the form with Cruden Bay (3) stepping up to a mile. Gas Me Up (8) is a lightly raced five-year-old who may be capable of better. He won a minor event over six-and-a-half furlongs last month but broke his maiden over a mile.

01:30 (Sunday) Del Mar (Race 8) - Lush Lips @ SP

As you would expect, the locals have a strong hand here.

The best of them is Thought Process (10). She beat Casalu (9) and Will Then (7) in a Grade 2 prep last month. She has speed but is just as effective from just off the pace. Her draw is not ideal, but she has the gears to get a good early position without losing ground on the first turn.

Horses that ship in from Kentucky and New York are regularly very competitive in turf stakes in California. That makes Lush Lips (5) a big player here. Take out running second to class act Nitrogen, and she has won her last three starts. The latest was a stake at Churchill in June.

Interestingly, she beat Will Then (7) by further than Thought Process (10) did next time. She may be worth siding with.

Velocity (3) had Slick (1) back in third when winning a conditions event here last month. The pair ran well, the way the race was run. Slick (1) had a very wide post and is improving. She may be worth an each-way interest.

Like her, the selections, Edge of Mali (6) and Take A Breath (2) started off their careers on this side of The Atlantic. Edge of Mali (6) broke her maiden second time Stateside.

Take A Breath (2) runs here almost straight off the plane. She won back-to-back handicaps for William Haggas in June and July. On form, she doesn’t look a stakes horse, but often these European invaders handle the jump in class.

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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...