US Horse Racing Tips: Paul picks out three for Sunday

Our US Racing expert Paul Quigley is back to deliver his best bets from across the pond on Sunday.

The action at Monmouth Park, Churchill Downs and Santa Anita catches his eye, and you can check out his US Racing Tips below...

19:55 Monmouth Park (Race 5) - Spaliday @ SP

There is no standout in this field. Trainer Chad Brown is double-handed. The former French trained Fun With Flags (2) hasn’t come close to winning any of her two US starts. In fairness, she faced a tough task in a Grade 1 in the first and was hung wide on her comeback in March. She is lightly raced and may have a lot better to come.

The other Chad Bown runner is Spaliday (5). She won a couple of stakes last year including a Grade 2. The other stakes victory came over course and distance. She can be forgiven her comeback as she was carried out on the turn. This turf track normally suits more forwardly ridden runners but she did buck that trend on her one previous visit here. Winning rider Samy Camacho seeming to prefer Fun With Flags (2) is a negative. That may help her price.

Mohawk Trail (6) had Dreaming of Abba (1) back in third when winning a state bred stake at Tampa in March. She was far from disgraced in a Grade 3 at Aqueduct subsequently. She has an adaptable running style and is a contender here. So too are Damaso (3) and Mission of Joy (8). The first named has ran well in both her races at Monmouth. She has speed but may have company on the front end. Mission of Joy (8) snapped a long. losing streak when winning an allowance optional claimer on her comeback. She ran well in a pair of Grade 1’s last year.

Joyful Lass (7) ran a career best by some margin when winning an allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream. That run makes her a big player it could have been a blip. In fairness,  she did set legitimate early fractions. She will have to avoid a speed duel with Precious Avary (4) to double up. That mare made a fine comeback at Laurel.

21:22 Churchill Downs (Race 8) - Dapper Moon @ SP

Two of these ran in a deep allowance optional claimer here at the start of the month. Furio (7) finished a well held fourth but was used up in a speed duel. This is a better spot to make the lead on his own. He looks the runner to catch and beat.

Interestingly, Jack's Promise (10) was a shorter price than him in that race. He ran too bad to be true. It couldn’t have been the wet track as he won in the slop at Keeneland prior to that. He had been progressing nicely. The fact that his capable trainer runs him back so quickly suggests he may have had a legitimate excuse.

C K Wonder (11) and U Devil You (1) filled the places in an allowance event at Keeneland last month. The first named could be a late player. U Devil You (1) is only twice raced so may be capable of better. The pair are worth considering along with Dapper Moon (6). He has been racing in Louisiana bred stakes over a mile. He has never been out of the first two in a quartet of sprints races, including two victories. He may be the win play with a saver forecast with Furio (7) in case that runner builds up an unassailable lead.

Thrilla (8) comes off a starter victory at The Fair Grounds and a good second at today’s level here. He is a place chance at least. So too has Amor Patriae (3) after running fourth in a stake at Oaklawn. Shepherd (4) goes up in class after breaking his maiden here last month. He did run a contending speed figure.

Missed the Turn (5) may go off a big price shipping in from Laurel. He is much improved, running two big races in Maryland.

22:00 Santa Anita (Race 3 ) - Where's My Ring @ SP

Trainer Bob Baffert is double handed. Both have similar on or near the pace running styles. Often in these situations, the message from the trainer is for one to go and the other to sit second. That can put the frontrunner at an advantage.

It looks like jockey Juan Hernandez had the choice and stays with Splendora (4). She was upped in distance to an extended mile last month. The result was a decent second in a Grade 2 here. Her rider seemed happy to stalk a stablemate who wired the field, getting an easy lead. She may have her work cut out to reel in Seismic Beauty (6) if she does the same. She set decent fractions when winning an allowance optional claimer by double digit lengths. Her best efforts have come when on the engine.

The Baffert trained pair may be hard run down. That said, Alpha Bella (5) has a little upside in this spot. She has been campaigned between turf and dirt over the last year or so. The truth is she’s hard to win with. A trio of runner up tries in graded stakes over the winter suggests she’s up to this. She’s one to consider for the forecast at least.

Where's My Ring (3) faced a very stiff task when third to Thorpedo Anna in a Grade 1 at Oaklawn last time. She has a Grade 3 victory over this track to her name. Like almost all of these fillies and mares, if things break their way they can win. Princess of Time (2) has achieved less but has only had four career starts. She improved for the step up to a mile last time out in March.

Liberal Lady (1) gets a class hike after winning a stake for Louisiana breds at The Fair Grounds.

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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...