US Horse Racing Tips: Sunday’s picks come from Oaklawn Park

Paul Quigley, our US Horse Racing expert, rounds off the weekend with his best bets from across the pond, and he focuses on the action at Oaklawn Park.

Check out his latest US Horse Racing Tips below.

22:15 Oaklawn Park - Sneaky Good @ SP

This is an intriguing event. There are a trio of fillies who ship in after running in stakes out of state and five who ran in a local one. The most accomplished runner is The Bob Baffert trained Explora (9). She is a Grade 2 winner and has been second in Grade 1’s. The latest was in The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. She did lose a stake at Santa Anita last month but she was part of contested and hot early fractions. There is other speed in here but new rider Flavien Prat may be able to work a stalking trip from her draw.

Taken by the Wind (10) and Sneaky Good (2) come off good efforts in stakes at The Fair Grounds and Gulfstream respectively. The first named was a making it three from three in her career. Her rider got away with slow fractions on the front end. In fairness, she did beat a decent yardstick. There is little chance of making the lead here but both her other victories have come from off the pace.

Like her Sneaky Good (2) has shown versatility in her three career starts. She was put in her place by a good one when third in a Grade 3 at Gulfstream last time. In the hope she improves for more ground, she gets the vote.

The local stakes prep for this race was won by Search Party (6). It was a tight finish. She won by a neck from the improving Newtown Pike (4) with Knickleandime (5) a close up third.

The winner has looked much improved since stepped up to route distances. She is a solid place chance. Interestingly, her stablemate Counting Stars (7) was made odds on for that race after a six-length victory in a stake in December. She ran deplorably. It is worth noting she has rebounded before after running a stinker. If she’s around the 10/1 mark, she may be worth a saver at least.

23:23 Oaklawn Park - Class President @ SP

There will be at least one defection in this race. The trainer of Bravaro (1) is on record that he won’t ship him from Florida. It still leaves a decent field with at least two Kentucky Derby hopefuls. One certainly is Blackout Time (4).

He was a wide margin maiden winner second time out. In his only other start, he ran second to two-year-old champion Ted Noffey in a Grade 1 at Keeneland. The winner then took The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Blackout Time (4) was scheduled to run there but was a controversial vet’s scratch. He’s been back in full work for some time but does give away a recency edge to his rivals.

Litmus Test (2) may challenge Blackout Time (4) for favouritism. He finished behind Blackout Time (4) at Keeneland but has shown improved form since. Bob Baffert’s colt ran deceptively well behind Ted Noffey in The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

In his last start in December, he won a Grade 2 in California from a promising stablemate. He has tactical speed in a race where it may pay to be near the front. Of the two market leaders, I would lean more towards him.

Todd Pletcher ships in the twice-raced Class President (3) from Florida. He won on debut before running second in a stake at Gulfstream. The form of that race will be tested as the first and third run in Kentucky preps at Gulfstream and Aqueduct on Saturday. He’s bred to improve over today’s distance. He may be worth a small wager at a decent price.

The other possibilities in this race come out of a Grade 3 here last month. The progressive Silent Tactic (7) had Soldier N Diplomat (10) and Rancho Santa Fe (8) back in third and fourth when winning. The late runner did get contested early fractions to chase down. The pace dynamic may be different here. He’s going the right way so may be able to reel these in. Old rival Soldier N Diplomat (10) ran well the race was run last time.

That can’t be said for Strategic Risk (6) who ran poorly in that Grade 3. His trainer Mark Casse couldn’t offer an excuse. He has a chance off a four-length stakes victory over stablemate Silent Tactic (7) prior to that.