US Horse Racing Tips: Paul marks your Saturday card

Paul Quigley, our US Horse Racing expert, kicks off the weekend with his best bets from across the pond - coming from Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita.

Check out his latest US Horse Racing Tips below.

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New customers only. Deposit via Debit Card & place first bet £10+ (1/1+) on Sports in 7 days. £30 Sports & £20 Acca Free Bets within 10 hrs of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility, payment excl. & T&Cs Apply.

21:50 Gulfstream Park (Race 10) - Neoequos @ SP

The returning Neoequos (6) will take money on the big class drop. The last time he faced fellow Florida breds, he was a clear-cut winner last January. Since then, bar one race, he faced Grade 1 company or top-class competition.

The only time he had a favourite’s chance of winning, he made short work of a field at Monmouth in July. There are two possible issues with him in terms of fitness and this extended mile trip. He is proven fresh, and his trainer, Saffie Joseph, has a good record with layoff runners. His three career victories have come sprinting. He did run third in The Grade 1 Florida Derby over nine furlongs in March. That day, he finished less than three lengths behind top three-year-old and Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty.

The likely alternatives to Neoequos (6) come out of a handicap run over course and distance on 19 November. Lure Him In (4) did best of a trio of these, running second, beaten a length and a half. Lightning Tones (5) and Awesome Train (3) finished a few lengths behind him in third and fourth. The winner is a decent type with graded stakes form. Lure Him In (4) won this race in 2024. He has tactical speed and is a prime contender. Last year’s winner, Lightning Tones (5), is far more pace-dependent. He was a winner here in the summer when he got the pace to chase down. There is a chance that two or three of these, including the selection, set things up for him.

Awesome Train (3) franked the form of the Lightning Tones (5) race by winning next time. He probably needs a few of these to misfire to get more than a minor award. Irad Ortiz does stay aboard. Hades (2) may be returning to his stakes best, judging by a victory at Tampa last month. Pure Class (1) needs a recent trainer change to completely turn him around.

22:00 Santa Anita (Race 5) - Greenwich Village @ SP

As is often the case with three-year-old stakes in California, there is a disappointing turnout. There are only five runners entered, with all but one trained by Bob Baffert and Doug O’Neill. Baffert’s Buetane (3) has achieved the most.

He won well on debut at Del Mar. Second time out, he was no match for Ted Noffey in The Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga. That colt won two more Grade 1’s subsequently, including The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He must have had some kind of setback, as he missed the late-season two-year-old races. He’s back working really well, and the one to beat in the class drop.

Greenwich Village (1) and So Happy (2) both have won their only starts to date. The rail-drawn runner wired a field at Los Alamitos last month. He has shown improved morning workouts since his debut.

He’ll be a price as winning rider Juan Hernandez seemingly preferring stablemate Buetane (3). That could also be the case with So Happy (2). He caused a near 40/1 shock first time out at Del Mar in late November. That was a deep maiden, and the winning time was fast. Like the selection, it will be no surprise if he improves on that second time out.

On paper, Acknowledgemeplz (4) is the better of The Doug O’Neill-trained pair. He ran into a top prospect on debut before winning in a super time a second time at the races. His last run was a strange one.

His rider seemed determined to take him off the speed in a Grade 2 over an extended mile at Los Alamitos. The tactic didn’t work. Now he’s shortened up in distance and runs in blinkers first time. Expect a much better effort, probably on or close to the pace. His stablemate Thirsty Rebel (5) is the only two-time winner in this lineup. He has more to do than when beating a field of California breds by six lengths last month. The speed figure he ran and the manner of victory suggests he’s not a no-hoper here.

22:20 Gulfstream Park (Race 11) - Spirited Boss @ SP

The most talented gal in this lineup is Great Venezuela (11). The nine-time career winner won a handicap in a fast time on Tapeta in late November. She is almost as good on turf. All but one of her races have been sprinting.

In her one start over a mile, she did run second to Ashima (7) in this race last year. Ashima (7) did get away with a soft lead that day. Some of her races since then have been better. She came from off the pace to win a starter at Churchill in her last time. The five-year-old and old rival Great Venezuela (11) make the short list.

Ashima (7) was ridden by Irad Ortiz last time. He may have had the choice and is aboard Spirited Boss (6), whom he rode in her first three career starts. She came close to back-to-back stakes victories here in March and May. Her three-year-old season was curtailed in June.

Although best on paper, she made a fine return when winning at Tampa last month. She draws the best of the contenders in here. With the possibility of a nice trip just off the speed, she may be the answer.

A trio of these come from an open stake for three-year-olds run here on December 13. The Live Oak Plantation owned Souper Zonda (10) and Souper Williwaw (8) ran fourth and fifth. This is a drop in class now facing Florida breds. The pair have to be reckoned with. Also-ran from that race, Miss Mary Nell (3) is likely to run better. She was coming off a long absence and ran like she wasn’t fully fit.

Rugelach (9) won five times in California. She ran an encouraging first start in Florida. The six-year-old was beaten a neck in an allowance optional claimer there. It was the second leg of a hat-trick for the winner. She can win this with the right trip. Like a few of these with wide posts, she could have drawn better.

The early fractions here could be hot and contested. That would suit the late-running Lady Cha Cha (1). Luz de La Luna (2) is an unknown past seven furlongs. He is capable hands and is capabale of a possible upset under David Egan. Last time maiden winner Sapphire Girl (5) gets a massive class hike, but her best races are likely to be ahead of her.