US Horse Racing Tips: Tampa Bay Downs & Gulfstream Park catch Paul’s eye

Paul Quigley, our US Horse Racing expert, is back on Friday to provide his best bets from across the pond, with his attention focused on Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park

Check out his latest US Horse Racing Tips below.

20:58 Tampa Bay Downs (Race 8) – Dancing Magic (6) @ SP

There is no standout in here. A couple of gals dropping in class from stakes events will likely take money. Junta (5) ran second in one such event at Horseshoe Indiana in May. The winner backed that up by taking a Grade 3 at Monmouth. She is proven fresh, breaking her maiden over course and distance on her career debut. The lightly raced four year old is the one to fear. Sunset Express (2) also gets class relief for her comeback. Her last spell on the dirt resulted in back to back convincing victories at Hawthorne.

Costa Amalfitana (4) ran flat on her local return. Her best effort came when second at this level at Colonial Downs in September. There she made the lead early so Samuel Marin may revert to those aggressive riding tactics. Dancing Magic (6) ran poorly when behind her that day. She was spelled and may be all the better for her comeback last month. She’s done some of her best work at Tampa. That includes a stakes victory over course and distance at this time last year. The four year old may be worth siding with.     

Profitunity (8) went to the sidelines after a nice win at Laurel in April. Her trainer has a modest record with lay off runners but she has been working well. Dancing Raquel (3) gets back on her best surface. Castagna (1) is in form and is a place chance.

21:20 Gulfstream Park (Race 9) – Batten Down (1) @ SP

This is a stakes quality conditions event. A few of these runners get class relief after running in much better races. That is the case with The Bill Mott trained pair. Jockey bookings suggest Batten Down (1) is the first string. The one-time Grade 3 winner has not raced since running poorly in a stake at Aqueduct in April. He has been working forwardly for his comeback. It will be no surprise if Junior Alvarado reverts to aggressive riding tactics. The five-year-old has done his best work when on the lead from the get-go. It is interesting that Mott has also entered Stars and Stripes (2). He looked a nice prospect when winning back to back races in New York in the summer. It is easy to forgive his loss in November. Most of the distance he was beaten by was by a top three year old who freaked.      

Digital Ops (3) is not very consistent but is capable of strong form when things go his way. That includes a stakes runner up at Saratoga in the summer. He is best when bossing things from the outset. If he is gunned for the lead and Batten Down (1) takes back, he may be tough to reel in. Solo Venturi (4) lacks the credentials of him and the inside drawn pair. He has only had six races and may be capable of better. The newly turned four-year-old faced a stiff task at Gulfstream last month. The winner of that race was the only runner to beat Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty last year.

Statesman (6) looked progressive in Florida last winter. He’s not raced since running too bad to be true in a Grade 2 at Aqueduct in April. Freedom Road (7) has far more races than any of his rivals. They were at a much lesser level than today.