US Horse Racing Tips: Sunday’s picks take us to Keeneland

Our Stateside expert, Paul Quigley, is back with his Sunday US Horse Racing Tips, looking for winners at Keeneland.

You will find his three selections below.

21:12 Keeneland - Pipsy @ SP

Future Is Now (9) is the gal to beat. The five-year-old fires every time and has looked as good as ever this term. Her only loss this year was by half a length to Pipsy (5). Since then, she has won back to back stakes at Saratoga. She made it two-from-two over course and distance in April. Her other victory here was in this race last year. She has speed but is just as capable stalking a fast pace. There are a couple of possible negatives with her. She has a wide post and her regular jockey Paco Lopez is suspended at present. Irad Ortiz is hardly a poor substitute.

There are a couple of interesting three-year -olds in this line up. The most precocious is Luna Louska (7). She has won all her three starts since switching to the turf. The last two were stakes events. She set very fast fractions when scoring in New York last month.

This is step up in class but her best races may be ahead of her. That said, if Future Is Now (9) is to be beaten, Pipsy (5) may be the filly. She has that victory over the favourite in June. Her last run was a little better than it looks when beaten by a good field of boys at Kentucky Downs. Flavien Prat may be able to get a nice stalking trip just off the speed.

In Our Time (6) has spent most of the last year or so racing over a mile and more. She handled the cut back to six and a half furlongs when winning a conditions event at Kentucky Downs last month. The speed she showed then suggests she will be effective over today’s shorter distance.

The slight issue with her is being taken out of comfort zone early drawn immediately inside speedball Louska (7). Time to Dazzle (2) was a fast-finishing second to her last time. The deep closer got within a length of Future Is Now (9) over today’s trip in July. She is one to consider for the forecast at least.

Pondering (1) may not have acted on the undulations of Kentucky Downs last time. She is better judged on a stakes victory on a more conventional track prior to that. Cart Girl Sam (8) is progressing with racing but gets tested for class.

21:44 Keeneland - Background @ SP

A big purse for a $16,000 claimer has attracted an oversized field. Lend It Tewmey (8) may head the market. He was claimed off a length victory over Sutherland (9) at Churchill last month. His new trainer Tom Amoss has a fine record with first time acquisitions, particularly for owner Maggi Moss.

Lend It Tewmey (8) goes up a notch in class. Many of his rivals are dropping from tougher races. Xander (7) and Mucho Mojo (11) are two of them. The first named has a chance off a win at Churchill in May. Mucho Mojo (11) won his last race over one turn.

The pair are possibilities along with Lightning Struck (6) and Guanare (12). Lightning Struck (6) has the back form to contend. His stablemate Guanare (12) was a winner for today’s claiming price at Ellis Park in August.

Gluckstadt (2) and Denington (3) ship in from Prairie Meadows. Both runners have form at bigger tracks so can’t be dismissed. They will be prices. So too will Background (5). He has been running in better races over a mile or more. His last two races over one turn make him a possible upsetter. He won a higher priced claimer over today’s distance and then third in an even better one.

22:16 Keeneland - Chasing Freedom @ SP

Trainer Wes Ward has entered two fillies against the boys here. His She's On a Roll (3) may improve for the cut back from a mile. Her stablemate Cynical Humor (4) shaped with tons of promise on debut at Kentucky Downs. She is stoutly bred so it is interesting Ward cuts her back a furlong for career start number two. Maybe sprinting is her thing. That could be the case with Spirit of a Walkon (7) whose pedigree suggests she will get better over further than five-and-a-half furlongs.

Cowboy Roy (5) and Grace Met Cupid (6) both ran at Colonial Downs last time. The first named ran into a well meant newcomer on her career debut. The speedy Grace Met Cupid (6) showed improved form trying the turf for the first time.

The pair are interesting but a couple of others catch the eye a bit more. Bluegrass Town (1) has a look of a work in progress. He has been working really well since a wide trip at Kentucky Downs. He draws much better than Chasing Freedom (12). That said, he may be worth a small interest. He’s the first foal of his turf stakes sprinter winning dam. The booking of Irad suggest he may be live on debut.

Green Screen (14) got behind and stayed on late on debut at Saratoga. He is likely to be more professional second time out. If he runs here rather than an alternative engagement at Santa Anita, he’s well worth considering. Midshakin (8) and No Joke Joe (10) make their career debuts for very capable trainers.

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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...