US Horse Racing Tips: Two picks from Keeneland

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

You will find his two selections below.

21:12 Keeneland - Mackman @ SP

In terms of ability Army Officer (2) and Resilience (5) look best in here. Both runners have question marks about them.

In terms of Army Officer (2), it is mainly the surface. All bar one of his thirteen career starts have come on the turf. His win at Ellis Park on the grass in August is top form. His one start on dirt was a dud. It did come on his career debut and he’s a much better horse these days. He is bred to handle dirt and Irad Ortiz is a positive booking.

Unlike Army Officer (2), Resilience (5) has no issues about the underfoot conditions. He ran his best race for some time when beaten a nose in a conditions event at Churchill last month. The four year old has not got his head in front since winning The Grade 2 Wood Memorial in April 2024. Then he beat Society Man (12) easily. That runner reversed the form in June. Based on his last run, he can win a race of this nature if the will is still there.

Stowaway (4) finished behind Resilience (5) last time. He had missed fifteen months and may have needed two runs to get to full fitness. He’s an interesting price chance. So too is Mackman (7).

He ran some big races in defeat against classy runners in the winter. The five-year-old has not raced since February. His trainer has a decent record with lay off runners. It may be worth chancing his fitness.

Gasoline (3) comes off two fine races at Saratoga. He is a place chance at least. Likewise Winnemac Avenue (8) off the pick of his form.

22:16 Keeneland - Golden Irish @ SP & She's Not A Joke @ SP

The card is likely to end with a worthy short-priced favourite in Golden Irish (10). She ran two-nice races in defeat on her return at Saratoga in the summer. The three-year-old went one better at Churchill last month. Over today’s distance, she won a similar race to this one by five-widening lengths.

She is likely to do so the same here if she runs the same race. Even off her Saratoga form, she is likely to go very close. She has speed but can run her race from just off the pace. That gives jockey Jose Ortiz options.

On paper, Dozen Diamonds (9) is the biggest threat to the selection. She was claimed off a good effort on the turf in June and has been freshened up since. All her runs have come on the grass.

In her one start on dirt, she ran fourth in a deep Grade 2 as a juvenile. The surface and lay off is less of a worry than the form of her trainer. Chris Hartman is having an unusually long barren spell. She still has upside along with Tizntshelovely (8). That filly may have needed the run when ran down late on her return.

In Awe of Juju (1), Dark Fury (2) get class tests after beating field of one time winning claimers. Truthorconsequence (6) has a chance of outrunning her odds if she can make the lead on her own.

Split Success (12) is lightly raced and may be capable of better. That said, the best chance of an upset may be She's Not a Joke (11). She was entitled to need her comeback last month and has been working well. Off the pick of her form at Oaklawn, she can go well.

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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...