US Horse Racing Tips: Stateside selections for Saturday

Our US Horse Racing expert, Paul Quigley, returns with his Saturday Stateside selections.

He has a couple of US Horse Racing Tips for your perusal, all of which can be found down below.

Today's US Racing odds

Horse Racing odds

Tampa Bay Downs Race 11 (22:35) - Canaletto @ SP

The leader in the clubhouse is Further Ado (6). The is the only stakes winner in this line up. The Brad Cox trained colt took a Grade 2 at Churchill on his last start in November. He was odds on for that race off a scintillating twenty length maiden score at Keeneland. If he repeats that, he is very likely to win this. The problem is his last run and the two prior to his maiden win are nowhere near as good. He has to be respected but as the likely short-priced favourite, it may pay to look in a different direction.

Two runners who caught the eye in maidens on debut are likely to be second and third favourites. Powershift (5) lost narrowly to a fellow debutant here. The winner looks destined for stakes races and he finished thirteen lengths clear of the third. He looks playable second time out especially with a good run over The Tampa surface. Chad Brown’s Canaletto (9) went one better in a maiden at Gulfstream. He won by eight lengths in a fast time. The third franked the form by graduating by open lengths next time. He is a half brother to a Grade 1 winner who should improve given more of a test of stamina. He’s the play as the likely second favourite.

Powershift (5) is not the only very promising maiden in here. The Puma (8) ran a close second to a top class prospect on debut at Gulfstream. On the back of that, his connections took a shot in a stakes prep or this race. He was beaten six lengths into third but had far from an ideal trip. If he is around 8 or 10/1, he may be worth a saver at least.

Talkin (2) beat Further Ado (6) on debut. He ran second in a Grade 1 at Aqueduct after that. He has had some time way after blotting his copybook back in New York in December. Redland Rebels (1) went close in a stake on turf last time. He may be able to transfer his form to dirt. Hulkamania (4) has worked well since winning his only start to date.

Santa Anita Race 8 (23:41) - So Happy @ SP

Trainer Bob Baffert has farmed this race, winning it nine times. He has the likely short-priced favourite here in Brant (4). He looked to a colt destined for the very top when winning well in a fast time at first asking. His only two other starts were hardly poor but lacked the sparkle of that debut. He was workmanlike when winning The Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity. His third in The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile is decent on paper. He did have his own way on a soft lead. Maybe he shouldn’t have held off two year old champion Tedd Noffey but certainly the runner up who is hardly top class.

Brant (4) has achieved more than any of his rivals. He’s only had three career starts so could take a big step forward on his three year old debut. Maybe the unbeaten So Happy (6) has more upside as the second favourite. He was very professional on debut before beating a talented stablemate of Brant (4) in a local Grade 2 second time out. The only worry with him is his ability to be as effective over a furlong and a half further. He’s not bred to stay well but was hardly stopping at the end over seven furlongs last time.

It may be 5 or 6/1 bar two horses here. As well as Brant (4) Baffert has the once-raced Potente (5) here. He wired a field over six furlongs on debut. He’s stoutly bred so more ground may suit. With him showing a similar running style to Brant (4), it will be interesting to see which of his jockeys gets the office to send from his trainer and who is told to sit. That’s the usual M.O. from Baffert when he has two front-end types in these stakes in California. A speed duel helps the upset chances of Start the Ride (2). His trainer Dan Blacker looks like he’s entered stablemate Flashy Fritz (1) purely as a rabbit. Start the Ride (2) improved massively to win a stake second time out. That was only for California breds. The third won an open stake next time out boosting the form of that race. He is a likely late player.

Secured Freedom (3) lost to So Happy (6) on debut. He’s shown improved form in both races since. A maiden breaker was followed by a third in a Grade 3 here with Robusta (7) behind him. He looked like he was going to be an also-ran until switched into the straight. Then he started to finish suggesting more ground will suit. He may be the best alternative to the likely front two in the market.

Horse Racing tips with Betfred Insights.