Horse Racing Trader’s Tips: US Racing – Friday 24th April
Published:
Our trader Joseph Kyne gives his thoughts on Friday’s racing Stateside
There are no fewerthan five race meetings across the pond tomorrow night, featuring some qualitycards from Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs.
And before the firstrace gets underway at 17:24, our trader has taken a closer look at Friday’scards to give us his picks.
Daniel Centeno maybe the hottest jockey on the Tampa Bay course right now, but Samy Camachocontinues to ride at the top of his game and has seven more rides on this card.
He looks to have some excellent chances, with the best two picks being his ride of Sunset Empire in the opener at 17:24, and the horse he mounts in the last with Fort King at 20:58.
Sunset Empire hasthree wins and two second place finishes from only eight starts at the Floridatrack, and Camacho has a great record when he teams up with trainer AnthonyGranitz.
While thefive-year-old hasn’t hit the most impressive form of late, the switch back to adirt course teamed with a big drop in class could allow for a much bettershowing.
On the other hand,Fort King comes into this race off the back of a win under Samy’s guidance lasttime out. The pair obviously get on well together, and no doubt they’ll behoping for a repeat performance.
They’ll face stiffcompetition from the likely favourite Bueno Bueno Bueno, but there’s nosubstitute for a partnership who get on well, with half of the duo a jockeyfull of confidence.
Samy Camacho BookedRides: Sunset Empire (17:24),Majestic Melody (17:52), Silent Mischief (18:21), Baci (18:52), Lady Breanna(19:25), C’Era Una Volta (20:26) & Fort King (20:58).
Panamanian ace LuisSaez is still very much the man in form, and the man to beat on the GulfstreamPark course. He continues to rack up winners and has maintained a near-20%strike rate so far this season.
On his extensive book of rides for some top trainers it could be worth looking at Hartling for Michael Pino at 18:34, as well as Eve of War for Todd Pletcher at 21:46.
Both fillies areseeking redemption after coming unstuck last time out, despite being goodwinners beforehand. Hartling has a rare blip being beaten on a turf track afterrunning four smooth wins, including three over dirt.
Her expert handlerlooks to have picked a good opportunity to get the three-year-old daughter ofMucho Mucho Man back on track in what looks an open race.
Eve of War contestsa much stronger race in the 21:46, with the field containing two ex-JessicaHarrington imports. She trounced her opposition on her very impressive firststart, boulting up by little over 7l.
A few weeks later,things went wrong when she stumbled at the start and never got back intocontention, but legendary trainer Pletcher is looking to get her back on trackwith the switch back to turf.
It wouldn’t come asa surprise to see him get it right, but the level of competition posed from thelikes of Secret Stash, who finished third in the Florida Oaks, makes this atricky contest.
Luis Saez BookedRides: First In Line (18:00),Hartling (18:34), Borrowed Angel (19:39), Frenchman Street (20:11), SimpleStory (20:43), Combination (21:15), Eve of War (21:46), Graceful Princess(22:17) & Fifty Cents (22:47).
A horse which couldbe familiar to a few in the first here is Shrewdness. The daughter ofLawman, trained by William Haggas and owned by the Queen in the UK, she makesher second start across the pond for US trainer Patrick Biancone.
Some might considerher first run, where she was narrowly beaten by just shy of a length, to be anexcellent first showing considering she ran off the back of a six-month spellaway from the track.
That race was onturf however, and this run on a dirt track is an entirely different propositionfor her. She isn’t bred for the dirt track, and even though Biancone has a goodtrack record switching horses from one surface to another, it poses a seriousquestion.
Shrewdness’ only windid come at the Wolverhampton track, so there is some hope that she might taketo the mud better than expected.
She isn’t the onlyformer Haggas in-mate in the field, with Whispering Beauty in the pack too.She’s arguably achieved more in her career so far, and in the UK, she managedtwo wins at novice level.
Her first two runs inFlorida have shown some promise, as she’s run well on both occasions, but thisis her first attempt on the dirt surface so there are questions on how wellshe’ll handle it.
Brendan Walsh hasn’thad much success so far with his runners this season, so a win for his fillyhere would be very welcome. Can either of the former UK-trained horses shine onthe dirt track?
All odds and marketsare correct as of date of publication.
