Horse Racing Trader’s Tips: US Racing – Friday 24th April

Our trader Joseph Kyne gives his thoughts on Friday’s racing Stateside

There are no fewer than five race meetings across the pond tomorrow night, featuring some quality cards from Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs.

And before the first race gets underway at 17:24, our trader has taken a closer look at Friday’s cards to give us his picks.

Tampa Bay Downs

Daniel Centeno may be the hottest jockey on the Tampa Bay course right now, but Samy Camacho continues 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 has three wins and two second place finishes from only eight starts at the Florida track, and Camacho has a great record when he teams up with trainer Anthony Granitz.

While the five-year-old hasn’t hit the most impressive form of late, the switch back to a dirt course teamed with a big drop in class could allow for a much better showing.

On the other hand, Fort King comes into this race off the back of a win under Samy’s guidance last time out. The pair obviously get on well together, and no doubt they’ll be hoping for a repeat performance.

They’ll face stiff competition from the likely favourite Bueno Bueno Bueno, but there’s no substitute for a partnership who get on well, with half of the duo a jockey full of confidence.

Samy Camacho Booked Rides: 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).

Gulfstream Park

Panamanian ace Luis Saez is still very much the man in form, and the man to beat on the Gulfstream Park 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 are seeking redemption after coming unstuck last time out, despite being good winners beforehand. Hartling has a rare blip being beaten on a turf track after running four smooth wins, including three over dirt.

Her expert handler looks to have picked a good opportunity to get the three-year-old daughter of Mucho Mucho Man back on track in what looks an open race.

Eve of War contests a much stronger race in the 21:46, with the field containing two ex-Jessica Harrington imports. She trounced her opposition on her very impressive first start, boulting up by little over 7l.

A few weeks later, things went wrong when she stumbled at the start and never got back into contention, but legendary trainer Pletcher is looking to get her back on track with the switch back to turf.

It wouldn’t come as a surprise to see him get it right, but the level of competition posed from the likes of Secret Stash, who finished third in the Florida Oaks, makes this a tricky contest.

Luis Saez Booked Rides: First In Line (18:00), Hartling (18:34), Borrowed Angel (19:39), Frenchman Street (20:11), Simple Story (20:43), Combination (21:15), Eve of War (21:46), Graceful Princess (22:17) & Fifty Cents (22:47).

Race to Watch – Gulfstream Park – 22:17

A horse which could be familiar to a few in the first here is Shrewdness. The daughter of Lawman, trained by William Haggas and owned by the Queen in the UK, she makes her second start across the pond for US trainer Patrick Biancone.

Some might consider her first run, where she was narrowly beaten by just shy of a length, to be an excellent first showing considering she ran off the back of a six-month spell away from the track.

That race was on turf however, and this run on a dirt track is an entirely different proposition for her. She isn’t bred for the dirt track, and even though Biancone has a good track record switching horses from one surface to another, it poses a serious question.

Shrewdness’ only win did come at the Wolverhampton track, so there is some hope that she might take to the mud better than expected.

She isn’t the only former 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 managed two wins at novice level.

Her first two runs in Florida have shown some promise, as she’s run well on both occasions, but this is her first attempt on the dirt surface so there are questions on how well she’ll handle it.

Brendan Walsh hasn’t had much success so far with his runners this season, so a win for his filly here would be very welcome. Can either of the former UK-trained horses shine on the dirt track?

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All odds and markets are correct as of date of publication.