Horse Racing Trader’s Tips: US Racing – Wednesday 29th April
Our trader Joseph Kyne looks ahead to Wednesday’s action Stateside
We’ve got more action from the Spring Meet at Will Rogers Downs on Wednesday, with a further 10-race card to look over which gets started at 19:15.
But there’s a glorious eight-race meet from Tampa Bay Downs which starts our Stateside coverage, and before the first race is run, our trading expert casts his eyes over the runners and riders from across the pond.
Tampa Bay Downs
For anyone that’s been following the action from the Florida course recently, you’ll know that there isn’t much to split defending champion Samy Camacho and his closest rival this term, Antonio Gallardo.
Daniel Centeno has recently been trying to bridge the gap to the leading pair, but he still trails their number of winners by some margin despite an exemplary strike-rate of 23%.
The final race from the meet takes place at 21:30, and it features all three jockeys in action, all mounting newcomers. It’s likely that notching a winner in the last will come down to the ability and fitness of their rides.
Centeno rides Tilsa for Jonathan Thomas. He’s a trainer who usually operates at an exceptionally high strike-rate and have a respectable conversion rate with debutants too.
Tilsa is the daughter of Flatter and looks to be a nice filly. Her breeding does suggest she could be better suited to a dirt track, so it’s interesting that he opts for the turf at Tampa Bay in her first outing.
Camacho mounts Curly Wurly, who on paper looks to have a better chance to entering the winners enclosure. She’s trained by ace Christophe Clement, who’s well known for sending out winners on their first start, so expect this well-bred filly to be sharp on her first run.
Gallardo will be hoping he can spoil the party with the most expensive horse in the race. He mounts Stolen Holiday, a $750,000 purchase as a yearling and a daughter of the mighty War Front.
She’s trained by Claude McGaughey III, who isn’t known for picking up first-time winners, but her owner will be hoping for a special performance or at least hope to see some promise from her first run, bearing in mind the mammoth price-tag.
The question in this race is which of the top jockeys will prevail? And more importantly, will any of their inexperienced debutants be good enough to beat those more experienced in the pack?
Will Rogers Downs
Ty Kennedy and Floyd Wethey Jr are the top two jockeys to follow at the Will Rogers Downs track, boasting impressive strike-rates of 27% and 23% respectively. However, one man currently riding at the peak of his ability is David Cabrera.
The Mexican native is currently operating at a stunning strike-rate of 28% and has a couple of rides lined up for the in-form trainer Karl Broberg.
The duo’s best chance of a winner comes in race four of the meet, which takes place at 20:45. Cabrera partners Frugal Betty in this one, with the filly looking to get back on track after a defeat in her last run.
This speedy filly had won well over six furlongs on her penultimate starts, and the daughter of Kennedy undoubtably has more class than some of her rivals in the field. The drop in class means she’s in an easier race, but the question remains whether she really wants to be running over this length.
The curtain call at 23:45 is an extremely open race and looks to be the best contest on the 10-race card. Despite not being worth very much, it features an intriguing clash between Quicksilver and Fred’s Country Boy.
Both runners have notched wins in their last two starts at Will Rogers Downs, with Quicksilver finding no problems stepping up to a mile in his last race, drawing clear by three lengths for an easy victory under the guidance of Wethey Jr, who mounts up again here.
Fred’s Country Boy made hard work of his last win but had won well before that, with both runs coming over a mile course. He makes his first start for new trainer Charlie Livers having been claimed last time out.
David Cabrera booked rides: Eurostep (19:15), Frugal Betty (20:45), Vegan Goes Best (21:45), Rozafa (22:15), The Devil’s Daddy (22:45), Swannyland (23:15) & June Two Four (23:45).
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All odds and markets are correct as of date of publication.