Saratoga Racing Tips: Speedy Crosstalk to take maiden claimer

Filly fancied back on dirt for first time since debut

Saratoga 19:15: Crosstalk 1pt win at 5/2 or better

There's a lot of high-class racing at Saratoga throughout the summer but there are also opportunities for lower grade horses too and this dirt maiden claimer fits firmly into the latter category.

I'm a fan of horses dropping from maiden special weight company into a maiden claimer for the first time and for that reason I took a long look at Shane's Risk in this spot.

She's from a high-percentage barn and is lightly raced but the problem is she was beaten miles in her two starts to date and we simply don't know if she has any real ability.

Consequently, the one I want to be with is Crosstalk, who has shown some talent on both dirt and turf, though may simply be better suited to the main track.

She's run okay on her three turf starts since debuting on the main track and showed plenty of speed before fading on the grass at Belmont last time.

However, it's her debut run that makes her of most interest in this race, which came in a much better contest than this on the Tampa Bay dirt in March.

She made the lead there before only giving way late on, eventually beaten just under 5 lengths into fifth place. That's a race that has thrown up plenty of subsequent winners and this contest looks a lot weaker.

An outside draw here also gives jockey Jose Ortiz the chance of a perfect trip and, with blinkers on this filly for the first time, it's possible she gets the race sewn up early.

All in all, Crosstalk has plenty going for her and I'll be disappointed if she doesn't go very close.