Timeform's US team suggest bets at Penn National and Presque Isle Downs...
The best bet on today's cards comes in the opener at Penn National, where La Reine's Wager is expected to regain the winning thread after a good second-place finish last time out...
The best bet on today's cards comes in the opener at Penn National, where La Reine's Wager is expected to regain the winning thread after a good second-place finish last time out. Prior to that run, La Reine's Wager had won two in a row, following a belated switch to the turf after 18 starts. This five-year-old mare really seems to have found her niche on the grass, and is posting efforts that are much improved from her dirt races. This starter allowance event looks somewhat weaker than the one she contested last time, and it will be disappointing if she doesn't prove good enough.
Sasueno is a fairly useful synthetic-track performer who has been a little below form in his last two starts. Those runs were on turf, however, and Sasueno should bounce back to form on the Tapeta in race 3 at Presque Isle Downs (23:15 BST). The six-year-old gelding's most recent win came when just lasting home by a nose in a $25k claimer over C&D back in May, and the small class-drop into $16k company looks to be a good move. The pace scenario also appears to be in the forward-running Sasueno's favour and he should take a great deal of beating.
There are one or two lightly-raced horses with 'sexy' profiles in the six-furlong allowance race that closes the Presque Isle Downs card (01:20 BST), but we prefer to stick with the proven form of 35-race veteran Inspeight, who had been in the form of her life prior to disappointing last time out. Having previously won over today's distance, and slightly shorter, Inspeight probably made her move too early last time out over six and a half, and a more judicious ride over this shorter trip should pay dividends.
Timeform US Smart Plays:
Penn National race 1 (23:00 BST) win back #3 LA REINE'S WAGER at 4.3100/30 or longer
Presque Isle Downs race 3 (23:15 BST) win back #6 SASUENO at 3.613/5 or longer
Presque Isle Downs race 8 (01:20 BST) win back #6 INSPEIGHT at 4.03/1 or longer