Paul Quigley's US Racing Preview

Wednesday is the first day of racing of closing week at Keeneland’s Spring Meet. The final day is Friday with Churchill opening a day later. Although there are no stakes carded, there are a trio of quality events. Two of them make the preview below. Race six is an allowance event for fillies and mares sprinting on the turf. Pandora's Gift is likely to be a clear-cut favourite on her five year old debut. Her connections must be glad to see her nemesis Future Is Now is not in the line up. This is a very winnable spot for her but it’s not a gimme by any means.        

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The Stateside Preview from Horseshoe Indianapolis, Keeneland and Tampa Bay Downs for Wednesday 22 April 2026

Tampa Bay Downs 7 (8.27pm)

Starter Optional Claiming – 3-year-old fillies – 1 Mile – Turf

With a dry weather forecast, this should be run on the turf. If the unforeseen happens and this is switched to the main track, Caura (7) and Parlaypauline (2) look the pair to concentrate on. The first named ran well in a much better race than this one last time. Parlaypauline (2) broke her maiden on dirt. She has ran well in both her starts on the grass. Last month, she ran third to Duchessa (5) in a similar event with Radar Loop (6) a length behind her. She may improve second time back after a lay off. That said, the hat-trick seeking Duchessa (5) is improving. She is from a decent family and may be starting to fulfill her potential. 

LA RODADA (8) may be the play here. She broke her maiden last month on her first start for her trainer in a maiden claimer that came off the turf. Getting back on the grass three weeks later, she ran even better. She ran second in a $25,000 claimer for one-time winners splitting two older horses. The winner went close in a better race next time and the third is a decent yardstick.    

Tamarack (9) is tabbed at 12/1 on the morning line. That may be a tad big bearing in mind the promise she has shown in both his races. A maiden win admittedly by disqualification on debut in a productive race at Canterbury last September. Six months later, she was only beaten six lengths in a much better race than this one. She is the likely improver in this line up. Greatest (3) will likely to be a much shorter price. She has been in two much tougher races at Gulfstream since breaking her maiden locally. Eleven weeks freshening and the drop in class make her a big threat.

Precious Sight (1) and Bakers Island (4) finished just out of the places in a claimer here earlier this month. That form seems good enough to make any impact in this spot. 
  
Selection: LA RODADA (8)
No exotics

Keeneland 6 (8.40pm)

Allowance (split conditions) – Fillies and Mares – 4-year-olds and upwards – 5 ½ Furlongs – Turf

The comebacking Pandora's Gift (8) has been tabbed as a pretty short-priced favourite on the morning line. It is easy to see why. She ran well when finishing close up behind crack sprinter Future Is Now in graded stakes on the grass last year. A repeat of any of her turf form in 2025 and she will have too much for this field. She’s been absent since a modest run on Tapeta last September. The five year old has fired fresh before. She runs with Lasix for the first time and Flavien Prat has been booked for the ride. She’s the gal to fear.   

Lovely Emma (1) is an improving four year old. She won back to back allowance events at The Fair Grounds. The form of her last victory was given a boost when the runner up She's A Tempest (10) came back to score. Her old rival has worked well since but she has the better draw. BIG TROUBLE (4) makes the same trip having last raced in Louisiana. She has ran well in her last two starts on turf. A stakes win was followed by a runner up try in another. The winner freaked on the lead that day. If Irad Ortiz can keep her close enough, she should run big. Her trainer Greg Foley is can be very streaky. His runners have mainly ran big at this meet.      

Me Governor (2) and Coco Abarrio (3) filled the places in stake on Tapeta at Gulfstream last month. The winner is a class act who was returning to new her best. Both fillies have form on turf. The pair are price chances. So too is Tapeta stakes winner Ms. Tart (5). She was a Grade 3 winner on the turf last year.   

Paynt Ya Later (7) has a long lay off to defy. She is dangerous on the lead on her own. Bourbon Memory (6) can stalk the pace and run big. The stakes winner last spring is now trying the turf for the first time. She may be a price after losing her rider on her comeback. Justinqueso (11) did a lot better on her return. She is closely matched with Me Governor (2) off a run at Churchill in November.    

Selection: BIG TROUBLE (4)
No exotics

Horseshoe Indianapolis 4 (8.43pm)

Starter Optional Claiming – Fillies and Mares – 3-year-olds and upwards – 6 Furlongs – Dirt

ARRASOU (1) looks the gal to beat. She ran some big races in victory and defeat on the dirt here last year. By and large, she has ran at least as well since in a spell on The Tapeta at Turfway. She won a $40,000 claimer in December before a decent try in an allowance event there in January. Her last race when in deep wasn’t good. She was forwardly placed in an event where the principals came from off the pace. The six year old has been freshened up by a trainer who has made his usual fast start to this meet. There are a couple of issues with her. She draws the rail which may not be the place to be. In addition, she is in for sale for only $15,000 which seems a bit cheap bearing in mind her best recent form.   
   
Flirting With Time (6) comes off a claiming romp and a starter allowance victory on The Tapeta at Turfway. She is an unknown on dirt. Her dam and siblings are winless on the dirt in admittedly a small sample. If she handles the footing, she could be dangerous. She could duel with Arrasou (1). That brings stalker Beach Kitten (5) into the reckoning. She has been the bridesmaid in five straight races since winning back to back starter events at Belterra Park last summer. She’s not raced since January. Her trainer has a surprisingly good record with lay off runners considering his overall profile.    

Tricky Furey (4) comes off a couple of good efforts at Turfway. It could have been the surface or simply she is much improved since she last tried the dirt. Wellareyouhappynow (3) has won on dirt but she didn’t show much when fancied for an easier spot at Mahoning Valley last time. Bella Cruella (2) is zero from thirteen on dirt but has ran well in some of those races. She was claimed off a victory at Turfway in February. Her new trainer’s poor record with new acquisitions is a negative.    

Pickle Shoes (7) broke her maiden here a fortnight ago. This is a big step up in class.

Selection: ARRASOU (1)
No exotics

Keeneland 7 (9.12pm)

Allowance Optional Claiming – Fillies and Mares – 4-year-olds and upwards – 6 ½ Furlongs – Dirt

It is hard to eliminate any of these. A trio of this field ran in a Grade 3 at Gulfstream last month. Nothing was going to catch a talented sprinter that day who wired the field by open lengths. Beyond Belief (5) did the best of them running third. A nine length blow out win in Florida in December is contending form. LYNN'S MILKY WAY (3) finished just behind Beyond Belief (5) in that Grade 3. She probably paid the price for trying to duel with the winner who set torrid early fractions. This race plots to be run a lot less frenetic early on. She went into that stake off back to back allowance wins at Gulfstream under Irad Ortiz. He is back aboard today. 

The other runner from that Grade 3 was Roswell (2). She stayed on late after getting behind early. The six year old may be all the better for her that race, her comeback. She has a chance off a victory over a subsequent stakes winner at Aqueduct in November. Evanescence (6) will be a shorter price. She is progressive, winning an allowance optional claimer at The Fair Grounds on her four year old debut. Second time back, she improved on that. She ran third in a stake at Oaklawn. The pair that beat her are bang in form and talented sprinters. She can win this but the pace dynamics may play against her closing running style.  

Marmalade Skye (4) won on Tapeta last month but is just as effective on dirt. She had form in similar events to today’s last autumn. Shotgun Wedding (1) is a tougher read. She has form on turf and Tapeta winning a stake at Woodbine in October. The rail-drawn runner is making her comeback in her first ever race on dirt. She is the first foal of her dam who was a winner on the dirt.     

Selection: LYNN'S MILKY WAY (3)
No exotics