Barry Faulkner's US Racing Preview

Horseshoe Indianapolis, Fort Erie, and Thistledown provide the action for my preview today, with two races from the former venue, together with one each from other pair.

Hopefully the analysis below will guide you to some profitable play but, whichever way you make your picks, good luck everyone! 

The Stateside Preview - Fort Erie, Horseshoe Indianapolis, and Thistledown races for Tuesday 30th June 2026

Horseshoe Indianapolis 5 (9.14pm)

Claimer ($15,000) N2L – Indiana bred and sired 3-year-olds and upwards – One mile - Dirt

Morning Line favourite, Four Start General (8) made his debut in the middle of August last year and closed his first season of action by winning a Maiden Special Weight by 8¼ lengths as 1-2 favourite, on his fifth start. He came back at the end of April and has contested four entry level Allowances so far this year. His best run came in the first of those races, when he finished 5½ lengths third of six, earning a fair speed figure. His last two runs - the second of which came on turf - were disappointing, but he has shown that this trip should hold no terrors, with the class drop and favourable pace profile also positives. He is the obvious one here, but his 2-1 racecard price could be seriously fictitious come post time.

INFINITE SPEED (1) also got his career underway in August last year but, in his case, it was as a juvenile. He also had five races in Maiden Special Weights in 2025, but they were all over five and a half furlongs, with his clear best coming on his third start when beaten just neck into second. After break of close to five months, he returned in early April over the same trip, putting up an eye-popping performance when winning a Maiden Special Weight by 9 lengths. He has got nowhere near that level of form in his two subsequent starts in entry level Allowances, both over sprint trips. There is some hope that this trip may not prove beyond him but, having been close to, if not on the pace sprinting, he will need to settle. Particularly with the two outside him likely to be ridden forwardly.   

Show Me Justice (7) was well beaten on his juvenile debut in a Maiden Special Weight at the middle of September last year. Two weeks later, dropped into a $25,000 Maiden Claimer, he went off as the 9-10 favourite and was a gritty half a length winner. The were both over five and a half furlongs and on his next start he was stepped up in trip by 110 yards. However, he was well beaten in that State bred Stake, when he went off at 50-1, with the company, rather than the distance, proving too much for him. On his return from a break of over eight months, he has to find a lot of improvement, but, in his favour, his breeding is solidly two-turns.

With the jolly likely to be overbet, I am going to take a chance with Infinite Speed (1), whose 10-1 Morning Line may be on the generous side. 

Selection: INFINITE SPEED (1)

Thistledown 8 (9.20pm)

Claimer ($16,000) N4Lx – Ohio bred Fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upwards – Five and a half furlongs - Dirt

Siofra (1) has raced three times this year, going off as favourite each time. Although she won two of those, the local tote paid 3-5, then 1-10 for, and she was 1-2 when beaten first time up. She followed that half a length defeat in a nonwinners of three $7,500 Claimer at the beginning of May by winning one three weeks later. She took that by 7¾ lengths, and fifteen days later, added a nonwinners of four contest for the same tag, winning that by 7¼ lengths. Although that was her fourth victory, she is still eligible to compete here, since races with a tag of $7,500 or below are not considered as a ‘win’ in the conditions of this race. She should make another bold show going for the hat trick here.

Her trainer, David Wolochuk, also runs Compute This (4). Her last run for sale came here at the beginning of October in a nonwinners of three contest with this tag, when she finished 2 lengths second. She has raced in nine Allowance races since then, winning a second level event at Mahoning Valley toward the end of February. She ran well when 2¼ lengths in he first go at the next level but after a poor run at the beginning of this month, is dropped in for sale here. Mauro Cedillo has been the regular pilot on both barn mates but sticks with Siofra (1) today.  

There is not much between Olympic Wings (3), No Napping (4) and Hollaback (5) on form they have shown in a couple of these in April and May, but others look better prospects.

One of those is MY KINDA PARTY (6). Towards the end of last month, she was 1-5 to take a nonwinners of three Claimer with this tag. She did so for fun, leading for most of the way before stretching clear to score by 8¾ lengths as the 3-5 favourite. Twelve days later, she pressed the pace in a split condition Allowance but could not mount a serious challenge when finishing fourth, beaten 3¼ lengths. She is a better fit here.

Selection: MY KINDA PARTY (6)

Fort Erie 1 (9.30pm)

Claimer (C$5,000 - $4,500) N4Lb – Fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upwards – Six and a half furlongs – Dirt

Last Glimmer (4) edged favouritism on the Morning Line for this, after winning her 2026 return earlier this month. That was in a nonwinners of three, C$5,000 Claimer going six furlongs. She pressed the pace in a five-runner field there, before taking the lead on the home turn and keeping on to win it by 1¾ lengths. He speed figure for that was close to her best from last year, and with just over three weeks since that run, she could be a candidate for a ‘bounce’.   

HOT OMELET (5) had a decent time of it last year, winning three of her ten races and taking the show dough in a couple of others. One of her victories came in the grade and over this trip just over a year ago, the first of her three wins. She is equally adept going two turns and could be ready to fire her best shot today, after a couple of decent efforts in better races than this earlier this month.     

After a thirty-four-race career which took her from Gulfstream Park to Woodbine and a couple of excursions Mahoning Valley, Ala Turka (6) had her first start here just over three weeks ago. Going six furlongs in a split condition, C$6,250 Claimer, she ran on late to finish second, beaten three quarters of a length. That was just her sixth start on dirt, and her third frame finish on the main track. The ease in grade here, together with the stretch out to six and a half furlongs should help her cause here. 

Selection: HOT OMELET (5)

Horseshoe Indianapolis 6 (9.45pm)

Maiden Special Weight – 3-year-olds and upwards – Five furlongs - Turf

After a couple of promising runs in late December 2024 at Fair Grounds as a juvenile, then as a three-year-old in early February at Oakland Park last year, PRIME POWER (2) has largely failed to build on that in his four races this year. The latest of those, when he was dropped into a $50,000 Maiden Claimer at Churchill Downs, saw him show speed before fading to finish fourth, beaten 6½ lengths. 

That, like his other five starts came on the main track and, although there is plenty of encouragement in his breeding regarding the green stuff, he must prove it today. Although I would be more interested if he were stretching out in trip rather than cutting back, in a very weak race for the grade, he looks the safest bet.

Four-year-old Night Watcher (5) made a belated debut when he lined up in a $100,000 Maiden Claimer at Churchill Downs nineteen day ago. He broke slowly there, but was ridden to press the pace, before backing out of it to finish a well beaten fifth of eight. That was over six furlongs on dirt, but his early zip was encouraging and if he can get out on terms here, he could play a part.

In a race devoid of many angles 'in', newcomer Peddlers Son (7) may be worth a look.

Selection: PRIME POWER (2)