Paul Quigley's US Racing Preview

The featured eighth race at Ellis Park is an ungraded stake for fillies and mares on the turf. It sees the comeback of Grade 1 winner Lush Lips, whose four-year-old debut at Gulfstream looks even better now after runner up Classic Q won her next two starts, including a Grade 1. That was in February, and she hasn’t raced since, but on class she is impossible to oppose. There is an old saying about not taking a short price on a horse making their comeback when the race in question isn’t their target, and no doubt trainer Brendan Walsh has some big prizes in mind with her in the autumn. Her presence makes it difficult for punters. Is it better to take a short price than have a long face?

The featured race at Saratoga is the Albany, a New York-bred stake for three-year-olds over nine furlongs on the dirt. The standard-setter here is Talk to Me Jimmy, with his New York Derby win at Finger Lakes last month being much better than the speed figure he achieved suggests. He duelled with a fellow shipper in fractions you never see in a route race at that track. On paper, he could give trainer Rudy Rodriguez a welcome winner at this meet. He faces some up-and-comers, however, including a couple of unbeaten runners. The race is due off just before 11pm BST, although it isn’t included in the preview below, with an earlier race from the track included instead.

Two more allowances from Ellis Park and Colonial Downs make up the remainder of my Sunday preview.

Remember, if any Stateside tracks or races are not covered by Sky Sports Racing, you can still watch them all for free on the ATR Player.

The Stateside Preview - Colonial Downs, Ellis Park and Saratoga for Sunday 23 August 2026

Ellis Park 6 (8.12pm)

Allowance (split conditions) – 3-year-olds and upwards – 5½ Furlongs – Turf

Wes Ward’s DOUBLE TALKER (9) ran twice as a juvenile. He upped his form to a new level in the spring and early summer. He’s been placed in a trio of similar races to this one in Kentucky. The best was a third place in a productive event behind talented barn-mate Schwarzenegger. He makes his return from a 10-week break in a very winnable spot. There is other speed in here, but he appears to draw best of the pace brigade.

A couple of this field are closely matched with Double Talker (9) off runs this year. Frontier Justice (6) has only a head to find with him. He can be forgiven his next run over a mile. With the right set up, he is a likely late player. Military Cruiser (3) has more tactical speed than he showed on his return here last month. He still finished two lengths in front of Livehappy (7) when second to a fast improver. Like the selection, he ran well in that deep race at Churchill in May. He represents a lower profile but still capable trainer, and so may be a backable price.

Magic Brew (8) is interesting. He’s only made a trio of well spaced out starts. He wired a field of maidens first time on turf at the Fair Grounds in January. He’s another who ran in that productive and deep allowance event at Churchill in May. The three-year-old did finish a couple of lengths behind Double Talker (9) and Military Cruiser (3) but can start better. Of all the contenders, he’s the one who may have a big step forward in him.

Twilight Delight (2) was stakes placed as a juvenile. He’s not really progressed in a couple of starts at three. Maybe getting back on a firm turf course will see him improve. Mom's Spaghetti (1) makes his return running first time as a gelding. He has run well this level before but is a bit of an unknown on turf. So too is Valiant Humor (10). He was in over his head last time at Churchill.

Career start number 16 was a charm for Zap D'Etat (4). He broke his maiden over course and distance last month. Based on the speed figure he ran, he could make the frame facing winners for the first time.

Selection: DOUBLE TALKER (9); if absent Military Cruiser (3)
Exotic Play: Reversed Exacta/Forecast (2 bets): Military Cruiser (3) and Double Talker (9)

Colonial Downs 7 (8.30pm)

Allowance Optional Claiming – 3-year-olds and upwards – 6 Furlongs – Dirt

The bang-in-form Celtic Contender (5) is likely to be a clear-cut favourite. He has run well in all four starts this year. A big comeback win at Laurel was followed by fine efforts in two stakes there. He ran into a fast-improving type when runner up in a stake over seven furlongs here earlier this month. He may better shortening up to today’s distance. There is other speed in here but has survived pace pressure and won in the past. In truth, he’s hard to get away from at a likely-skinny price.

Subrogate (9) doesn’t seem to stand much racing these days. He did beat Celtic Contender (5) in a stake at Laurel last summer. His last two starts of 2025, although not awful, were not as good. He has been working well locally for his return. Bearing in mind his lay-off issues, he may be ready to fire. He is interesting. So too is PINFIRE (8). He is likely to be a price after poor run at Churchill in June. He’s been working well and has the back form to contend.

It will be interesting to see Subrogate (9) and National Law (7) both run here. They are in the same ownership and trained by Jorge Duarte Jr. The last-named has had nine route races since he sprinted on debut. From a speed figure perspective, based on his form at Laurel he has to be reckoned with. The pair that beat him last time in May are talented horses. He may get speed to chase down and gets in light-ridden by a 7lb claimer.

Suremeanttoobe (4) was well beaten when behind Celtic Contender (5) last time. He is better judged on back-to-back allowance optional claiming victories prior to that. Goodbye Note (3) and S S Sinatra (6) come off runner up tries here and at Delaware, respectively. This race may have to cut up for the pair to get more than minor awards. Going Up (1) may up his game returning to the dirt. Likewise Showstopper Copper (2), who faded on the turf last time.

Selection: PINFIRE (8); if absent Subrogate (9)
No exotics

Saratoga 5 (8.35pm)

Allowance Optional Claiming – 3-year-olds and upwards – 5½ Furlongs – Turf

All but one of these runners in the main body of the field are in to be claimed for $55,000. As their connections will get the lion’s share of a $120,00 purse, the risk of losing a runner can be viewed as a fair trade off. Ironically, the one runner not in for sale was claimed at Churchill in November. Gold Luck (5) makes his comeback trying the turf for only the second time. He’s bred to handle the surface and has the back class - on dirt - to win a race of this nature.

Trainer Mike Maker is double-handed. The Flavien Prat-ridden Run Curtis Run (1) ran really well in his first two starts this term. He was beaten a neck in an allowance optional claimer at Churchill before running fourth in a stake at Laurel. The seven-year-old has been freshened up after a below par run in a state-bred stake at Aqueduct in June. He is the runner to fear if you go in a different direction. Like him, barn-mate Antares (7) will have to close from off the pace. He was a claim back by these connections after losing him at this meet last summer. He’s shortened up to sprinting after a comeback run in in June. The six-year-old ran some of his best races at Saratoga and ridden by Jose Ortiz. He’s worth considering for the forecast at least.

The likely race flow suits TWISTED FILIGREE (2) more than the Mike Maker pair. He was claimed off a third against New York-breds last month, though a repeat of that run is unlikely to be good enough. There is a chance he improves off that, however. He’s now with a trainer having a super meet and should be forwardly-placed in a race without too much early speed. Many Franco will have to avoid being used up taking on the red-hot Cold Feet (6) early on. He’s rattled up a hat-trick at Monmouth since getting back on the turf. This looks a deeper field than the ones he’s been tackling. He is too sharp to ignore.

Trainer David Jacobson is another trainer with two horses entered. His Boltage (8) ran into a fast improver in an allowance optional claimer at Ellis Park a fortnight ago. Barn-mate Alder (3) isn't in great form, although five furlongs was too short for him last time. Like him, Billionaires Row (4) will be a price, and he may improve for a trainer change.

Selection: TWISTED FILIGREE (2)
Exotic Play: Reversed Exacta/Forecast (2 bets): Twisted Filigree (2) and Antares (7)

Ellis Park 8 (9.12pm)

Ellis Park Turf – A stake for fillies and mares – 3-year-olds and upwards – 1¹⁄₁₆ Miles – Turf

Whatever way you look at this, the returning LUSH LIPS (6) is clearly the gal to beat. She progressed into at top class filly second half of her three-year-old season. The highlight was a Grade 1 QEII win at Keeneland followed by a Grade 2 score at Churchill. It looked like more of the same when she took a Grade 3 at Gulfstream on her return in February. The runner up Classic C won a Grade 1 and 2 in her only starts since. She must have suffered some setback as she’s not raced since. Her trainer Brendan Walsh has found a very winnable ungraded stake for her comeback. She may not be at her peak, but she might not have to be to beat this group. She’s back in full work for about five weeks and is proven fresh.

Lush Lips (6) will likely be odds-on here. There doesn’t seem to be a solid alternative. With a few lay-off lines, Daisy Flyer (8) can’t be easy to keep sound. The Grade 3 winner last summer was beaten five lengths by Lush Lips (6) in the Grade 1 QEII win at Keeneland last autumn. She may be all the better for a comeback third over a distance short of her best here last month. Her trainer Rusty Arnold probably pointed her to this race.

The Brazilian-bred Devassa (11) raced in Uruguay and Dubai before going Stateside. She ran really well in a stake on Tapeta at Turfway in February. The five-year-old ran just as well when taking an allowance optional claimer on the turf on her return in June. She meets a better field here than that in Indiana. Like a few of these, she is in that second tier of contenders. So too is the other Brendan Walsh runner Icona (10). She has run well in all three starts since breaking her maiden, with the first at Churchill won by a subsequent stakes winner.

Totally Justified (3) was sold for $775,000 at the end of her three-year-old season. She finally won for new connections here last month. Maybe that allowance victory will be a springboard to get back to her graded-stakes best.

Selection: LUSH LIPS (6); if absent Daisy Flyer (8)
No exotics