Paul Quigley's US Racing Preview

The most interesting runner in action Stateside on Wednesday is Instant Replay. He is a three-time stakes winner who makes his comeback in ordinary company at Horseshoe Indianapolis. As he has a big class edge over his rivals, he’s likely to be a very short price. I gave the race a miss as far as the preview below is concerned but will be watching and making mental notes. Instead I have picked races at Delaware Park and Finger Lakes- live on Sky Sports Racing. The best race is the seventh at the first named venue. It’s an allowance optional claimer over a mile. Contention runs pretty deep with the toughest read being wide margin Oaklawn winner Pink Ruby.    

Remember if any Stateside tracks or races are not covered by Sky Sports Racing, you can watch all of them on The Attheraces.com Player. That’s for free.                        

The Stateside Preview from Delaware Park and Finger Lakes for Wednesday 27 May 2026

Finger Lakes Race 5 (7.51pm)

Allowance Optional Claiming – 3 year olds and upwards –  5 ½ Furlongs – Dirt

MANDATORY (6) is probably the toughest read in here. He has races at Aqueduct that would crush this field. The nine-year-old has only had one start since June 2024 and that wasn’t his best. He did have a troubled trip. The speed figure he ran was still contending in the context of this race. He has been working well for his local debut. In the hope he’s not the favourite, he gets the vote.  
   
Mandatory (6) and the rest will have to catch Bustin Away (7). He wired a field of New York breds on his local return. It was only by a head but the runner up is a decent yardstick. Massively in his favour is the likelihood of the lead on his own. He is the one to catch. His barn mate Pompous Prince (2) finished a head second to him in September. He did win twice after that. Like a few in here, this is his first start of the year. 

Price players probably should give a long look to Hay Hay Harry (4). His comeback can be ignored as he found trouble at the start. He won four times last year. Regular rider Andre Worrie is back aboard. He has a recency edge over the likes of Scocciatore (3). Like the selection, he has back races from the big New York tracks back in the day to win this. He’s not looked at that level in three starts locally last year after a long absence. He did run a length second to Pompous Prince (2) last October.      

Uranium (1) and Rhymes Like Dimes (8) are better over further than todays distance. The rail drawn runner seems to have regressed since a trainer change. Rhymes Like Dimes (8) looks like he’s having a sighter before he steps up to a mile.       

Selection: Mandatory (6)
No exotics 

Delaware Park Race 6 (8.00pm)

Maiden Special Weight – Fillies and Mares – 3 year olds and upwards – 1 Mile 70 yards – Turf

There is a possibility of rain. If this race is switched to the main track Ms Sophistication (8), Rocker Roller (13) and first time starter Intrepids Fantasy (5) make the short list. Ms Sophistication (8) ran second to a filly who had ran well at Keeneland on debut. She is the standard setter on dirt but Rocker Roller (13) may improve past her. The pair that beat her first time out at Laurel have both won next time. Sassy Sangria (4). She ran second in a maiden sprinting on the dirt here a fortnight ago. She’s bred for turf and to go a mile so has to be reckoned with no matter what the surface. 

The comebacking Khokela Miss (10) has some of the best lines of form on turf in this line up. She ran some nice races in the second half of last year. In November, she ran second in a maiden claimer at Laurel. That race produced a couple of next time out winners. The debut run of Voluntary (1) was arguably better. She ran third in a maiden special weight at Gulfstream in February. The winner has ran well in allowance company since. Maybe she didn’t handle the tapeta second time out. Take out that race and she is a worthy short-price favourite. She is the gal to fear under Paco Lopez.  

Magic Beam (3) made a fine career debut. She was a closing second in a $35,000 maiden claimer at Laurel last month. That was after a slow start. She could improve a lot for that run. Her dam was a stakes winner so step up in class second time out is understandable. COMPANION (2) is more chancy but has upside in this spot. She ran evenly in a sprint on her one start as a juvenile. Her dam won her only start on turf for Graham Motion. It is interesting that one his owners paid $100,000 at the sales to purchase her first sibling. Distances such as today’s should suit. Her workouts for her comeback appear modest. Motion can bring a horse back fit without drilling them.  

Themis (6) regressed off her debut second time out at Aqueduct. She may come back to life trying the turf for the first time. She can’t be discounted. Neither can first time starter Will Of Victory (12).  

Selection: (On turf) Companion (2). (On dirt) Rocker Roller (13)
No exotics

Finger Lakes Race 6 (8.20pm)

Maiden Special Weight – 3 year olds and upwards – 1 Mile – Dirt

Trainer Anthony Ferraro has a stranglehold on this race. He has the two far most likely winners. BEACH INVASION (6) ran second in a trio of $30,000 maiden claimers at The Fair Grounds earlier in the year. They all were races taken off the turf and hardly stellar contests. In the context of this race, they are standout efforts. He’s been working well for his local debut. He has speed but can stalk the pace and run his race. With an outside draw, his jockey Keiber Coa has tactical options. 

Shakeitforthebird (5) is a barn mate Beach Invasion (6). He ran second to a decent type for the level here last August. His form in two starts after a long absence have not been anywhere near as good. He didn’t build on a decent comeback sprinting when back up to a mile. Interestingly, he will be coming back in only eight days. Maybe he is entered just to ‘make the race go’ for Beach Invasion (6).                  

Wisecracker (4) and Solo Flight (3) have had forty chances between them to graduate. The first named has ran two decent races sprinting since he returned last month. He has plenty of form routing. Solo Flight (3) finished behind him in April. He ran better next time. He’s only had a few starts over a mile but has form at the distance from last summer.     

Honor For Mandin (1) and Joe G Twentythree (2) ran third and sixth in a maiden claimer sprinting earlier this month. The winner freaked on the front end running a career best by far. The rail drawn runner may improve for more ground. Joe G Twentythree (2) is now back with the trainer he ran second at in April. He’s never ran further than six furlongs but many of his siblings are routers. In a race where none of the runners can be trusted, he’s not impossible to have.         

Selection: Beach Invasion (6)
No exotics 

Delaware Park Race 7 (8.32pm)

Allowance Optional Claiming – Fillies and Mares – 3 year olds and upwards – 1 Mile – Dirt

The toughest read in this race is Pink Ruby (7). She slammed a field by eight lengths in a rated handicap at Oaklawn last month. The speed figure she ran is the highest of any of these. It has a look of a fluke but maybe not. The well held runner up scored in an allowance event next time. If you take out her sprint races, her run last time doesn’t look the outlier it looks at first glance. 

Pink Ruby (7) is dangerous but ESPECIALLY (1) may be the safer option. She showed ability in decent company in Louisiana and Kentucky last year. Her first run for Brittany Russell suggests she may be an improved filly. She slammed an entry level allowance field at Laurel by almost eight lengths. The second and fourth have franked the form by winning next time. She has worked well since suggesting there may be another step forward coming for her. Her trainer has a fine record everywhere including at Delaware. 

Intrepid Mo (2) got good at the end of her three year old season. That culminated in a five length allowance victory at Laurel in December. Lack of a recent race may not be an issue bearing in mind her trainer Gary Capuano’s super record with lay off runners. There is a chance she makes the lead on her own. She gets in light ridden by 5lb claimer Jose Vargas. He is two from three on the few occasions he’s ridden for Capuano.     

It is always giving a long look to what Paco Lopez rides at The mid-Atlantic tracks. He was aboard when Tower Twenty Two (5) won at the level below this one at Parx last month. The run seems to leave him a length or two shy of the best in here. She has back races that make her very competitive. 

Old Bay (4) and Disco Rules (6) filled the places in a similar race to this one at Laurel last month. Of the two Disco Rules (6) may have the more upside off her back form.        
 
Selection: Especially (1)
No exotics