Paul Quigley's US Racing Preview

Monday’s Stateside preview comes from a trio of venues. The first of them is a claimer over a mile at Finger Lakes. I sided with Big Apple-shipper Register. At first glance, his connections seem to be trying to ‘offload’ him whilst banishing the six-year-old upstate. It may simply be the case that he will be difficult to place to winning effect in the opening weeks at the New Belmont Park. In the likely few opportunities, he may end up running for a similar claiming price but up against rivals with better credentials than he has. Trainer Ilkay Kantarmaci seems to have a good grasp of what level of shipper can win at Finger Lakes.

A couple of contests from Thistledown also feature alongside another at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

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 - Finger Lakes, Horseshoe Indianapolis and Thistledown for Monday 14 September 2026

Finger Lakes 5 (7.51pm)

Claiming $11,000 (split conditions) – 3-year-olds and upwards – 1 Mile – Dirt

A couple of runners drop sharply in class and meet horses with fine recent form in claimers. In the former category is REGISTER (8). He has had some time away after being well beaten in a starter at Aqueduct in June. That turned out to be a warm event. The winner and third scored next time and the second filling the identical position at the same level. It can be argued his connections have given up on him, having claimed him for $16,000 in May. His trainer Ilkay Kantarmaci has a good record with the horses he’s shipped to Finger Lakes. He may be entered here as it may be very tough to win even a low-level claimer at the New Belmont Park.

Sanzio (5) is the other runner getting significant class relief. He has been tackling allowance events since shipping back here in July. Like the selection, this is a far more winnable opportunity to the competition he’s been facing. His trainer is having his usual fine meet. With two or three of these likely to run forward, he may get a nice trip off the pace.

Makar (3) slammed a field of two-time career winners by seven lengths last month, but the frontrunner regularly gets inhaled late on. There is a chance that he may be a new horse in a different barn, however. That was his first race for his trainer. It will be interesting to see if Classic Cut (1) presses him early on here or if his rider is content to stalk. The latter tactics were employed last time. The result was a good third with a few of this field in behind him. He’s a solid place chance, but he’s not won a race since November 2024.

A couple who finished in arears of Classic Cut (1) last time have better form to their names. Prophetic (2) ran fourth in a state-bred allowance event a fortnight earlier. while Raw Courage (6) ran second in a claimer for today’s price on the same card as him.

Selection: REGISTER (8)
No exotics

Thistledown 6 (8.20pm)

Claiming $5,000 – 3-year-olds and upwards – 1 Mile – Dirt

It is easy to recognize Patriarchal (1) as by far the most likely winner in here. He drops in class after a victory in a starter event. Now he’s been potentially recycled by connections offered for sale for $5,000. He was a winner at that level in June, so the drop isn’t too worrying. The speed figure he ran there makes him favourite here. The problem is he is likely priced up off the much bigger one he achieved last time. It was a race that totally fell apart, and he closed to win from 14 lengths back early on. He probably is classy enough to win this if the speed doesn’t melt so markedly.

Looking at the bare form, Patriarchal (1) will likely be odds-on come post time. If that is the case, two runners may be priced up to take a small stand against him. One of them is the streaking Remember The Fear (4). He has been going through his claiming conditions nicely, rattling up a hat-trick. He has speed figures that mean if Patriarchal (1) doesn’t freak like last time, he can contend. In contrast, JOHN'S ROCK (6) isn’t in sharp form, coming off a poor run in a starter. He was in decent form at that level prior to that. Forgive his last run and he has a chance on the drop.

Sunset Town (3) gets some class relief. He wired a field for today’s price two starts back. Florida Gator (5) may come back to life making the sprint to route move. Pace (7) was in too deep in a starter on the Tapeta at Presque Isle last time. He’s done some of his best work on the dirt at Thistledown, and his trainer is having a really decent meet.

Selection: JOHN'S ROCK (6)
No exotics

Horseshoe Indianapolis 4 (8.43pm)

Starter Optional Claiming – Indiana-bred 3-year-olds and upwards – 1 Mile – Dirt

The market is likely to gravitate to runners with form in similar races to this one. JAZZOLE (1) won two starters earlier in the meet including an open one. He has held his from well in defeat all summer. The rail-drawn runner was placed in a trio of state-bred starters, running close to horses at least as good as his rivals here. It is safe to ignore a rare experiment on the turf last time. He was in deep in a state-bred stake. He has speed but is likely to get a nice, stalking trip from his draw.

Ease My Mind (2) comes off a breakout victory in a similar race to this one last month. He made an easy lead and wired Rich Kingdom (3) by almost five lengths, with King Ice (6) further adrift. The four-year-old is a big player off that run. His rider may have to work out a different trip with other speed in this line up. More pace to chase down brings his old rivals Rich Kingdom (3) and King Ice (6) into calculations. The last-named may improve second time back in 2026.

Stretch-out sprinter Dauwe (9) is a little interesting, with the possibility of being loose on the lead. He ran well in an open claimer in his last start in late July. He’s also had a light campaign and has form over a mile. Lambay (7) makes the same one turn to route move. He’s not ran badly in back-to-back allowance events for Indiana-breds. This is a drop in class and he did run well in his one start early in his career.

Henry The Hank (4), Shiesty To Chase (5) and Monumentaljustice (8) all arrive off fine efforts in open claimers. The speed figures they ran suggest they can contend in a state-bred starter like this one. Of the trio, Shiesty To Chase (5) may have slightly the more upside over the other two. He can stalk and run his best race here.

Selection: JAZZOLE (1)
Exotic Play: Reversed Exacta/Forecast (2 bets): Jazzole (1) and Shiesty To Chase (5)

Thistledown 7 (8.50pm)

Allowance (split conditions) – Fillies and mares – 3-year-olds and upwards – 6 Furlongs – Dirt

Quite a few of these fillies and mares are cutting back from a mile. One of them is Toastmaster (7). She and Kissin Cash (2) were both out-finished at this level when the pair filled the places at the end of last month. Prior to that they ran well over course and distance, finishing third and fourth. The winner was beaten a neck in a better race subsequently. The old rivals are players. They have a little to find with Officially Yours (4) from that August 4th race. Officially Yours (4) outran her odds when second on comeback, so she - along with Toastmaster (7) and Kissin Cash (2) - certainly has claims in an open-looking race, on paper at least.

As well as Kissin Cash (2), trainer Kim Puhl has the sharp RIOBELLA (5) entered. She has come back to form in her last two races. She won an entry level allowance event by eight lengths in June. Over six weeks later, she was a well held second to a talented barn mate who is four from four at Thistledown. Her upturn in form has come over a mile. The likely race shape may mean this isn’t a good spot for a cut back. It is worth bearing in mind she has ran well sprinting before. Gerardo Corrales has moved his tack from Kentucky takes the ride. The pick.

Miesha (8) gets a class test after winning an entry level allowance event. This is tougher, but she did win it well. Maybe the lightly-raced Cowgirl Chic (3) has more improvement in her. A mile seemed a tad too far on her return, but she did win her last start sprinting.

Selection: RIOBELLA (5); if absent, Cowgirl Chic (3)
No exotics