US racing tips: Shane Ketteridge with his best bets for the Classic trials at Oaklawn Park

Wet Paint
10.43pm Oaklawn Park
1pt win

Red Route One
11.23pm Oaklawn Park
1pt each-way

The Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes is the first of two Classic trials, both run over 1m½f, taking place at Oaklawn Park on Saturday and it’s the three-year-old fillies who take to the stage first.

Secret Oath was an impressive winner of this race last season before going on to take the Kentucky Oaks, and this year the Brad Cox-trained Wet Paint will have similar aspirations for the Godolphin operation.

This daughter of Blame has been improving nicely. After breaking her maiden at Horseshoe Indianapolis last October, she has been performing well with form figures of 21 in allowance optional claiming and Listed company, posting improved speed figures each time.

The way in which she won the Martha Washington Stakes over course and distance last time out gives the impression she is capable of winning her first Graded start.

She was last away but unhurried under Flavien Prat before swinging three wide to take it up turning into the straight and finishing full of running to score by a comfortable two lengths

Her trainer has yet to touch the surface with this filly and Grade 1s could await further down the line.

It’s the turn of the colts in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes and Cox has a good hold on this with Verifying and Giant Mischief, who are likely to be vying for favouritism, but Steve Asmussen saddles three, none of which should be overlooked at bigger prices.

They are all drawn next to each other in two, three and four with the pick of his trio being the colt in the middle, Red Route One.

The form of his third behind Forte and Loggins in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland last season is second to none as Forte went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and is a leading Kentucky Derby hope for Todd Pletcher.

Red Route One finished a good second in a Grade 3 over course and distance on his reappearance last month and I like his chances of hitting the frame from stall three.

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.