US racing tips: Shane Ketteridge provides his two best Saturday bets

Obligatory
8.35pm Gulfstream Park
2pts win

Henley's Joy
12.41am Santa Anita, Sunday
1pt win

After two consecutive weekends of key Kentucky Oaks and Derby trials in the United States the focus is now on the older horses with a mouth-watering clash between Shedaresthedevil and Ce Ce taking place at Oaklawn Park but my attention is turned to Gulfstream Park and the $100,000 Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie Stakes where we have the high-class filly Obligatory making her first start as a four-year-old.

William Mott’s Juddmonte owned daughter of Curlin has already achieved great things so far in her short career. She’s a dual graded stakes winner at Churchill Downs and has finished second behind the likes of Search Results and Clairiere in two Grade 1’s so the foundations have been laid for her to build on what is an already impressive CV.

However, this extended six furlong trip will be on the short side for her as she’s seen to best effect over a mile. She has won over seven furlongs and possesses a lethal turn of foot though, so should be able to cope with the speed against a small field.

On top of that she comes into this off of an impressive victory in a Grade 3 at Churchill Downs in November, and is the type of filly who is only going to get better as she gets older. Tyler Gaffalione will be riding her with confidence and the pair should pick up the victory.

Santa Anita plays host to a nine-race card on Saturday and they save the best until last with the final race being the competitive $125,000 Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes on the turf and I like the gelding Henley’s Joy, who, if recapturing some of his best form, can go close in this 1m4f contest.

His last win was nearly three years ago now and that was in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby which was some effort but that may have taken quite a bit out of him as he has yet to reach the same heights since.

He has hit the board in a couple of decent Allowance Optional Claiming events though and has shown signs that the ability is still there so it would not surprise should he show up at a nice price on what will be only his second start at this course.

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