US racing tips: Tom Collins sticks with a top jockey as Fort Erie returns

Perfect Mine
7.44 Fort Erie
3pts win

Capoeira
9.08 Fort Erie
1pt win

Another day, another track returns to the fray. The sole action on Tuesday comes courtesy of Fort Erie, a small track based just north of New York in Ontario, Canada.

It is not the most glamorous of racetracks but it's usually a good base for winning favourites as most of the races involve a small number of runners.

Its meets, which run from June until October, are good money-making spectacles if you stick to the top jockeys at the track. They are Krista Carignan, Melanie Pinto and Helen Vanek.

The former, who has won the riding title for the last two years, isn't riding as of yet but Pinto is back in the saddle and she will partner nap of the night Perfect Mine in the $14,400 maiden special weight (7.44) contest.

Formerly trained by the shrewd Linda Rice and still in the ownership of Charles Fipke, who also has horses with Joseph O'Brien this side of the pond, Perfect Mine finished fifth on both starts for her previous connections at Presque Isle Downs.

She was sent off a short price on both occasions but clearly had excuses and much better is expected this evening.

Perfect Mine was green on her debut in May last year and was forced four-wide throughout over the 6f distance. She couldn't muster a rally in the home straight and weakened tamely.

Rather surprisingly, Rice stepped her up to a mile on her next outing but she clearly didn't stay that trip and now drops right back to 5f on her debut for the Michaela Neubauer barn, who had five winners from just 11 runners (45 per cent strike-rate) at last year's meet.

An inside draw and the fact her rivals look bang average helps her chance. She is also just one of two horses in this race who gets Lasix.

Pinto and Neubauer team up with likely favourite Light Of Congrats in the $16,400 allowance optional claimer (9.08) later on the card, but she might go off quite short and I'll take her on with the race-fit Capoeira.

This five-year-old mare proved consistent at Woodbine before shipping to Tampa Bay Downs early this year. She has recorded form figures of 312 at that venue – her latest effort came in April so she should be rock-hard fit – and beat a useful sort there two runs back.

A similar effort makes her hard to beat on her Fort Erie debut. Her works have been good, too.

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