Post time: 6:30 pm. Best bet: Beach Flower (10th race). Best play: 50 cent Pick 4—Race 7, (All/9/All/1), $31.50
Johnny Love's Thursday Canterbury Park line
1 330 yards. 2-year-olds. Maiden. Purse: $11,500.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Crusin the Lake (Martinez, Olmstead)122/8-1
2: Eyes of a Winner (Torres, Charette-Hill)122/2-1
3: Ms Haulin Chic (Goodwin, Hybsha)122/4-1
4: One Shamless Secret (Montoya, Frey)122/5-1
5: Bullota Blue (Clark, Jr., Miller)122/15-1
6: The Last Red Hero (Suarez Ricardo, Hanson)122/10-1
7: Miss Bertie Lou (Castro, Pride)122/15-1
8: Painted Prize (Clark, Dolphus)122/12-1
9: Let There Be Lite (Velazquez, Tracy, Jr.)122/15-1
10: Faster Than Hasta (Pinon, Johnson)122/12-1
EYES OF A WINNER fought tooth and nail but was outfinished last out in very game effort. MS HAULIN CHIC exits quality third-place effort in debut but loses jockey to top choice. ONE SHAMELESS SECRET too ran third in lone start and must not be overlooked.
2 350 yards. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance. Purse: $14,000
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Wrs Hava Cupcake (Swiontek, Livingston)124/15-1
2: Lil Puddle Talk (Velazquez, Olmstead)124/20-1
3: Sydney Lou Who (Cruz, Black)124/7-2
4: Watch My Wallet Loto (Tapia, Campos)124/15-1
5: Fast Copy Kat (Smith, Hybsha)126/5-2
6: Ivory Charmer (Pinon, Johnson)124/12-1
7: Ms Dynasty (Martinez, Olmstead)124/6-1
8: Louisiana Lil Sister (Torres, Charette-Hill)124/2-1
LOUISIANA LIL SISTER ran career-best last out drawing clear from the field. Trainer/jockey connections have solid shot to sweep early double. FAST COPY KAT just missed last out as the chalk and is main threat to favorite. SYDNEY LOU WHO held on with determination in breaking her maiden last race.
3 4½ furlongs. Fillies. 2-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $28,000.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Hit It Up (Dieguez, Silva)118/12-1
2: Jolt (Rosier, Sharp)118/7-2
3: Bullseye Bobbie (Goodwin,Hartman)118/10-1
4: Lillie Me Go (Martin, Jr., Heitzmann)118/8-1
5: Fashion Bid (A.Canchari, Heitzmann)118/4-5
6: Hey Hey (Castro, Berndt)118/6-1
FASHION BID is lone combatant with a start under her belt and seduces top jock to ride. Ran second to runaway winner at Keeneland in April. JOLT, BULLEYES BOBBIE, and HIT IT UP are newbies I'll also be using to start my Pick 4 ticket in case favorite doesn't fire.
4 7½ furlongs. 3-year-olds. Allowance. Purse: $30,000.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Hot Rod Red (Butler, Bravo)122/10-1
2: Pistone Steel (Carreno, Diodoro)122/2-1
3: Vangelo (Coddington, Diodoro)122/12-1
4: Sword of David (Martinez, Robertson)122/5-1
5: Mr Leadbox (Martin, Jr., Smith)122/4-1
6: Malibu Max (A.Canchari, Robertson)122/3-1
7: Rocket Joe Copper (Hernandez, Greve)122/8-1
MALIBU MAX aimed too high last out in stakes races at Oaklawn Park and should be arriving to the party late with his late closing kick, top choice for on or off the turf. PISTONE STEEL stretches out on the turf after place finish in the Paul Bunyon Stake. Could prove tough if carries speed to stretch run. MR LEADBOX was shut off with his bid to the wire while splitting horses last out and settling for show honors. Looks to bounce back with clean trip.
5 7½ furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden claiming: $30,000. Purse: $16,000
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Hummin Through (Delorme, Donlin)123/15-1
2: Not Allowed (Hernandez,McKinley)123/30-1
3: Tahkodha Royale (Goodwin, Sheehan)123/20-1
4: Hattaway Big Fella (Sanchez, Rengstorf)119/20-1
5: Herbie (Martinez, Robertson)123/2-1
6: Zero (Escobar, Rhone)123/8-1
7: Mr Shiver (Joubert, Hanson)119/20-1
8: T S Air Strike (Keith, Biehler)119/10-1
9: X L Tee (A.Canchari, Broberg)119/7-2
10: Dazzlin Spyder Man (Butler, Bethke)123/20-1
11: Regal Rival (Velazquez, Dymond)123/30-1
12: Long Awaited Guest (Rosier,Sharp)119/4-1
Wide-open affair with many ways to go. ZERO could be a front end danger if allowed to shake loose a bit with a field full of chasers. Should get a generous price. HERBIE probably will be your post time favorite due to connections. Lone start was a fourth-place effort against similar company. T S AIR STRIKE, X L TEE, and LONG AWAITED GUEST all appear to be a natural fit in this large maiden field.
6 5½ furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Starter optional claiming: $7,500. Purse: $17,000
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Rodriguez (Martin, Jr., Berndt)123/5-1
2: Doinmysongndance (Sanchez, Padilla)123/9-2
3: Flasha (Velazquez, Berndt)123/8-1
4: Red N Black Attack (Rosier, Diodoro)123/6-1
5: Rock City Roadhog (A.Canchari, Ashford)123/5-2
6: Half Dome Dude (Carreno, Diodoro)123/2-1
RED N BLACK ATTACK will tag along behind pace-setter within striking range for first attack at a square price. FLASHA appears to be the one to catch shipping up from Chicago after facing tougher. HALF DOME DUDE will cut loose from mid pack and will strictly be the one to fear down the stretch as the most likely favorite.
7 6 furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden claiming: $20,000. Purse: $12,500
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Yeomansescape (Velazquez, Berndt)119/6-1
2: Musical Marshall (Dieguez, Silva)123/20-1
3: Bubba Looey (S.Bethke, T.Bethke)119/12-1
4: Unique Gold (Sanchez, Van Winkle)123/3-1
5: Drinkinatthebar (Goodwin, Brinson)119/5-2
6: Be Real Quiet (Jimenez, McFadden)119/20-1
7: Kato Kid (Joubert, Hanson)119/12-1
8: Royal Calling (Butler, Rengstorf)119/4-1
9: Me Pay Bills (Franco, Litfin)119/10-1
Look for YEOMANSECAPE to get hustle out of the gate with the inside draw in effort to get forwardly place with lack of group speed. Any runner can win this maiden race but looking for someone who will be near the front. DRINKINATTHEBAR drops in class in hopes of turning things around for a barn that has had a rough go to start the meet. ROYAL CALLING and ME PAY BILLS jump off the turf for trainers that share decent numbers with this angle.
8 6 furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $6,250. Purse: $10,500.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Gamer Babe (Dieguez, Silva)123/5-1
2: Wicked Sec Sea (A.Canchari, Rodriguez-Guzman)123/12-1
3: Andrea's Josie (Delorme, McKinley)123/12-1
4: Correspondence (Lopez, Jr., McFadden)123/20-1
5: Shoot the Bullet (S.Bethke, LaZarre)123/20-1
6: Causemommasaidso (Velazquez, Perez)123/12-1
7: Magic for Madeline (Hernandez, Sheehan)123/10-1
8: Ranger's Dream (Castro, Brinson)123/4-1
9: Lady Bull (P.Canchari, McFarlane)123/6-5
Have to go with the favorite LADY BULL after her impressive win in her lone start at Turf Paradise. Should be set in second effort with three sharp drills on the local track. Wide open after that if you don't trust the favorite. WICKED SEC SEA drops a level and might last longer than most think when things unfold. RANGER'S DREAM should manage forward position with favorable speed figures in this crop.
9 6 furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Waiver maiden claiming $10,000. Purse: $11,500.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Blinkersonletherip (Goodwin, Rarick)119/5-2
2: Smoken Danni (Delorme, Sheehan)119/9-2
3: Dot's Vow (Hernandez, Danger)119/15-1
4: She's a Genius (Joubert, Hanson)119/3-1
5: Glitter's Cupcake (S.Bethke, T.Bethke)119/8-1
6: Demis Romance (Dieguez, Silva)123/10-1
7: Alesha Maximus (Franco, Thompson)119/7-2
BLIKERSONLETRIP has ample early speed and expect to cut loose out of the one hole. Ran second best in first start of the meet three weeks back. SMOKEN DANNI ran right behind our top pick and should improve off that effort. ALESHA MAXIMUS drops in much softer spot after being overmatched in her four career starts.
10 1 mile. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden special weight. Purse: $28,000
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Beach Flower (Martinez, Robertson)118/1-1
2: Mimi's Money (A.Canchari, Stuart)118/6-1
3: Sedona Sky (Martin, Jr., Smith)118/12-1
4: Flying Freud (Sanchez, Padilla)118/10-1
5: Raspberry Punch (Swiontek, Livingston)118/15-1
6: Major Threat (Franco, Lund)118/6-1
7: Baby Beach (Clark, McFarlane)118/4-1
BEACH FLOWER appears to be the day's best with numbers and class that tower the field. Should have her way on the front end with everyone else in pursuit. MIMI'S MONEY and BABY BEACH will be used underneath on my horizontal ticket.
about the writer
Conley, Gobert experienced emotional nights returning to places they called home for several seasons.