Post time: 5 p.m. Lock of the day: Runaway A. Train (6th race). Value play of the day: Brewhouse (3rd race). Big score: 50-cent Pick 5 ticket—Race 4 (2,5,7/4,5,7/3/1,2,3,6,8/2,6), $45.
Jay Lietzau's Canterbury Park line for July 1
Our handicapper makes his picks for Canterbury Park's first races of July.
By Jay Lietzau
1. 5½ furlongs. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $5,000. Purse: $11,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Botany (Fuentes, Litfin) 124/6-1
2: Hit the Seam (Valenzuela, Silva Jr.) 122/7-2
3: Matts Fire N Ice (Hernandez, Richard) 122/2-1
4: Sahm Tequila (Wade, Litfin) 122/9-2
5: Ray's Angel (Gallardo, Bethke) 122/8-1
6: Diamond Blitz (Lopez, Silva) 122/3-1
MATTS FIRE N ICE (3) drops drastically down the claiming ladder. Has good early speed but his last win was slightly off the pace last winter at Delta Downs. Might use similar tactics here. SAHM TEQUILA (4) has three wins locally on the dirt, so knows the track well. Could be the only one running late. HIT THE SEAM (2) hits the board often with 21 seconds/thirds but rarely wins. Will be a part of the early pace.
2. 6 furlongs. State bred. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance. Purse: $32,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Amaretto Di Amore (Lopez, Lund) 124/5-2
2: Sunshine Fever (Wade, Rengstorf) 124/2-1
3: Diamond Missy (Hernandez, Rhone) 119/15-1
4: Saint Sarena (Hernandez, Biehler) 124/9-2
5: Harlow's Harmony (Quinonez, Biehler) 124/8-5
AMARETTO DI AMORE (1) has been facing winners in past five races with success, including four in-the-money finishes. Lopez will try to utilize her keen early speed and the rail draw to dictate terms. HARLOW'S HARMONY (5) ran extremely well off the layoff to break her maiden in seasonal debut but faces winners for the first time. SUNSHINE FEVER (2) graduated by 14 lengths last summer but then went on the shelf as something obviously went wrong. Might need a race.
3. 5 furlongs on turf. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $16,000. Purse: $28,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Mayzee (Wade, Bethke) 122/12-1
2: Ain'tnosweetie (Roman, Litfin) 122/10-1
3: Essential Bella (Hernandez, Richard) 124/9-5
4: Brewhouse (Gallardo, Robertson) 122/4-1
5: Ribbonsinherhair (Valenzuela, Robertson) 117/7-2
6: Sixth Street (Quinonez, Silva Jr.) 122/5-2
BREWHOUSE (4) could be the speed-of-the-speed. Showed early foot in all three sprint starts last year against state-restricted foes. Bred for the lawn and will appreciate the shorter distance. SIXTH STREET (6) posted some nice speed figures on the grass last summer in New York but has switched trainers a couple times since then. ESSENTIAL BELLA (3) has two victories in her past three starts but moves up in class here.
4. 4½ furlongs. Open. 2-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $27,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Benz Lake Thunder (Gallardo, Bethke) 118/15-1
2: Skinny Bobby (Murray, Scherer) 118/6-1
3: Vestes (Valenzuela, Hanson) 118/5-1
4: Cinco Majestic (Barajas, Silva) 118/12-1
5: Whatdoyouthinkmark (Lopez, Silva Jr.) 118/5-2
6: Super Renzo (Berrios-Lopez, Williams) 113/9-2
7: General Battle Axe (Quinonez, Padilla) 118/7-2
8: Mo Mo Town (Wade, Bethke) 118/6-1
SKINNY BOBBY (2) is a first-time-starter who comes from a family of precocious runners. Three of his four siblings won their debuts and posted the highest speed figure of their career in that initial start. All three were also trained by Scherer. WHATDOYOUTHINKMARK (5) is a well-bred firster who has a good workout tab in preparation. GENERAL BATTLE AXE (7) starts for good connections and his past two workouts from the gate are eye-catching.
5. 7½ furlongs on turf. State bred. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance. Purse: $32,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Chocolate Freckles (Lopez, Woolley Jr.) 124/12-1
2: Sense of Flurry (Santos, Berndt) 124/10-1
3: Minnesota Nice (Bridgmohan, Young) 124/9-2
4: Shezonezestreet (Lara, Roberts) 124/5-1
5: Elegance N Tonic (Berrios-Lopez, Rosin) 119/9-5
6: Ana (Wade (Scherer) 119/8-1
7: Imminent Threat (Hernandez, Robertson) 124/5-2
SHEZONEZESTREET (4) has been very competitive in all her career turf starts with a win and three placings in four starts. Has tactical speed to get a good trip and the winner of her last race came back to repeat by nine lengths. ELEGANCE N TONIC (5) has won two in a row and beat the top pick last out but had a dream trip. IMMINENT THREAT (7) has been close recently, but last win was two years ago.
6. 6 furlongs. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $5,000. Purse: $10,500.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Purrfect Moon (Barajas, Silva) 119/6-1
2: Maiden Rock (Glass, Candelas) 119/5-1
3: Runaway A. Train (Gallardo, Robertson) 124/9-5
4: Chaparrita (Hernandez, Silva) 119/5-2
5: Icywilburnyeh (Bridgmohan, Bedford) 124/12-1
6: Voodoo Fire (Wade, Wolff) 124/4-1
RUNAWAY A. TRAIN (3) appear to be the controlling speed of the race. If Gallardo can break cleanly, he should be able to clear the field and slow down the pace so that she has something left for the late stages. CHAPARRITA (4) drops to a more realistic class after trying better in past two. If the track is sloppy, she moves up. PURRFECT MOON (1) only had seven career starts and might be figuring things out.
7. 1 mile on turf. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $7,500. Purse: $13,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Curious Inji (Valenzuela, Silva Jr.) 124/12-1
2: Mizzanna (Roman, Sheehan) 124/5-1
3: Hurricain Hunter (Lopez, Silva Jr.) 124/4-1
4: Bid for Power (Gallardo, Chleborad) 124/10-1
5: She B Glamorous (Quinonez, Padilla) 124/12-1
6: Cinnte Winnte (Wade, Asprino) 124/9-2
7: Shes Got the Power (Hernandez, Rhone) 124/10-1
8: Golden Gopher (Bridgmohan, Silva) 124/5-2
9: Fat and Furious (Berrios-Lopez, Woolley Jr.) 119/8-1
CINNTE WINNTE (6) has been in good form this year with two wins and two close seconds. Makes her first start on the local lawn after a short break. Her tactical speed is her weapon. GOLDEN GOPHER (8) won her last start here which makes it five career wins on the Shakopee sod. Was claimed from top connections out of her last race. HURRICAIN HUNTER (3) drops steeply in class but doesn't like to win.
8. 6 furlongs. State bred. Open. 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $31,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Cat On the Prowl (Quinonez, Candelas) 119/12-1
2: Jose Patio (Lopez, Biehler) 119/5-2
3: R Voo's Taboo (Gallardo, Westermann) 124/8-1
4: Total Surprise (Roman, Berndt) 119/2-1
5: Sweet Analyzer (Bridgmohan, Riecken) 124/4-1
6: Artie Below Zero (Santos, Donlin) 124/8-1
7: Positive Petey (Hernandez, Litfin) 124/6-1
ARTIE BELOW ZERO (6) broke slowly before rushing up on the rail to chase a loose leader, then tired late. Adds blinkers to keep him focus and with a clean break, he should be prominent early. JOSE PATIO (2) ran well in last when dropping to the claiming ranks. Returns to special weights and has keen early speed. TOTAL SURPRISE (4) has been favored in four of six starts and placed second five times. Starting to question his will to win.
about the writer
Jay Lietzau
Sam Rinzel had two of the Gophers’ three power play goals against the Irish.