Jay Lietzau's Canterbury Park line for Monday, July 3

Our handicapper makes his selections for a special holiday nine-race card.

By Star Tribune

July 3, 2023 at 7:36AM
Jeff Wheeler, Star Tribune (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Post time: 4 p.m. Lock of the day: Miz Cali (1st race). Value play of the day: Lonely Private (4th race). Big score: 50-cent Pick 5 ticket—Race 5 (2,3,4/1,3,5/3,4/5,6/1,4,5), $54.

1. 1 mile on turf. Fillies and mares. 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $27,000.

#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds

1: Kamikaze Blue (Berrios-Lopez, Lund) 114/6-1

2: Roll Gypsy Roll (Wade, Scherer) 119/2-1

3: Highly Creative (Lopez, Rarick) 119/4-1

4: Princess of Malibu (Valenzuela, Van Winkle) 124/8-1

5: Pat's Gal (Harr, Cline) 119/5-1

6: Miz Cali (Barajas, Silva) 119/5-2

MIZ CALI (6) tried to get on the turf in last but was rained off. Has speed, adds blinkers and is bred for the surface. Could be the one to catch. ROLL GYPSY ROLL (2) has been rained off the grass in her past two. Is pace-dependent so needs someone to challenge the top pick early. HIGHLY CREATIVE (3) attempts turf and two-turns for the first time after two dirt sprints to start her career. Has speed, which is always dangerous.

2. 1 mile. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $5,000. Purse: $11,000.

#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds

1: Club Mesquite (Berrios-Lopez, Williams) 117/9-2

2: Hightail Cowboy (Hernandez, Richard) 122/3-1

3: Nietzsche (Wade, Hanson) 122/10-1

4: Unleash the Beast (Lopez, Silva Jr.) 122/2-1

5: Smart Call (Murray, Roberts) 122/5-1

6: Dillon Rocks (Valenzuela, Gutierrez) 122/4-1

UNLEASH THE BEAST (4) is a hard-knocking veteran with 14 lifetime wins, including nine here in Shakopee. Has good early speed and is coming off an impressive wire-to-wire triumph. HIGHTAIL COWBOY (2) has two career wins and both are at Canterbury. Has speed to challenge the top pick but question his will to win. CLUB MESQUITE (1) returns to the dirt and drops in class. Could be right there if the top two picks battle early.

3. 1 mile on turf. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $16,000. Purse: $28,000.

#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds

1: Rollin Blackout (Roman, Sheehan) 122/9-2

2: A Thousand Dreams (Lopez, Rarick) 122/12-1

3: Shabam (Berrios-Lopez, Robertson) 117/7-2

4: Marina's Gold (Hernandez, Richard) 122/9-5

5: Merlin's Sister (Lara, Bedford) 122/20-1

6: Naughty Nellie (Bridgmohan, (Bedford) 122/20-1

7: Dreaming Biz (Ulloa, Berndt) 122/3-1

8: O'Babe (Wade, Scherer) 124/6-1

9: Fast to Fortune (Quinonez, Woolley Jr.) 122/5-1

10: Swanage (Harr, Cline) 122/4-1

SHABAM (3) returns from her winter break for the Robertson barn. Enough pace in the race to set up her late closing kick and gets in light with an apprentice up. DREAMING BIZ (7) stretches out after her seasonal debut in a sprint. Has good tactical speed for Ulloa to make his move when needed. ROLLIN BLACKOUT (1) has been competitive in both starts locally this meet. Gets the rail and jockey switch.

4. 5 furlongs on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $7,500. Purse: $13,000.

#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds

1: Giant Gamble (Lara, Donlin Jr.) 124/8-1

2: Samurai Mike (Roman, Litfin) 124/3-1

3: Mr Navigator (Bridgmohan, Silva Jr.) 124/4-1

4: Twentyone N Change (Barajas, Silva) 124/5-1

5: Lonely Private (Lopez, Diodoro) 124/7-2

6: A Roze and Wine (Hernandez, Asprino) 119/9-2

7: Perfect Fanny (Reyes, Woolley Jr.) 124/10-1

LONELY PRIVATE (5) drops dramatically in class and gets off the rail. Lopez should be able to utilize his speed early to take control. Can never discount Diodoro runners. A ROZE AND WINE (6) has five wins at this specialty distance, all at Canterbury, but faces the boys today and returns from a layoff. TWENTYONE N CHANGE (4) was on a roll winning back-to-back last fall and is bred to love the surface.

5. 1 mile. State bred. Open. 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $31,000.

#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds

1: Ramblingamblinman (Bridgmohan, Riecken) 119/6-1

2: Win Over Wyatt (Hernandez, Litfin) 119/5-2

3: Going At It (Roman, Berndt) 119/1-1

4: Kal El (Wade, Bethke) 124/7-2

5: Causeway Surpise (Lara, Rengstorf) 119/8-1

WIN OVER WYATT (2) goes from two sprints to a route which is a good angle. Has had two poor starts in his career, but if he breaks well here, he could be the one to beat. GOING AT IT (3) tries state-restricted foes for the first time after chasing a runaway winner in last. Has speed but hasn't finished well. KAL EL (4) returns to the dirt after running evenly in two turf tries. His grinding style might work in this field.

6. 1 mile on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $16,000. Purse: $28,000.

#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds

1: Loring Park (Wade, Berndt) 122/9-2

2: Push Through (Hernandez, Silva Jr.) 122/10-1

3: Inesperado (Bridgmohan, Eikleberry) 122/6-1

4: Coastal Waters (Santos, Lund) 122/10-1

5: Twoko Bay (Murray, Scherer) 122/2-1

6: Eisenstaedt (Wade, Litfin) 122/8-1

7: Bob's All In (Berrios-Lopez, Asprino) 117/5-1

8: Kid's Inheritance (Gallardo, Bethke) 122/10-1

9: Astronomical (Lopez, Silva Jr.) 122/7-2

INESPERADO (3) has won three of past four on the grass, all with different running styles. Gets good turf pilot, Bridgmohan, aboard who will use this runner's versatility. TWOKO BAY (5) couldn't chase down a wire-to-wire winner in last race, but is second off the layoff and may have added fitness off that start. LORING PARK (1) is 8-for-9 in the money on the local lawn and Wade will save ground from the rail.

7. 5 furlongs on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $25,000. Purse: $28,500.

#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds

1: Mark the Moose (Roman, Litfin) 122/5-1

2: Euromantic (Valenzuela, Hanson) 122/8-1

3: Bodenheimer (Wade, Lund) 122/5-2

4: Blame J D (Hernandez, Richard) 122/6-1

5: Tactical Attack (Quinonez, Martinez) 122/6-1

6: Speitful Sam (Gallardo, Robertson) 122/7-2

7: Tapped to the Max (Murray, Bethke) 122/12-1

8: Ship It Red (Lopez, Lund) 122/9-2

BLAME J D (4) tries the turf for the first time but genetics suggest he will love it. Has tactical speed, which is an asset at this distance, and leading jockey climbs aboard. BODENHEIMER (3) came off the bench for a nice wire-to-wire score in last. Might encounter more pressure up front here but if he shakes loose, he could be tough to catch. SHIP IT RED (8) tried a stakes race in last but drops to a more favorable level today and likes this distance.

8. 6½ furlongs. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Starter optional claiming: $5,000. Purse: $15,000.

#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds

1: Cannonball Comin (Lopez, Silva Jr.) 122/4-1

2: Stormin Hongkong (Quinonez, Danger) 122/6-1

3: Single Me Out (Bridgmohan, Espinoza) 122/5-1

4: Tizona (Santos, Silva Jr.) 122/15-1

5: Optimal Courage (Barajas, Silva) 124/2-1

6: Mr. Who (Hernandez, Silva Jr.) 124/9-5

MR. WHO (6) drops in class, cuts back in distance and gets the outside post. Can lead or stalk if needed for this tricky distance and gets top jock in the irons. OPTIMAL COURAGE (5) has won back-to-back in the mud going shorter. Extra furlong might be his undoing. STORMIN HONGKONG (2) would love a hot pace on the front-end to setup his late closing kick.

9. 6½ furlongs. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $35,000. Purse: $29,500.

#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds

1: Doctor Oscar (Quinonez, Padilla) 122/9-5

2: Minister of Soul (Hernandez, Martinez) 122/3-1

3: Deflater (Harr, Cline) 122/8-1

4: Holden the Lute (Berrios-Lopez, Diodoro) 117/4-1

5: Central Park (Valenzuela, Van Winkle) 122/7-2

6: Citrus Bay (Gallardo, Tranquilino) 122/10-1

HOLDEN THE LUTE (4) cuts back in distance for the high percentage Diodoro barn. Exits two Grade III stakes races and his stalking style fits the race flow. DOCTOR OSCAR (1) has been razor-sharp this year with two wins and two placings in five starts. Will be on or near the lead but must manage an extra half-furlong. CENTRAL PARK (5) probably needed his first local start of the season in last and he likes this distance.

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