Jay Lietzau's Canterbury Park line for Saturday, July 29

Our handicapper makes his picks for an eight-race card at Canterbury.

By Star Tribune

July 29, 2023 at 7:06PM
Jockey Jareth Loveberry gave a pat to King Of Miami, son of American Pharoah, after he beat out Modern Science and favorite T-D Dance to win the Mystic Lake Derby on the turf Wednesday at Canterbury Park. ] ANTHONY SOUFFLE • anthony.souffle@startribune.com
(Anthony Soufflé, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Post time: 5 p.m. Lock of the day: Jackson Action (6th race). Value play of the day: King of the Kids (4th race). Big score: 50-cent Pick 5 ticket— Race 4 (3,4/1,4,5/4/1,4,5,6/2,5,6,7), $48.

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

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

1: Wise Verdict (Roman, Rhone)122/5-1

2: Rockin the Dad Bod (Quinonez, Rarick)117/10-1

3: Fury Kap (Berrios-Lopez, Silva Jr.)119/2-1

4: Surprsinglyperfect (Hernandez, Silva Jr.)122/7-2

5: Willy the Cobbler (Lopez, Diodoro)122/9-2

6: Flatout Winner (Wade, Litfin)124/3-1

SURPRSINGLYPERFECT (4) did all the heavy lifting in last after battling three-wide on the turn, gaining the lead but unable to hold off the closer. Obviously loves to compete having hit the board 38 times in his career. FURY KAP (3) comes from the same barn as the top pick and will set the early pace and dare them to catch him late. WILLY THE COBBLER (5) has tactical speed and comes from a good claiming barn.

2. 7½ furlongs on turf. Fillies and mares. 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. Maiden claiming: $10,000. Purse: $10,500.

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

1: Like Fine Wine (Berrios-Lopez, Berndt)114/9-5

2: Roll Gypsy Roll (Murray, Scherer)119/9-2

3: Red Sunshine (Hernandez, Westermann)124/12-1

4: Graceful Moon (Harr, Cline)119/8-1

5: Smart Leah (Hernandez, Woolley Jr.)124/4-1

6: Dr Z's Elsa (Barajas, Silva)119/12-1

7: Mark of Victory (Wade, Lund)119/3-1

SMART LEAH (5) tried a turf sprint two back and didn't show much. Returns to the turf and stretches out around two turns and breeding suggests she'll appreciate it. Best chance if she can get an easy lead. ROLL GYPSY ROLL (2) has run speed figures that dominate this field but showed nothing in last turf try. Will give her another chance. LIKE FINE WINE (1) should have won last but that start was off a layoff.

3. 6½ furlongs. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden claiming: $10,000. Purse: $10,500.

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

1: Pat's Gal (Harr, Cline)119/8-5

2: Nona (Sosa, Backhaus)119/8-1

3: Tammy Macho (Valenzuela, Martinez)119/4-1

4: Dixie Girl To (Gallardo, Westermann)124/9-5

5: Miz McCoy (Lindsay, Sheehan)124/9-2

PAT'S GAL (1) gets the inside post and has tactical speed. Involved in a speed duel in last before hitting a wall late. Could be loose on the lead and able to control the pace. DIXIE GIRL TO (4) beat the top pick last out but also had a good trip passing tired horses. Will require a quick early pace to see her best. MIZ MCCOY (5) has only had four career starts and tries the dirt for the first time this year.

4. 1 mile on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $10,000. Purse: $15,000.

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

1: N. K. Rocket Man (Berrios-Lopez, Williams)119/8-1

2: Words of Wisdom (Lopez, Diodoro)124/5-2

3: King of the Kids (Quinonez, Berndt)124/3-1

4: Thirty Seconds Out (Sosa, Silva Jr.)119/8-1

5: Kinetic Swagger (Gallardo, Robertson)124/12-1

6: Brix (Hernandez, Silva Jr.)124/8-1

7: Skippy's Strike (Bridgmohan, Bedford)124/4-1

8: Of Good Report (Wade, Woolley Jr.)124/6-1

9: Macedonian Ruler (Lopez, Rosin)124/10-1

10: Move Over (Valenzuela, Asprino)124/9-2

KING OF THE KIDS (3) drops drastically in class and should get pace to run into unlike his last start. Jockey/trainer combination has won 42% when teaming up. THIRTY SECONDS OUT (4) gets back on the grass after a couple starts north of the border. Has speed figures on the turf that are competitive for this group. SKIPPY'S STRIKE (7) is third off the layoff and has five wins on the Shakopee sod.

5. 6 furlongs. State bred. Open. 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $31,000.

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

1: Eye On Ry (Valenzuela, Berndt)119/3-1

2: Hayhaycaptain Jac (Harr, Litfin)119/6-1

3: Whodoesitbetter (Wade, Riecken)124/8-1

4: R Voo's Taboo (Gallardo, Westermann)124/2-1

5: Sweet Analyzer (Bridgmohan, Riecken)124/7-2

6: B L's Concerto (Hernandez, Donlin)119/9-2

EYE ON RY (1) makes his career debut for top barn. Sire wins with about 12% of firsters and the last workout signals his readiness. Will need to break sharply from the rail to hold his position. R VOO'S TABOO (4) has been close in numerous races hitting the board ten times but has had 17 starts at age five without a diploma. SWEET ANALYZER (5) was bet down to favoritism in last and disappointed. Might see his best third off the layoff.

6. 5 furlongs on turf. Open. 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $27,000.

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

1: Victoryfortheposse (Santos, Biehler)119/12-1

2: Harleezy (Wade, Rosin)119/10-1

3: Prince of Earl (Quinonez, Chleborad)124/3-1

4: Jackson Action (Ulloa, Berndt)124/9-5

5: Stability (Bridgmohan, Martinez)124/4-1

6: Whistler (Lopez, Williams)124/5-1

7: Angel of Attack (Valenzuela, Berndt)119/8-1

JACKSON ACTION (4) was pinched back early in his career debut before unleashing a fantastic turn of foot down the stretch narrowly missing against a loose leader. If he breaks cleanly, the race is over. STABILITY (5) had two starts on the dirt down in New Mexico and placed in both. Breeding suggests he'll like the green. VICTORYFORTHEPOSSE (1) showed speed on debut before tiring badly. Expecting an improved effort with added experience.

7. 6 furlongs. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $25,000. Purse: $28,500.

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

1: Euromantic (Valenzuela, Hanson)122/6-1

2: Citrus Bay (Wade, Tranquilino)122/10-1

3: Reef's Destiny (Harr, Cline)122/6-1

4: Gray Magician (Quinonez, Silva Jr.)124/5-2

5: Inter Miami (Santos, Rhone)122/4-1

6: Reckoning Day (Hernandez, Woolley Jr.)122/8-5

RECKONING DAY (6) is on quite a roll having won five straight and none of those victories were even a sweat. Leading jockey will use his push-button speed and outside post to make his move when needed. EUROMATIC (1) pressed the early lead against a next-out winner in last before tiring. That start was on the grass and he does his best running on the dirt. GRAY MAGICIAN (4) has lost to the top pick twice this meet and not sure why it would change now.

8. 1 mile. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance. Purse: $29,500.

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

1: Tom's Girl (Wade, Biehler)119/10-1

2: Molly's Angel (Roman, Padilla)124/2-1

3: It's Her Time (Carmona, Robertson)119/6-1

4: Countess of Cairo (Valenzuela, Van Winkle)119/15-1

5: Elusive Amelia (Quinonez, Padilla)124/3-1

6: Clubhouse Saint (Berrios-Lopez, Woolley Jr.)119/4-1

7: Sea Level (Hernandez, Biehler)124/9-2

ELUSIVE AMELIA (5) has had success in Shakopee with two wins/second/third in four career tries. Seems to be rounding into form after a long layoff and then three quality starts. CLUBHOUSE SAINT (6) has won four in-a-row but faces her toughest field yet. Will have to take another step forward to compete. MOLLY'S ANGEL (2) does her best running from behind so would appreciate a hot early pace.

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