Post time: 1 p.m. Lock of the day: Channel Won (2nd race). Value play of the day: Manhattan Cherry (4th race). Big score: 50-cent Pick 5 ticket—Race 4 (4/2,3,4,6/3,4,5,7/2,4,5/8,9), $48.
Jay Lietzau's Canterbury Park line for Sunday, June 25
Our handicapper picks his winners for Sunday's eight-race card in Shakopee.
By Jay Lietzau
1. 1 mile. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $4,000. Purse: $10,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Mishko (Barajas, Silva) 124/8-1
2: Big League Benny (Roman, Rhone) 124/6-1
3: May We All (Valenzuela, Rosin) 124/9-2
4: Imindycatbirdseat (Wade, Tracy) 124/4-1
5: Fredonian (Lara, Roberts) 124/10-1
6: Chest Candy (Berrios-Lopez, Woolley Jr.) 119/3-1
7: Signofthecross (Hernandez, Richard) 124/5-2
MAY WE ALL (3) stretches out after sprinting in his return from a layoff in last. Drops in class, has eight wins at Canterbury and has a preferred stalking style going two-turns. SIGNOFTHECROSS (7) won easily in last at Prairie Meadows but only faced four. Would like a strong early pace to accentuate his closing kick. IMINDYCATBIRDSEAT (4) returns to a winnable level after trying better. Might be flying late.
2. 5 furlongs on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Starter optional claiming: $10,000. Purse: $15,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: A Roze and Wine (Hernandez, Asprino) 117/3-1
2: Gentleman's Secret (Valenzuela, Rarick) 122/6-1
3: Take Me Up Brady (Harr, Rhone) 122/12-1
4: Channel Won (Wade, Tracy) 122/5-2
5: Optimal Courage (Barajas, Silva) 124/4-1
6: Miami Crockett (Hernandez, Kenney) 122/8-1
7: Samurai Mike (Roman, Litfin) 122/8-1
8: Dive Deep (Quinonez, Danger) 122/10-1
CHANNEL WON (4) lost all chance at the start in last before rallying late. Has eight wins at the distance but needs to break cleanly in this one. OPTIMAL COURAGE (5) won last out in the mud and is 4-for-6 on the local lawn. It's his 12th race since October, so it might be hard to win back-to-back. A ROZE AND WINE (1) loves the distance and loves Canterbury but struggled this winter and faces the boys.
3. 1 mile. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $25,000. Purse: $28,500.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Windcracker (Barajas, Silva) 122/8-1
2: Magoo (Roman, Robertson) 122/5-1
3: Mr. Who (Hernandez, Silva Jr.) 124/9-5
4: Unified Dreams (Wade, Scherer) 124/7-2
5: T Bones Trick (Lopez, Rarick) 122/5-2
6: Flatout Winner (Gallardo, Litfin) 122/8-1
T BONES TRICK (5) has thirteen career wins and has won or placed in five of six locally. Tried unsuccessfully to run down a loose leader in last but there appears to be more pace here. MR. WHO (3) has been on a roll this year, finishing in the top two in five of six, including a three-length win in last. Might get pressured in this one. MAGOO (2) won both his local starts last summer going wire-to-wire but might need help finding the winners circle here.
4. 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: Pat's Gal (Harr, Cline) 119/5-1
2: Delusional Dream (Roman, Sheehan) 124/3-1
3: Dixie Girl To (Gallardo, Westermann) 124/8-1
4: Manhattan Cherry (Berrios-Lopez, Robertson) 114/4-1
5: Mizzen Gee Ma (Valenzuela, Rosin) 119/8-1
6: Mo Smoking (Murray, Scherer) 119/9-5
7: Skedaddle's Legacy (Hernandez, Martinez) 119/12-1
MANHATTAN CHERRY (4) makes her three-year-old debut after three mediocre tries last year. Well bred for the turf, drops in class and gets Lasix for the first time. MO SMOKING (6) moves down significantly in class and finally get on the grass after getting rained off three-times. Should enjoy the footing. DIXIE GIRL TO (3) didn't show much at Oaklawn this winter/spring but some showed interest in two local starts.
5. 1 mile. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $16,000. Purse: $28,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Aries Reigns (Murray, Rarick) 122/15-1
2: Wise Verdict (Wade, Scherer) 122/9-2
3: Out Run'm (Roman, Espinoza) 122/6-1
4: Astronomical (Berrios-Lopez, Silva Jr.) 117/7-2
5: Words of Wisdom (Lara, Diodoro) 122/5-1
6: Thought (Lopez, Diodoro) 122/2-1
7: Make Noise (Lindsay, Cline) 122/12-1
8: Bandit Point (Harr, Cline) 122/10-1
ASTRONOMICAL (4) ran two nice speed figures here last summer on the dirt. Got a freshening since his last start and could get a nice trip to stalk and pounce. THOUGHT (6) has been knocking at the door with three consecutive placings. Diodoro is dangerous with these types. WISE VERDICT (2) returns to a more appropriate claiming level after trying tougher. Will be closing late if he has a chance.
6. 6½ furlongs. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $16,000. Purse: $28,000.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Beat the Heat (Valenzuela, Kenney) 122/9-2
2: Reef's Destiny (Harr, Cline) 122/12-1
3: Astronaut Oscar (Lindsay, Van Winkle) 122/5-2
4: Sea to Success (Gallardo, Robertson) 122/6-1
5: Warrior Boss (Roman, Berndt) 122/7-2
6: Strut On Louie (Lopez, Silva Jr.) 117/5-1
7: American Refugee (Santos, Silva Jr.) 122/4-1
WARRIOR BOSS (5) probably needed his last after coming off the shelf. Has six wins at Canterbury and his stalking style might fit nicely here. ASTRONAUT OSCAR (3) likes the distance and like the oval in Shakopee. Should be involved early but how long can he last? SEA TO SUCCESS (4) faced some salty foes at Keeneland and Oaklawn recently with little success. Returns to his friends and won here last year before taking a break.
7. 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: Badger Kitten (Roman, Rhone) 122/8-1
2: Lookin So Lucky (Hernandez, Silva Jr.) 122/5-2
3: Naughty Nellie (Bridgmohan, Bedford) 122/15-1
4: Clubhouse Saint (Berrios-Lopez, Woolley Jr.) 119/4-1
5: Dreaming Biz (Ulloa, Berndt) 122/7-2
6: Shabam (Gallardo, Robertson) 122/9-2
7: Swanage (Harr, Cline) 122/10-1
8: Hurricain Hunter (Lopez, Silva Jr.) 122/8-1
LOOKIN SO LUCKY (2) raced evenly in her seasonal debut locally and has speed figures to compete. Her versatile running style is an asset. DREAMING BIZ (5) returns routing after sprinting in her first start off the winter break. Berndt is 27% on the turf and her tactical speed should allow her to get an ideal trip. CLUBHOUSE SAINT (4) is sporting a four-race win streak but faces her toughest field in quite some time. Has been successful on the grass finishing in the top two in four of five.
8. 6 furlongs. State bred. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $7,500. Purse: $10,500.
#: Horse (Jockey, Trainer) Wt./Odds
1: Holdentight (Hernandez, Biehler) 124/8-1
2: Stun Gun (Glass, Miller) 119/8-1
3: Harmon Killer Brew (Valenzuela, Rengstorf) 124/7-2
4: Direct Action (Santos, Silva) 124/5-2
5: Scaryatcanterbury (Barajas, Silva) 124/15-1
6: Big Boy McCoy (Murray, Sweere) 124/10-1
7: Halo's Laddie (Lindsay, Sheehan) 124/15-1
8: K C's First B M W (Wade, Tracy) 124/4-1
9: J J's Wildcat (Harr, McKinley) 124/6-1
K C'S FIRST B M W (8) broke tardily in last, rushed up to establish a two-length lead before tiring late. Could be the controlling speed with a cleaner start. J J'S WILDCAT (9) drops to the lowest level of his career. Has good stalking speed and an outside post to track the top pick if he falters. DIRECT ACTION (4) is second off the layoff and has a good closing kick if the pace is hot on the front end.
about the writer
Jay Lietzau
Sam Rinzel had two of the Gophers’ three power play goals against the Irish.