Jay Lietzau’s Canterbury Park line for Saturday, May 18, 2024

Post time: 5 p.m. Lock of the day: Distorted Pro (7th race). Value play of the day: Papa Rizzo (3rd race). Big score: 50-cent Pick 5 ticket— Race 1, (1,2,4,6/2,6/7/1,3,7,9/3,5,10) $48.00.

1. 5½ furlongs. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $30,000. Purse: $31,500.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Thealligatorhunter (Quinonez, Padilla) 122/2-1

2: Hap Hot (Gallardo, Rengstorf) 124/9-2

3: Crocodilehunter (Ceballos, Padilla) 122/12-1

4: Minister of Soul (Rodriguez, Martinez) 122/3-1

5: Exxel (Fuentes, Lund) 122/5-1

6: Plane Talk (Roman, Robertson) 122/9-2

7: Sea to Success (Valenzuela, Martinez) 122/12-1

THEALLIGATORHUNTER (1) returns to the dirt after two competitive turf preps down in Tampa Bay. Absolutely loves the Canterbury strip crossing the finish line first in 10 of 15 local starts. Will use his tactical speed to work a good trip. PLANE TALK (6) has blazing early speed and could shake loose early. If the track is sloppy, he moves up substantially. MINISTER OF SOUL (4) loves to compete having won 18 times in his career but his form recently can be questioned.

2. 6 furlongs. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $10,000. Purse: $11,500.

1: Spoiled Brat (Carmona, Bethke) 119/15-1

2: Run Bambi Run (Gallardo, Berndt) 124/5-2

3: Dixie Girl To (Ceballos, Westermann) 124/6-1

4: Pageant Purrfect (Barajas, Silva) 119/8-1

5: Bee a Bali (Valenzuela, Hanson) 119/8-1

6: Always Smiling (Fuentes, Williams) 124/7-2

7: I Came to Shame (Harr, Smith) 124/10-1

8: Extra Indy (Quinonez, Westermann) 124/9-2

9: Twitter Traffic (Rodriguez, Roberts) 124/12-1

RUN BAMBI RUN (2) didn’t break the cleanest in his seasonal debut in last at Hawthorne but still ran credibly. Should see a peak effort second off the layoff for the 2023 leading trainer. ALWAYS SMILING (6) was facing tougher this winter/spring at Oaklawn and seemed to wake up in last. Could be prominent early. BEE A BALI (5) won a low-level stakes in Fargo in her career debut but faces much better here.

3. 1 mile on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $7,500. Purse: $14,000.

1: Devoted to You (Roman, Robertson) 124/4-1

2: Political Riot (Lindsay, Van Winkle) 124/8-1

3: Overly Lucky (Quinonez, Donlin) 124/9-2

4: Thick Haze (Carmona, Rengstorf) 119/5-2

5: Star of Stars (Gallardo, Bethke) 124/12-1

6: Kid’s Inheritance (Valenzuela, Bethke) 124/6-1

7: Papa Rizzo (Rodriguez, Roberts) 124/8-1

8: War Chest (Fuentes, Rengstorf) 124/5-1

PAPA RIZZO (7) has four career wins on the local lawn and has speed to be involved early. Draw a line through his last start on the dirt at Will Rodgers Downs as that might have been a prep for the grass today. THICK HAZE (4) has won half of his 12 career starts over this Shakopee surface. Will benefit if there is a hot early pace. WAR CHEST (8) shortens up in distance after a couple longer races down in Texas. Could be flying late.

4. 7½ furlongs on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $10,000. Purse: $15,500.

1: Heir (Fuentes, Fuentes) 124/5-1

2: Run Lea Run (Barandela, Rarick) 124/12-1

3: Cousvinnysacanuck (Gallardo, Berndt) 124/5-2

4: Da Ghost (Arroyo, Rhone) 124/15-1

5: Big Pete (Harr, Rengstorf) 124/12-1

6: Infinite Moro (Carmona, Rengstorf) 119/6-1

7: Total Surprise (Roman, Rengstorf) 124/4-1

8: Calzone (Valenzuela, Rarick) 124/8-1

9: Kal El (Sanchez, Bethke) 124/12-1

10: Shake Up (Ceballos, Westermann) 124/10-1

COUSVINNYSACANUCK (3) has only tried the grass twice in his 18-race career and both starts were against much better. Is bred for the surface and is third off the layoff for a top barn. HEIR (1) has done his best running on the surface with both his wins coming on the turf. Fuentes will try to save ground until late with the inside post. KAL EL (9) has posted some competitive speed figures on the surface but those were against easier.

5. 5½ furlongs. State bred. 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $33,000.

1: Blues Traffic (Arroyo, Rhone) 124/20-1

2: Ber Cher (Valenzuela, Rhone) 124/20-1

3: Mach Two (Fuentes, Biehler) 119/6-1

4: Victorious Vanda (Gallardo, Berndt) 119/6-1

5: Wild Thor (Da Silva, Tracy) 119/10-1

6: Wynn Trip (Roman, Robertson) 124/5-1

7: B L’s Concerto (Rodriguez, Donlin) 124/15-1

8: Make It Burn (Ceballos, Donlin) 119/20-1

9: Carpe Gold (Carmona, Bethke) 114/20-1

10: Wilson Bay (Quinonez, Robertson) 124/5-2

11: Mr Insensitive (Barajas, Silva) 124/4-1

12: Burn Boss (Barandela, Bedford) 124/20-1

13: Ka Pow (Harr, Smith) 124/15-1

14: Straitfromtheduece (Valenzuela, Biehler) 119/12-1

15: Jamaica Mistaica (Sanchez, Smith) 124/15-1

WILSON BAY (10) faced open company in his career debut at Oaklawn in March and ran evenly. Will face state restricted runners today and expecting major improvement with a race under his belt. WILD THOR (5) is a well bred first-time starter for a barn that hits with 24% on debut. Two of his siblings won first-out and his workouts indicate his readiness. MACH TWO (3) ran well in his season debut at Will Rodgers Downs and that prep should help with his fitness.

6. 5½ furlongs. State bred. 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $33,000.

1: Blues Cross (Lindsay, Rhone) 119/20-1

2: Hazardtoyourhealth (Carmona, Ashford, Jr.) 114/10-1

3: Minnesota Rose (Quinonez, Padilla) 119/10-1

4: Sassy Mama (Barandela, Bethke) 119/12-1

5: Charley Paints (Gallardo, Berndt) 119/9-2

6: Battlin C J (Sanchez, Berndt) 119/8-1

7: Pearl Button (Valenzuela, Biehler) 119/8-1

8: Sky Kid (Roman, Robertson) 119/4-1

9: Honorable Mischief (Fuentes, Rosin) 119/2-1

10: Digs and Diamonds (Rodriguez, Donlin) 124/15-1

BATTLIN C J (6) broke slowly from the 10-post in his career debut last fall before rushing up and tiring late. Berndt runners typically improve in their second start. HONORABLE MISCHIEF (9) had a couple impressive second place finishes as a two-year-old here last year. Caught two off tracks this spring at Oaklawn and stopped badly in both. SKY KID (8) makes her career debut for the Robertson barn who always has them ready to fire. May want more distance.

7. 6 furlongs. State bred. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance. Purse: $34,000.

1: Midnight Royal (Lindsay, VanWinkle) 124/12-1

2: Got Ghosted (Fuentes, Rhone) 119/15-1

3: Caught Off Guard (Roman, Berndt) 119/4-1

4: Superstar Swank (Ceballos, Robertson) 119/8-1

5: Birdie Machine (Rodriguez, Berndt) 124/6-1

6: Distorted Pro (Carmona, Robertson) 119/2-1

7: General Battle Axe (Quinonez, Padilla) 119/10-1

8: Sam Sez (Valenzuela, Roberts) 124/5-1

9: Jonny B Goney (Gallardo, Berndt) 119/8-1

DISTORTED PRO (6) struggled here last summer with two lackluster performances but looks to have figured it out this spring at Oaklawn. Has dangerous early speed and may be able to dictate terms early. CAUGHT OFF GUARD (3) broke his maiden against open company as a two-year-old at Delta Downs last fall. Facing older horses in your three-year-old debut is a tall task. JONNY B GONEY (9) displayed good early speed as a two-year-old but also faces older.

8. 6 furlongs. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $12,500. Purse: $30,000.

1: North Arm Bay (Da Silva, Bethke) 122/15-1

2: Tenth Street Don (Rodriguez, Lund) 122/6-1

3: Martini Blu (Ceballos, Robertson) 122/3-1

4: Uncaptured Warrior (Quinonez, Padilla) 122/8-1

5: Hi Yah (Fuentes, Williams) 122/8-1

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

7: Fayette Warrior (Gallardo, Bethke) 124/12-1

8: Boat Song (Roman, Robertson) 122/5-2

9: In the Arch (Carmona, Rengstorf) 117/6-1

MARTINI BLU (3) has been flashing good early speed in three races this year at Oaklawn. Has had success at Canterbury with two wins. Tactical speed is a bonus. IN THE ARCH (9) is third off the layoff for a good barn and looks to be the most reliable closer in a field full of speed. HI YAH (5) ships in from Arkansas where he’s been facing better. Should be involved early.