Jay Lietzau’s Canterbury Park line for Sunday, Aug. 11

The Star Tribune handicapper makes his picks for an eight-race card in Shakopee.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
August 11, 2024 at 2:29AM
Roimes Chirinos, astride Cinco Star, the favorite, won the $100,000 Blair's Cove Minnesota Turf Championship.   ]  JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com
Races at Canterbury are winding down for the season. (Jeff Wheeler, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Post time: 1 p.m. Lock of the day: Tony’s Tapit (1st race). Value play of the day: Mega Heart (7th race). Big score: 50-cent Pick 5 ticket—Race 4 (1,6/6/1,3,4,5,8/3,7/1,2,3,4,7), $50.

1. 6 furlongs. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $30,000. Purse: $31,500.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Thealligatorhunter (Quinonez, Padilla) 122/3-1

2: Tony’s Tapit (Da Silva, Silva Jr.) 122/8-5

3: Exxel (Fuentes, Lund) 122/12-1

4: Hap Hot (Harr, Rengstorf) 122/6-1

5: Plane Talk (Rodriguez, Silva Jr.) 124/4-1

6: Sir Sterling (Carmona, Rengstorf) 117/5-1

TONY’S TAPIT (2) is in excellent form right now having won two in a row and posting back-to-back career high speed figures. Plenty of speed in here to set up his consistent late kick. THEALLIGATORHUNTER (1) absolutely adores the Canterbury main track, winning 11 times in 18 attempts. Speed and the inside post will force his hand early. PLANE TALK (5) has great early speed and if the track is off, watch out

2. 6 furlongs. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $10,000. Purse: $14,500.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Without Equal (Fuentes, Lund) 119/6-1

2: Buckin Again (Harr, Hanson) 119/12-1

3: R Voo’s Taboo (Roman, Westermann) 124/12-1

4: Cinco Majestic (Carmona, Silva) 114/4-1

5: Clearwater Sunset (Barajas, Silva) 119/10-1

6: Hayhaycaptain Jac (Rodriguez, Litfin) 124/9-2

7: Laws of Man (Da Silva, Rarick) 119/7-2

8: Jonny B Goney (Valenzuela, Berndt) 119/5-2

JONNY B GONEY (8) appears to be the lone speed in the race. Will attempt to break alertly, establish a clear lead and control the pace. Adding Lasix and dropping in class only adds to the appeal. CINCO MAJESTIC (4) has been competitive in many races but only has one win with many opportunities. His speed figures fit here. HAYHAYCAPTAIN JAC (6) showed tremendous promise as a two-year-old but has yet to regain that form at three.

3. 1 mile on turf. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $30,000. Purse: $31,500.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Virtually (Harr, Rushton) 122/10-1

2: Let’s Skedaddle (Carmona, Robertson) 117/5-2

3: Gypsy Reward (Da Silva, Robertson) 122/9-2

4: Big Bad Diva (Fuentes, Williams) 122/4-1

5: Midnight Current (Quinonez, Berndt) 122/8-5

6: Dirt Flirt (Rodriguez, Silva Jr.) 124/8-1

MIDNIGHT CURRENT (5) has owned this turf course over the past three summers, winning 10 of 13 and never missing the board. Coming off a win and could be at her best third off the layoff. LET’S SKEDADDLE (2) wishes she would have never met the top pick finishing right behind her in five of her past eight races. Why not again? GYPSY REWARD (3) won her seasonal debut but must improve.

4. 1 mile. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $5,000. Purse: $13,000.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Meet Joe (Ceballos, Kenney) 122/3-1

2: Panzer Pride (Da Silva, Rarick) 122/9-2

3: Clear the Coast (Pena, Woolley Jr.) 117/8-1

4: Rosenquist (Rodriguez, Silva Jr.) 122/12-1

5: Forsaken (Roman, Espinoza) 122/5-1

6: Devil Vision (Carmona, Robertson) 117/2-1

7: Reup (Harr, Cline) 122/12-1

8: Ferrari Road (Arroyo, Muckey) 122/12-1

DEVIL VISION (6) gets a field with many need-the-lead types after racing in a paceless race last time out. Fast early fractions would benefit his closing style. This jockey/trainer combo is 29% this meet. MEET JOE (1) gets back to dirt after three turf tries and a sloppy track attempt this summer. Might appreciate the firm footing. PANZER PRIDE (2) flashed speed in his seasonal debut before tiring late.

5. 1 mile on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $10,000. Purse: $15,500.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: My Partner Glen (Fuentes, Rengstorf) 124/7-2

2: Red’s Mr Z (Arroyo, Rarick) 124/20-1

3: Swampdrainer (Da Silva, Silva) 124/12-1

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

5: Cousvinnysacanuck (Rodriguez, Silva Jr.) 124/5-1

6: Rejection Hurts (Bridgmohan, Berndt) 124/5-2

7: Storm’s Reflection (Quinonez, Perez) 124/9-2

8: O Dogg (Pena, Riecken) 124/12-1

9: Shut Up Michael (Carmona, Rarick) 119/8-1

10: Grunder (Roman, Rengstorf) 124/15-1

REJECTION HURTS (6) woke up when last seen, easily flying by all his foes in the stretch. Should get a similar trip here and Bridgmohan (great turf jockey) stays aboard for a good barn. SHUT UP MICHAEL (9) could be the controlling speed in a race void of frontrunners but has had a propensity to tire late when routing. MY PARTNER GLEN (1) drops in class, draws the rail, gets the top jock and could be flying late.

6. 1 mile. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $4,000. Purse: $12,000.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Brickbat (Pena, Rushton) 124/4-1

2: Redisur (Roman, Rarick) 124/8-1

3: Tiger Hunter (Rodriguez, Woolley Jr.) 124/6-1

4: Passthecat (Valenzuela, Hanson) 124/2-1

5: Toma Todo (Harr, Rarick) 124/9-2

6: Just Ask Joel (Lindsay, Sheehan) 124/15-1

7: Schmooze (Carmona, Bethke) 119/6-1

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

TIGER HUNTER (3) threw in a clunker while chasing an easy wire-to-wire winner in last. Expecting a more typical effort in this one while stalking the early speed and passing as they wear down late. PASSTHECAT (4) has had a successful summer with a win and two placings. Will be towards the rear early and will hopefully make a timely late move. BRICKBAT (1) has the most wins on his résumé and his speed figures are comparable.

7. 5 furlongs on turf. Open. 2-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $29,000.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Tap the Kid (Valenzuela, Rhone) 118/8-1

2: By Decreed (Pena, Kereluk) 118/6-1

3: Water Tester (Carmona, Scherer) 113/2-1

4: We Need a Favor (Harr, Cline) 118/10-1

5: Makin My Fortune (Fuentes, Lund) 118/9-2

6: Mo Light Now (Williams, Robertson) 115/3-1

7: Mega Heart (Da Silva, Scherer) 115/10-1

8: Perry County (Arroyo, Litfin) 118/12-1

MEGA HEART (7) didn’t do much running in her career debut but did get some action at the windows. Her full brother won at this tricky distance as a two-year-old so should welcome the surface change. WATER TESTER (3) is the other Scherer along with the top pick and has a nice string of work in preparation including a bullet on Aug. 4. MO LIGHT NOW (6) debuts for the top barn who win with 24% of their two-year-olds.

8. 1 mile. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $5,000. Purse: $13,000.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Purrfect Moon (Barajas, Silva) 122/4-1

2: Mizzen Millions (Valenzuela, Garrett) 122/8-1

3: Tales of Makenna (Fuentes, Hone) 122/5-2

4: Merlin’s Sister (Carmona, Bedford) 117/9-2

5: Fat and Furious (Rodriguez, Silva) 122/10-1

6: Pat’s Gal (Harr, Cline) 122/5-1

7: Bohemian Jiggles (Pena, Silva Jr.) 117/6-1

8: Laughintothebank (Ceballos, Rarick) 122/12-1

MIZZEN MILLIONS (2) returns to the dirt after an unsuccessful turf try. Drops in class for a barn that’s had a nice meet and her tactical speed gives Valenzuela options out of the gate. PURRFECT MOON (1) also drops in class and is in good form hitting the board in her past three. Past two speed figures are solid but the stretch out might be a question. MERLIN’S SISTER (4) finally competed in her last race and bug boy Carmona climbs aboard.

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