Jay Lietzau’s Canterbury Park line for Sunday, Aug. 25

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

The Minnesota Star Tribune
August 25, 2024 at 4:50AM
Fans cheer on the horses during a race last year at Canterbury Park. (Elizabeth Flores/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Post time: 1 p.m. Lock of the day: Hidden Profit (4th race). Value play of the day: Tonka Warrior (1st race). Big score: 50-cent Pick 5 ticket— Race 1 (1,3,5/1,2,3,6,7/1,9/5/2,6,7), $45.

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

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Tony’s Tapit (Da Silva, Silva Jr.) 122/9-5

2: Calibrate (Fuentes, Rosin) 122/4-1

3: Tonka Warrior (Gallardo, Robertson) 124/9-2

4: Secret Potion (Valenzuela, Hone) 124/5-1

5: Unified Dreams (Carmona, Scherer) 117/5-2

6: Slim Slow Slider (Lindsay, VanWinkle) 122/12-1

TONKA WARRIOR (3) is feeling great having won back-to-back on the turf, both easily. Gets back on the dirt for the leading barn but that shouldn’t be a problem as his career high speed figure was at this distance. UNIFIED DREAMS (5) is coming off an off-the-turf stakes win on a muddy track. His tactical speed is an asset. TONY’S TAPIT (1) has been on a roll winning three in a row, but those were sprinting.

2. 5½ furlongs. Open. 2-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $29,000.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Perry County (Arroyo, Litfin) 118/5-1

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

3: Indie Freedom (Roman, Padilla) 118/3-1

4: We Need a Favor (Harr, Cline) 118/6-1

5: Tap the Kid (Valenzuela, Rhone) 118/12-1

6: Follow My Heineken (Gallardo, Lund) 118/6-1

7: Honor the Giants (Quinonez, Martinez) 118/4-1

FOLLOW MY HEINEKEN (6) is a full-brother to the great Mr. Jagermeister, who banked over $700K and won his career debut by 11 lengths. Nice string of workouts to prepare for his first start. INDIE FREEDOM (3) enters the race with only four works but one is a bullet. Barn wins 21% with its first-time starters. PERRY COUNTY (1) flashed speed in his debut on the turf. Will need that speed breaking from the rail.

3. 1 mile on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $12,500. Purse: $30,000.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Twoko Bay (Quinonez, Scherer) 122/9-2

2: Il Capitano (Da Silva, Litfin) 122/4-1

3: Last Martini (Carmona, Woolley Jr.) 119/9-2

4: Face Value (Fuentes, Williams) 122/8-1

5: Papa Rizzo (Pena, Roberts) 124/7-2

6: Artie’s Angel (Roman, Padilla) 122/12-1

7: Loring Park (Rodriguez, Bethke) 122/5-1

8: Mach Two (Da Silva, Biehler) 119/12-1

9: Thick Haze (Valenzuela, Roberts) 124/5-2

10: Skippy’s Strike (Carmona, Bedford) 117/8-1

11: Fly Nightly (Morales, Ramaekers) 122/15-1

TWOKO BAY (1) was rained off the turf in last and ran an even second. Gets back on the local lawn where he’s been first or second in 11 of 21 and gets the advantageous rail draw to save ground. THICK HAZE (9) has won half of his 16 Canterbury turf starts including his past two on the grass. Never count him out. PAPA RIZZO (5) gets brave when he’s allowed an easy lead, which could happen in this one.

4. 5½ furlongs. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $5,000. Purse: $13,000.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Forsaken (Morales, Espinoza) 122/10-1

2: Birdie Machine (Valenzuela, Berndt) 122/6-1

3: Ferrari Road (Da Silva, Muckey) 122/20-1

4: Meet Joe (Fuentes, Kenney) 122/9-2

5: Hidden Profit (Rodriguez, Silva) 117/7-2

6: Majestic Craken (Barajas, Silva) 117/8-1

7: Wynn Trip (Carmona, Robertson) 119/2-1

8: Heir (Arroyo, Fuentes) 122/10-1

9: Stormin Hongkong (Harr, Danger) 122/12-1

HIDDEN PROFIT (5) looks to be lone speed, which is hard to beat at Canterbury. Rodriguez will attempt to establish an easy lead, slow down the pace and reserve energy for the stretch run. WYNN TRIP (7) finally figured it out after it took 10 tries to graduate. Since then, he’s won three in a row. Trainer/jockey win at 27%. STORMIN HONGKONG (9) will be flying late if the frontrunners falter.

5. 5 furlongs on turf. Open. 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $29,000.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Cherry River (Quinonez, Martinez) 124/12-1

2: Flash Humor (Carmona, Silva) 119/7-2

3: Big Producer (Da Silva, Robertson) 119/9-2

4: Cold Soul (Harr, Rushton) 119/8-1

5: Kid Got Rhythm (Roman, Rhone) 119/15-1

6: Catalina Crush (Valenzuela, Williams) 119/2-1

7: El Encanto (Fuentes, Lund) 119/10-1

8: D Flash (Lindsay, Jones) 119/15-1

9: Real Good Magic (Rodriguez, Woolley Jr.) 119/8-1

10: I Conduit (Barajas, Silva) 119/7-2

11: Natural Causes (Quinonez, Silva) 119/8-1

12: Bavaria Road (Gallardo, Rosin) 119/9-2

FLASH HUMOR (2) ran respectably at this distance back in March at Sam Houston in his career debut but then ran six straight on the dirt. Returns to the lawn and has early speed that must be dealt with. CATALINA CRUSH (6) has hit the board in seven of 11 in his career but has had many chances. Maybe sprinting on the grass is the answer. EL ENCANTO (7) makes his first start at three years old and gets Fuentes.

6. 5½ furlongs. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $5,000. Purse: $13,000.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Brewhouse (Gallardo, Silva Jr.) 122/9-2

2: Cocktail Slippers (Roman, Martinez) 122/4-1

3: Frosted Queen (Da Silva, Litfin) 117/10-1

4: Pat’s Gal (Harr, Cline) 122/8-1

5: Checkcashingconnie (Williams, Robertson) 122/6-1

6: Chocolate Freckles (Rodriguez, Woolley Jr.) 122/5-2

7: Keba Lucky Day (Carmona, Kenney) 117/8-1

8: Pageant Purrfect (Barajas, Silva) 117/5-1

COCKTAIL SLIPPERS (2) drops to her lowest level after two turf sprint tries this meet. All her career wins have come on the dirt, so will appreciate the surface change. Does her best running when on the lead. CHOCOLATE FRECKLES (6) has tremendous early zip but recently has struggled to hold onto the lead late. BREWHOUSE (1) was claimed out of last by high-percentage barn and might be flying late.

7. 5 furlongs on turf. State bred. Fillies and mares. 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $33,000.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Charley Paints (Harr, Berndt) 119/7-2

2: Sky Kid (Gallardo, Robertson) 119/9-2

3: Grace A’lace (Da Silva, Bethke) 124/5-1

4: Emeryandavery (Morales, Donlin) 119/12-1

5: Island Jive (Carmona, Berndt) 114/6-1

6: Midship Molly (Quinonez, VanWinkle) 119/5-2

7: Risk the Wind (Rodriguez, Tracy) 119/10-1

8: Baby Doll Peach (Valenzuela, Berndt) 124/8-1

MIDSHIP MOLLY (6) woke up on the turf in last while facing open company. Third off the layoff, returns to state-breds and second time over the surface may translate to sharp improvement. ISLAND JIVE (5) makes her three-year-old debut for a barn that thrives on the turf. Is bred to take to the new footing. BABY DOLL PEACH (8) ran nicely at this distance in her first start off a long layoff but then stopped on the dirt in last. Gets back on the grass.

8. 5½ furlongs. Fillies and mares. 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $29,000.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Red Volta (Harr, Cline) 119/2-1

2: Petit Jean (Roman, Riecken) 124/6-1

3: Zongs Irish Frost (Gallardo, Cline) 124/7-2

4: Threat Analysis (Pena, Garrett) 119/3-1

5: Princess Vanellope (Da Silva, Ramaekers) 119/10-1

6: Sending (Lindsay, Cline) 119/12-1

7: Miss You No More (Carmona, Rushton) 114/6-1

THREAT ANALYSIS (4) makes her career debut for a barn that has won with two-of four first-timers. Excellent workouts in preparation and is bred to win early. RED VOLTA (1) has three consecutive seconds since arriving in Shakopee. Harr will attempt to break alertly and hold her rail position. PETIT JEAN (2) didn’t show much on the turf in last but exhibited potential at Oaklawn this spring.

about the writer

Star Tribune staff

See More

More from No Section (Assign Gallery and Videos here)