Jay Lietzau’s Thursday Canterbury line

Follow the Star Tribune’s handicapper for the inside information you need for a successful day at the Shakopee horse track.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
August 14, 2024 at 10:41PM
(Ayrton Breckenridge/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Post time: 5 p.m. Lock of the day: Relentless Rocket (7th race). Value play of the day: Smarty Be Good (5th race). Big score: 50-cent Pick 5 ticket—Race 1 (4,5,9/1,4,5,8/3,9,11/1,2,4/4), $54.

1. 6 furlongs. Fillies and mares. 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. Maiden claiming: $7,500. Purse: $12,500.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Wicked Hope (Arroyo, Hanson) 119/15-1

2: Global Risk (Da Silva, Rarick) 119/5-1

3: Last Beauty (Frink, Smith) 119/15-1

4: Mia’s Angel (Lindsay, VanWinkle) 119/9-2

5: Snow Flurry (Carmona, Litfin) 114/3-1

6: Daytrip Selfie (Ceballos, Ramaekers) 119/15-1

7: Karats Kount (Harr, Smith) 124/8-1

8: Purr Tiger (Barajas, Silva) 119/12-1

9: Kool Karma (Valenzuela, Berndt) 119/7-2

10: Hazardtoyourhealth (Roman, Roberts) 119/8-1

SNOW FLURRY (5) ran a nice second at this level two back, then tried special weights in last and showed speed before hitting a wall. Will try to use her early speed to clear the field and control the pace. KOOL KARMA (9) drops to the lowest level of her career and returns to the dirt after a turf try. Has enough speed to be involved early. MIA’S ANGEL (4) hopped at the break in last and might appreciate getting back on the dirt in this one.

2. 7½ furlongs on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance. Purse: $30,000.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Banjo Chris (Gallardo, Wismer) 119/9-5

2: Bluejay Way (Valenzuela, VanWinkle) 119/12-1

3: War Rascal (Fuentes, Garrett) 124/5-1

4: Mendelssohn Joy (Carmona, Robertson) 119/7-2

5: Haunted Haze (Quinonez, Martinez) 124/8-1

6: Justin Azteca (Da Silva, (Lund) 124/12-1

7: Outlaw Run (Harr, Cline) 124/10-1

8: Brit Blitz (Bridgmohan, Berndt) 119/9-2

HAUNTED HAZE (5) broke from the outside post last time and was in the mix early through fast fractions. Might improve second time on the turf and might be loose on the lead. BANJO CHRIS (1) ships in from Kentucky after running evenly in last at Ellis Park. The trainer has shipped in two live ones in recent weeks. MENDELSSOHN JOY (4) ran well off the layoff in last but must cure his second-itis.

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

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: I Came to Shame (Ceballos, Smith) 124/15-1

2: Extra Indy (Rodriguez, Westermann) 124/10-1

3: Bango’s Heat (Pena, Martinez) 124/5-1

4: Holy Image (Da Silva, Weir III) 124/10-1

5: Diamond Dee (Fuentes, Lund) 119/12-1

6: Amaretto Di Amore (Harr, Kereluk) 124/12-1

7: Altar Girl (Gallardo, Litfin) 124/8-1

8: Nang Singha (Valenzuela, Hone) 124/3-1

9: Minnesota Rose (Roman, Padilla) 119/8-1

10: Cloudless Blue (Quinonez, Padilla) 119/10-1

11: Scream Machine (Carmona, Robertson) 114/4-1

BANGO’S HEAT (3) chased a wire-to-wire winner in last to no avail. Drops dramatically in class and with only four races under her belt, she has upside. Her early speed is an asset. SCREAM MACHINE (11) also drops in class and has early speed. Must break well to minimize the outside post but the top barn will have her well-prepared. MINNESOTA ROSE (9) might be closing late if the early pace is hot.

4. 1 mile on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $12,500. Purse: $30,000.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

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

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

3: Big to Do (Gallardo, Wismer) 117/3-1

4: Thick Haze (Fuentes, Roberts) 124/4-1

5: Mission Key (Ceballos, Rarick) 122/10-1

6: Artie’s Angel (Roman, Padilla) 122/15-1

7: Bourbon Aficionado (Carmona, Robertson) 112/6-1

8: Il Capitano (Da Silva, Litfin) 122/12-1

9: Crafty King (Valenzuela, VanWinkle) 122/15-1

10: Skippy’s Strike (Harr, Bedford) 122/12-1

TWOKO BAY (2) is well-acquainted with the Shakopee sod, having started on it 21 times and hitting the board in 13 of those starts. Just missed in last and is trending the right way third off the layoff. LORING PARK (1) also has an affinity for this course with a top three finish in 15 of 17. Speed and the rail are always dangerous at this distance. THICK HAZE (4) has won half of his 16 starts on this turf including back-to-back. Something has to give in this wide-open race.

5. 7½ furlongs on turf. Fillies and mares. 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $29,000.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Melania T (Fuentes, Tranquilino) 124/7-2

2: Yamile’s (Harr, Miller) 124/8-1

3: Mark of Victory (Gallardo, Lund) 124/2-1

4: Smarty Be Good (Carmona, Robertson) 114/4-1

5: Tapitara (Roman, Fuentes) 124/8-1

6: Too Hot to Stop (Ceballos, Rarick) 119/15-1

7: Tactical Express (Da Silva, Tranquilino) 119/20-1

8: Aunt Alex (Rodriguez, Riecken) 119/10-1

9: Miss Classified (Quinonez, Von Hemel) 119/8-1

SMARTY BE GOOD (4) tried the turf for the first time in last when sprinting and was bumped at the break before finding her best stride late. Might welcome the stretch-out for the top barn. MARK OF VICTORY (3) has finished second in eight of her past 12 attempts. She’s always in the mix but has to overcome her propensity to hang. YAMILE’S (2) comes off a 17-month layoff but is bred for the surface and gets Lasix.

6. 400 yards. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Derby. Purse: $50,075.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Shes Sumoke Stacked (Navarrete Jr., Olmstead) 125/5-2

2: Relentless Corona (Valenzuela, Olmstead) 125/10-1

3: Presido Pete (Fonseca-Soto, Hobbs) 125/12-1

4: Averys Treasure (Ramirez Jr., Olmstead) 125/10-1

5: Peepl R Political (Torres, Stein) 125/12-1

6: Relentless Robin (Garcia, Olmstead) 125/3-1

7: Relentlessly Fast (Ramirez, Stein) 125/5-1

8: Interest in Ur Eyes (Ramirez, Gamez) 125/20-1

9: Partylikearocstar (Alvidrez, Olmstead) 125/6-1

10: Sugar Rushh (Vega, Olmstead) 125/12-1

RELENTLESS ROBIN (6) has won two straight for the dominant Olmstead barn. Won her trial race rather easily and her jockey has won on 50% of his mounts. The outside posts were advantageous last week. RELENTLESSLY FAST (7) was right behind the top pick in his trial and has three wins locally. Will try to turn the tables. SHES SUMOKE STACKED (1) has won back-to-back for the top barn. Always dangerous.

7. 350 yards. Open. 2-year-olds and up. Futurity. Purse: $80,400.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: I Told U Twice (Fonseca-Soto, Hobbs) 124/12-1

2: Alcala Corona (Ramirez, Gamez) 124/15-1

3: Southurn Eagle (Alvidrez, Olmstead) 124/5-1

4: Da Lie Lah (Valenzuela, Olmstead) 124/6-1

5: L Conejo (Vega, Hobbs) 124/10-1

6: Relentless Mogul (Navarrete Jr., Olmstead) 124/12-1

7: My Heart My Dynasty (Mata, Hobbs) 124/20-1

8: Swimsuit Model (Ramirez, Stein) 124/15-1

9: Relentless Rocket (Garcia, Olmstead) 124/2-1

10: Curlie D (Ramirez Jr., Olmstead) 124/3-1

RELENTLESS ROCKET (9) crushed his foes in the trials cruising by two open lengths. A repeat effort for the top jockey/trainer combination will make her extremely tough to beat. CURLIE D (10) is also conditioned by the Olmstead gang and won impressively in her trial. Should be in the mix. SOUTHURN EAGLE (3) is 2-for-2 locally for Olmstead, but his speed figures are a notch below the top picks.

8. Northlands Juvenile Stakes. 350 yards. Open. 2-year-olds. Purse: $15,000.

#: Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt./Odds

1: Docs Best Dancer (Fonseca-Soto, Stein) 124/8-1

2: Jess Walking Thewire (Hernandez, Geditz Jr.) 124/20-1

3: Relentless Deal (Ramirez, Stein) 124/9-2

4: I D Claire (Torres, Stein) 124/4-1

5: Shes Hell Bent (Garcia, Olmstead) 124/5-2

6: Coronado Dreamer (Valenzuela, Olmstead) 124/6-1

7: Moonlyte Dynasty (Navarrete Jr., Olmstead) 124/15-1

8: Dashing Avery (Vega, Wilson) 124/20-1

9: Anu Episode of Fire (Ramirez, Gamez) 124/10-1

10: Rr Runnin Jesse (Alvidrez, Olmstead) 124/8-1

SHES HELL BENT (5) won her career debut against state-breds and then was favored in her trial race but hopped at the break. If she hits the ground running, she should be there at the wire. CORONADO DREAMER (6) has lost to the Futurity favorite Relentless Rocket in past two. Faces easier in this one. I D CLAIRE (4) had to avoid a fallen rider in last, so draw a line through it. Her speed figures fit here.

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