Post time: 5 p.m. Lock of the day: Lucky Smile (5th race). Value play of the day: Gi Gis Map (2nd race). Big score: 50-cent Pick 5 ticket— Race 1, (3,5,6/6/1,2,3,4,5,6,7/1,2,4,6,7/2), $52.50.
Jay Lietzau’s Thursday Canterbury line
Get some help picking the winners from the Star Tribune’s handicapper for Thursday night’s racing card at the Shakopee track.
1 7½ furlongs on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $10,000. Purse: $15,500.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Unique Path (Da Silva, Escobar)123/10-1
2: Grunder (Roman, Rengstorf)123/6-1
3: Shut Up Michael (Carmona, Rarick)118/8-5
4: Hidden Profit (Rodriguez, Silva)119/5-1
5: Big Pete (Harr, Rengstorf)123/6-1
6: Swampdrainer (Morales, Silva)123/2-1
SHUT UP MICHAEL (3) does his best running on or near the lead. May not get the lead today but should be close and if Carmona gets him to relax early, he should have plenty in the tank for the stretch. SWAMPDRAINER (6) has yet to hit the board in 2024 but catches a suspect field and his speed figures fit here. BIG PETE (5) hasn’t won in over a year but did break his maiden on the Shakopee sod.
2 6 furlongs. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $10,000. Purse: $14,500.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Caly Bali (Roman, Martinez)123/8-1
2: Snow Flurry (Carmona, Litfin)114/3-1
3: Church Service (Harr, Cline)123/2-1
4: Zongs Irish Frost (Lindsay, Cline)123/9-2
5: Goddess of War (Gallardo, Lund)123/5-1
6: Gi Gis Map (Fuentes, Williams)119/4-1
GI GIS MAP (6) returns to the dirt after four grass tries. Broke her maiden on an off-track in February down at Oaklawn so may appreciate the surface switch. Barn is 29% this meet. CHURCH SERVICE (3) was praying for some class relief and gets it today while dropping in for a tag. Showed an affinity for the dirt at Oaklawn this spring. ZONGS IRISH FROST (4) graduated in last and will be flying late.
3 1 mile on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $7,500. Purse: $14,000.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Kid’s Inheritance (Harr, Bethke)123/5-2
2: California Swing (Rodriguez, Woolley, Jr.)123/5-1
3: Fly Nightly (Morales, Ramaekers)123/6-1
4: Inesperado (Fuentes, Fuentes)123/4-1
5: Super Wise (Carmona, Scherer)118/10-1
6: Glendale (Pena, Roberts)123/5-1
7: Rejection Hurts (Quinonez, Berndt)123/7-2
KID’S INHERITANCE (1) has finished first/second in 7-of-15 on the local lawn. Has effective early speed and will try to use that speed and the inside post to clear the field early and control the pace. REJECTION HURTS (7) has an impressive turn off foot on the turf but the pace may be too slow to see his best. Barn does excel with this type. INESPERADO (4) just missed two back but has struggled in last two.
4 7 furlongs. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $5,000. Purse: $12,500.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Miss Double (Morales, Espinoza)123/10-1
2: Altar Girl (Carmona, Litfin)118/5-2
3: Spoiled Brat (Arroyo, Rengstorf)123/15-1
4: Diamond Dee (Gallardo, Lund)119/5-1
5: Frosted Queen (Wood, Litfin)119/12-1
6: Laughintothebank (Ceballos, Rarick)123/7-2
7: Nang Singha (Fuentes, Hone)123/9-5
ALTAR GIRL (2) broke her maiden three back against special weights going one-mile, then tried the turf and a sprint. May really appreciated this seven-furlong distance with her early speed and stamina. MISS DOUBLE (1) drops in class after showing speed in a grass route. Will try to use that speed to get involved early and see what happens. NANG SINGHA (7) raced well in her one start in Arizona this spring but hasn’t brought her “A” game north. Class drop may wake her up.
5 5 furlongs on turf. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $7,500. Purse: $14,000.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Cajun Hope (Da Silva, Silva, Jr.)123/9-2
2: Lucky Smile (Gallardo, Lund)123/2-1
3: Saint Charles (Rodriguez, Biehler)123/5-2
4: Direct Action (Barajas, Silva)123/4-1
5: Vroysky (Pena, Silva, Jr.)123/5-1
6: Boss Nine (Lindsay, Bedford)123/10-1
LUCKY SMILE (2) may have found his preferred distance at a turf/sprint. Has two close seconds at the distance in his last three races and recorded a career high speed figure in last. Gallardo stays aboard. CAJUN HOPE (1) tries the distance for the first time after being claimed in last. Starts for a high percentage barn but moves up in class. SAINT CHARLES (3) has been close a couple times this meet but hasn’t won in over a year.
6 7 furlongs. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $20,000. Purse: $30,500.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Exxel (Valenzuela, Lund)121/12-1
2: Uncaptured Warrior (Quinonez, Padilla)121/5-1
3: Hap Hot (Gallardo, Rengstorf)123/3-1
4: Bourbon Aficionado (Carmona, Robertson)114/4-1
5: Ember (Fuentes, Williams)121/5-2
6: Il Capitano (Da Silva, Litfin)121/10-1
7: Hey Now (Harr, Kenney)121/10-1
8: Central Park (Pena, Silva, Jr.)121/8-1
HAP HOT (3) ran them off their feet in last while going wire-to-wire by an easy two-lengths. Is extremely tough to catch when he gets an easy lead which will be the game plan for Gallardo today. EMBER (5) has been in very good form since be claimed by Williams and bringing him north from Tampa Bay. Fuentes will stalk the top pick and hope he falters late. CENTRAL PARK (8) has six local wins in his career and this could be his ideal distance.
7 1 mile. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $4,000. Purse: $12,000.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Hurricain Hunter (Pena, Silva, Jr.)123/7-2
2: Shabam (Carmona, Robertson)118/4-1
3: Explosive Skies (Arroyo, Rarick)123/5-1
4: Tales of Makenna (Fuentes, Hone)123/5-2
5: Brahms Is Who (Quinonez, Tranquilino)123/15-1
6: Merlin’s Sister (Da Silva, Bedford)123/10-1
7: Child Proof (Roman, Padilla)123/9-2
8: Chama (Morales, Sheehan)123/12-1
SHABAM (2) has hit the board in all six starts this year for the leading trainer. Last time she raced at this level on the dirt she won by a length. Her versatile running style gives Carmona options. CHILD PROOF (7) led the entire way in last at seven-furlongs while drawing off. Will try to ration her speed stretching out. HURRICAIN HUNTER (1) would welcome an off-track as she’s two-for-two on a wet track at this distance.
8 1 mile. Open. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $7,500. Purse: $14,000.
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Calzone (Gallardo, Rarick)123/12-1
2: I Will Stand (Da Silva, Litfin)123/8-5
3: Cousvinnysacanuck (Rodriguez, Silva, Jr.)123/7-2
4: Make Noise (Harr, Cline)123/8-1
5: Passthecat (Valenzuela, Hanson)123/2-1
6: Scooter’s Boy (Wood, Ramaekers)123/8-1
COUSVINNYSACANUCK (3) hasn’t raced on the dirt since April but has some impressive performances on his resume routing on the dirt. Guessing the high percentage barn will have him prepared for the surface change. PASSTHECAT (5) is basically an ATM this meet as he continues to kick out cash with two wins/three seconds in five starts. I WILL STAND (2) has gone wire-to-wire in last two but may get more pressure up front today.
Don’t be surprised if you spot the WNBA standout jamming at Twin Cities concerts.