A look at Saturday's races from Star Tribune handicapper Johnny Love.
Post time: 12:45 p.m. Best bet: Faster Than Hasta (3rd Race). Best play: 50-cent Pick 4, Race 4: (2,7,9/4/2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,12/5,8,12), $45.
1 400 yards. 3-year-olds. Trials. Purse: $6,000
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Lil Baby Eagle (Swiontek, Ramirez)124/6-1
2: Vodka At Moonlight (Velazquez, Olmstead)124/5-2
3: Mr King Cartel (Delgado, Hardy)124/10-1
4: Crusin the Lake (Goodwin, Olmstead)124/9-2
5: Bhr Hasta Luego (Bachicha, Johnson)124/8-1
6: Fast N Famous Jeans (Klaiber, Campos)124/3-1
7: Eyes a Racin (Shepherd, Olmstead)124/8-1
8: Toast On Fire (Pinon, Johnson)124/12-1
I like the taste of VODKA AT MIDNIGHT to kick off our Quarter Horse racing season. Won three of four starts here last season. FAST N FAMOUS JEANS exited last year with three consecutive wins. Plenty to be positive about to start the 2017 campaign. CRUSIN THE LAKE has two bullet drills in past two works and appears to be ready to fire.
2 400 yards. 3-year-olds. Trials. Purse: $6,000
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: La Mos Pyc (Shepherd, Harris)124/6-1
2: Briefcase of Ivory (Pinon, Johnson)124/8-1
3: Chick in Eagle (Delorme, Olmstead)124/12-1
4: Corona Springs (Velazquez, Olmstead)124/3-1
5: Park Avenue Air(Belloc, Addicott)124/15-1
6: Lithe (Suarez Ricardo, Hanson)124/10-1
7: Tinys Courage (Swiontek, Ramirez)124/2-1
8: Edelman (Goodwin, Olmstead)124/5-1
TINYS COURAGE has had some troubling starts and could prove tough with clean break. LA MOS PYC always gives a useful effort and has paid dividends in past six starts. CORONA SPRINGS failed to twist off out of the gate last race and will to attempt to dust off and comeback.
3 400 yards. 3-year-olds. Trials. Purse: $6,000
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Fast Movin Fire (Klaiber, Campos)124/15-1
2: Famous One Time (Swiontek, Ramirez)124/9-2
3: One Famous Sign (Velazquez, Olmstead)124/4-1
4: Faster Than Hasta (Pinon, Johnson)124/8-5
5: Heza Prospect (Goodwin, Olmstead)124/8-1
6: Bhr Flashin for Winz (Bachicha, Johnson)124/12-1
7: Flashy Bully Bullion (Suarez Ricardo, Hanson)124/15-1
8: Favorite Dip Chick (Shepherd, Olmstead)124/12-1
9: Trust an Eagle (Delorme, Hunt)124/8-1
FASTER THAN HASTA is probably the day's best of the QH runners today. Spotless break should put him in the winner's circle. FAMOUS ONE TIME failed to fire in this year's debut and deserves another shot. ONE FAMOUS SIGN is a consideration for the exotics.
4 5 furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden claiming: $20,000. Purse: $12,500
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Mmz Twisted Heart (Loveberry, Walker)119/6-1
2: Been Busy (Goodwin,Pfeifer)119/10-1
3: Caballo's Rose (Mawing, Sheehan)119/12-1
4: Blackjack Babe (Butler, McShane)119/3-1
5: Metro Maggie (F.Johnson, Bethke)119/15-1
6: Whistlin Betty (Delorme, Donlin)124/15-1
7: Academic Bay (A. Canchari,Heitzmann)124/8-5
8: Whiskey Legend (Escobar, Danger)124/12-1
9: No Rotary Dial (Velazquez, Biehler)119/8-1
ACADEMIC BAY appears the best out of all the runners who have had a race under their belt. Will need a snappy pace scenario in her view. BEEN BUSY, NO ROTARY DIAL and CABALLO'S ROSE are first-time starters with a outside chance to pull off the upset. Might have found the right spot to get the win at first asking.
5 7½ furlongs. 3-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $28,000
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Strike Force Z (Acosta, Diodoro)120/6-1
2: Copper Munn (A.Canchari, Robertson)120/6-1
3: Stormfighter Gold (Mawing, Swan)120/20-1
4: Colfear (Butler, Rhone)120/2-1
5: Slick as Ice (Sanchez, Padilla)120/8-1
6: Bar Trick (Hernandez, Bolinger)120/20-1
7: Threescore (JShepherd, Stuart)120/15-1
8: Ahoymycaptain (Velazquez,Berndt)120/8-1
9: Cozy Owen (Loveberry, Padilla)120/15-1
10: Father Shea (Mojica, Scherer)120/20-1
11: Jack Mormon (Lindsay,McFarlane)120/10-1
12: Posterity (Goodwin, McFarlane)120/10-1
If race stays on the turf, COLFEAR has a strong chance to get his first in his ninth start. Money maker in seven of his races, and is not facing a rugged group. COPPER MUNN gets major class relief after being way over his head in his unveiling. Money will come to the window due to connections. Trainer Dan McFarlane will have the far outside posts rented with stablemates JACK MORMON and POSTERITY.
6 6 furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden special weight. Purse: $32,000
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Scrumpy Town (Hernandez, Rhone)119/15-1
2: Mia's Gusto (Sanchez, Padilla)124/8-1
3: Notorious Miss (Mawing, Silva)124/10-1
4: Celtic Humor (Canchari, Donlin)119/12-1
5: La Tormenta (Butler, Bravo)119/6-1
6: Choral Song (Shepherd, Pfeifer)124/20-1
7: Book the Band (Delorme, Donlin)119/15-1
8: Xerxes Avenue (Goodwin, Scherer)119/5-1
9: Flowers for Teagan (Loveberry, Robertson)119/7-2
10: Whatsthebigdeal (Velazquez, McShane)119/12-1
11: Gaylesluckylady (Keith, Biehler)119/20-1
12: Start a Ruckus (Mojica, Rhone)119/9-2
Wide-open affair to kick off Final 5 Jackpot. XERXES AVENUE exhibited brief early speed before faltering late and settling for the third spot in her debut as the favorite. LA TORMENTA finished right behind Xerxes Avenue and too showed early speed before fading late. Larry Donlin sends in two first-timers in CELTIC HUMOR and BOOK THE BAND, both training steadily.
7 7½ furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance. Purse: $30,000
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Smokin Coco (Delorme, Donlin,Jr.)124/20-1
2: Kenna Mae (Keith, Biehler)124/12-1
3: Some Say So (Shepherd, Becker)124/15-1
4: Sandy's Song (P.Canchari, L.Canchari)124/20-1
5: First Hunter (A.Canchari, Robertson)124/6-1
6: Soaring Now (Mojica, Heitzmann)118/9-2
7: Datt Town (Velazquez, Berndt)118/4-1
8: Perfect Paradise (Evans, Fields)124/10-1
9: Trolley (Loveberry, Sweere)124/20-1
10: Miss Oreo (Mawing, Applegate)124/12-1
11: Chub's Charmer (Hernandez, Westermann)124/15-1
12: Yankee Pride (Acosta, Sharp)118/3-1
13: Spectin Trouble (Butler,Bravo)124/12-1
YANKEE PRIDE will come rolling late from the far outside and should receive a decent pace scenario to close on. FIRST HUNTER comes off the bench after nine months for the Robertson barn. PERFECT PARADISE comes in with back-to-back wins at Turf Paradise. DATT TOWN and SOARING NOW deserve a glimpse.
8 1 mile. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $6,250. Purse: $11,500
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Real Windy (Loveberry, VanWinkle)124/8-1
2: Bubba Looey (Delorme, Bethke)124/12-1
3: Bright House (Velazquez, Brinson)124/5-1
4: Friend to Me (F.Johnson, House)119/10-1
5: Bandini Moon (Shepherd, House)124/6-1
6: What's Up Gus (Lindsay, Silva)124/7-2
7: Bourbon Street Boy (Mawing, VanWinkle)124/2-1
8: Tomey Too (A.Canchari, Swan)124/8-1
BOURBON STREET BOY had a fruitful turf meet at Turf Paradise before shipping north. Could prove worthy at a price if he can transfer those efforts to the dirt. WHAT'S UP GUS too ships up from Arizona and won last out at today's distance by over three lengths as the heavy favorite. BANDINI MOON has the speed to be in the lead from the start trying to leave others behind.
9 7½ furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming: $35,000. Purse: $34,000
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Runandyrun (Canchari, Applegate)120/10-1
2: Dakota Candy (Goodwin, Berndt)122/12-1
3: Diamond Joe (Butler, Turco)120/6-1
4: Hay Dakota (Velazquez, Berndt)120/7-2
5: Majestic Pride (Butler, Robertson)120/5-2
6: Patriots Rule (Ramgeet, Diodoro)120/7-2
7: Speed Is Life (Hernandez, Oliver)120/15-1
8: Pilot House (Acosta, Diodoro)120/6-1
9: Luvinmeiseasy (Mojica, Berndt)124/6-1
MAJESTIC PRIDE will be seeking his fifth straight win for the Robertson/Butler team. The accomplished runner will be forwardly placed, but doesn't need the lead, and can take over when asked by Butler. HAY DAKOTA has a slight class edge over his rivals and will loom the late-closing threat to the top choice. RUNANDYRUN will be a hearty price at post time, and could shock while saving ground with his late kick departing from the rail. PILOT HOUSE has more bullets in his drills than Bonnie and Clyde's car. Should come out firing.
10 6 furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming: $10,000. Purse: $10,500
#: Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Northland Gold (Shepherd, Riecken)124/15-1
2: Shady Shadow (Butler, Turco)124/12-1
3: Shot of Joe (Goodwin, Walker)124/4-1
4: Vow of Francis (Loveberry, Rhone)124/5-2
5: Hatties Jewel (Mojica, Bethke)124/7-2
6: Little Timmy (L. Delorme, Bethke)119/6-1
7: Justfortherunofit (Sanchez, Sweere)124/5-1
8: Zero (Hernandez, Rhone)124/12-1
VOW OF FRANCIS comes off the winter and spring break with some nice works, and is deserving favorite if he can regain last year's form for the Rhone barn. HATTIES JEWEL drops to lowest level of his career in hopes of turning things around after a dismal effort around two turns. JUSTFORTHERUNOFIT won last race facing tougher but will have to step it up a notch in the speed department to win today.
Owner Tom Pohlad termed the parting with Falvey, who had been with the club since 2016, as a mutual decision.
