A look at Sunday's action at the Shakopee track:
Post time: 12:45 p.m. Best bet: Lethal N First (3rd Race). Best play: 50 cent-Pick 4, Race 3, (3/2,3,4,5,6/All/1,2,3,4,5), $75.
Race 1: 330 yards. open. Maiden claiming $20,000. Purse: $11,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Wright Kinda News (Frink, Miller)122/5-2
2: My Gunbuddy (Vazquez, Fennell)122/6-1
3: Minnesota Jess (Suarez Ricardo, Hanson)122/9-2
4: The Corona Crunch (Goodwin, Pride)122/8-1
5: This Grace a Rocken (Martinez, Kane)122/6-1
6: Apollitical Chick (Smith, Johnson)122/5-1
7: Knu Song (Swiontek, Hanson)122/7-2
WRIGHT KINDA NEWS hopped at break in lone start but still managed getting up for place honors. MINNESOTA JESS keeps improving with each race. THE CORONA CRUNCH and APOLLITICAL CHICK begin racing careers with solid shot to win first time out.
Race 2: 330 yards. 2-year-olds. Maiden. Purse: $11,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: First Lil Passion (Smith, Olmstead)122/10-1
2: Dash of Pyc (Swiontek, Hanson)122/8-1
3: Pyc Flyer (Eikleberry, Hunt)122/15-1
4: Cowboy Sexy (Smith, Hunt)122/8-1
5: Minnieapple Lips (Martinez, Harris)122/4-1
6: Twister On the Run (Goodwin, Hop)122/8-1
7: Royal Diamond Cartel (Suarez Ricardo, Hanson)122/7-2
8: Eagle Rising (Vazquez, Hardy)122/5-1
9: O Ya (Torres, Hop)122/9-2
ROYAL DIAMOND CARTEL bobbled at the start last out but should prove tough with clean break. O YA grabbed early lead last effort before getting caught and landing in second. MINNEAPOLIS LIPS exits contaminated start but could surprise if gets out quickly.
Race 3: 350 yards. 2-year-olds. Futurity. Purse: $40,150.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Trinity River Bell (Vazquez, Hardy)122/12-1
2: My Girls Toasted (Goodwin, Pride)122/12-1
3: Lethal N First (Smith, Olmstead)122/8-5
4: Tty From Mr Pye (Smith, Hardy)122/15-1
5: Coronas Concierge (Torres, Olmstead)122/6-1
6: Red Velvet Hero (Suarez Ricardo, Hanson)122/8-1
7: I Am Ron Burgundy (Eikleberry, Olmstead)122/12-1
8: Pyc Powerwagon (Martinez, Harris)122/4-1
9: Bhr Guys Flash Me (Bell, Johnson)122/10-1
10: Ode Tah Ed (Swiontek, Goodsell)122/15-1
LETHAL N FIRST was deadly last out with late surge for convincing victory. CORONAS CONCIERGE enters off nice win as the favorite. RED VELVET ran second to our top choice last out after brief early lead.
Race 4: 6 furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming $5,000. Purse: $12,500.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Oh Gee She's Gold (Keith, Hawley)119/10-1
2: Cassidilly (Martinez, Bera)119/5-1
3: Shimai (Shepherd, Hawley)123/9-2
4: Cantaffordanother (A. Canchari, Hop)119/5-1
5: Bells of Concerto (Carreno, Donlin)121/4-1
6: Just Have'n Fun (Eikleberry, Wolochuk)123/7-5
BELLS OF CONCERTO drops for half the price after lacking room to get by front runners in closing bid blowing all chances for win opportunity. JUST HAVE'N FUN appears to be lone speed coming off convincing win in short sprint while drawing away from the field. SHIMAI and CANTAFFORDANOTHER will keep the pace honest up front, Shimai enters off hard fought.
Race 5: 1 mile 70 yards. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance. Purse: $35,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Lucky Kitten (Martinez, Maker)119/3-1
2: Duke of Del Rey (A. Canchari, Robertson)123/5-2
3: Tequila Factor (Franco, Ashford)119/8-1
4: Tairneach (Bell, McKenzie)114/5-1
5: Red Zeus (Eikleberry, McFarlane)119/4-1
6: Beyond Compare (Martin, Scherer)119/7-2
LUCKY KITTEN has strong class edge but last raced on the lawn last August in Ireland, expect trainer Michael Maker to have this colt ready to fire for return. TAIRNEACH runs on the turf for first time today for trainer Michael McKenzie as possible lone speed, seducing Derek Bell aboard is a added bonus. Both BEYOND COMPARE and DUKE OF DEL RAY enter off nice closing wins and loom main threats rolling late.
Race 6: 6 furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming $20,000. Purse: $19,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Fusaichi Kid (Butler, Rhone)123/10-1
2: Malibu Deputy (Carreno, Diodoro)119/6-1
3: Tiz Happens (Martinez, Oberlander)119/5-1
4: Holiday Lunch (Hernandez, Brinson)123/3-1
5: Guard the Rock (Eikleberry, Diodoro)119/4-1
6: Z Hitchcock (Hamilton, Offolter)119/6-1
7: Clarisimo (Velazquez, Sweere)119/8-1
8: Socratical (Franco, McFarlane)123/6-1
Tough race to separate but give slight edge to FUSAICHI KID with early speed off the rail dropping in from allowance. MALIBU DEPUTY and TIZ HAPPENS both ran lights out two back for wins then followed it up with non-committal performances, unreliable but must use. HOLIDAY LUNCH has been away from the game for eight months but training smartly for return.
Race 7: 5 furlongs. 2-year-olds. Maiden special weight. Purse: $27,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Mr. Megatron (Dieguez, Hanson)118/12-1
2: Sammy's Mineshaft (A. Canchari, Padilla)118/5-2
3: Grand Full Moon (Eikleberry, Diodoro)118/4-1
4: Slowpoke Sam (Martin, Heitzmann)118/5-1
5: Sunday Prohibition (Martinez, Rengstorf)118/8-1
6: Son of Eleanor (Rivera, McFarlane)118/2-1
7: First to Fight (Ordaz, Silva)118/15-1
SAMMY'S MINESHAFT had game placing last out setting a quick tempo before giving way. SON OF ELEANOR will keep Sammy's Mineshaft company up front who too set sizzling fractions before holding on for the silver medal. SUNDAY PROHIBITION should improve second time out after poor start in debut. GRAND FULL MOON could be a major player first time out of the box for trainer Diodoro.
Race 8: 5 furlongs. open. Maiden special weight. Purse: $31,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Secret Shot (Smith, Fennell)118/12-1
2: Margo's Song (P. Canchari, Bethke)118/6-1
3: Hold for More (Butler, Bravo)118/7-2
4: Bold Entry (Goodwin, Fennell)118/12-1
5: Sam Scored a Goal (Ordaz, Silva)118/3-1
6: Samstar (Stevens, Rengstorf)118/6-1
7: Steviefromstanley (Swiontek, Thompson)113/4-1
8: Prayintheprairie (Keith, Hanson)118/6-1
Throw a dart at this group of two year olds with average works coming in. HOLD FOR MORE looks to have best chance of first timers for trainer Bravo who doesn't mind winning at first asking. PRAYINTHEPRAIRIE and SAMSTAR are the veterans of the field with one race under their belt, problem is both were unconvincing efforts, give slight edge to Prayintheprairie who did show brief speed before tiring.
Race 9: 7 1/2 furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming $20,000. Purse: $19,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Adorkable (Rivera, Van Winkle)123/10-1
2: Julie's Memory (Velazquez, Biehler)123/7-2
3: Tranzip (Butler, Rhone)119/6-1
4: Passing the Grade (Martinez, House)119/5-1
5: When We Serve (Keith, Bravo)119/6-1
6: Dropped Call (Dieguez, Bethke)123/12-1
7: Rodster (Ordaz, Silva)123/15-1
8: Mimi's Obsession (Hernandez, Rengstorf)123/8-1
9: Amica (A. Canchari, Scherer)119/4-1
10: Correspondence (Swiontek, McFadden)118/20-1
11: Prairie Lake (Butler, Donlin)123/12-1
TRANZIP will try to lead the field to the wire as she did last out breaking her maiden. Look for AMICA and MIMI'S OBSESSION to unleash strong performances in first turf attempts after coming off sharp wins on the dirt. JULIE'S MEMORY is usually in the mix from start to finish, just missed last out by half length.
Race 10: 1 mile. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden claiming $12,500. Purse: $11,500.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Wranger Reuben (Swiontek, Berg)118/12-1
2: I Saw the Light (Hamilton, Oberlander)123/6-1
3: Shared Life (Martinez, Ritter)118/4-1
4: Southern Justice (P. Canchari, Holder)118/6-1
5: Tizn't Over (Canchari, Scherer)123/8-5
6: Johnny Football (Martin, Wolochuk)118/3-1
7: Dapper n' Suave (Hernandez, Peters)123/20-1
TIZN'T OVER seems to be screaming for more distance and gets his chance stretching out to two turns on the main track. SHARED LIFE takes massive plunge from maiden special weight off the extended layoff, encouraging works leading up to race. JOHNNY FOOTBALL ran into slight traffic troubles last out as the favorite, expect to give top pick all he can handle up front from the get-go.
For more on Love's picks follow him on Twitter @StribLove.
Jessie Diggins, Lindsey Vonn, two curling teams and 15 hockey players with Minnesota ties have earned spots on Team USA at the Milan-Cortina Games, which begin in February.
