JOHNNY LOVE'S CANTERBURY LINE
Johnny Love's Saturday Canterbury Park line
Post time: 1:30 pm. Best bet: BP Painted Lady (9th race). Best play: Race 1 50 cent Pick 4—(2,3,5,6/2,3,4,6,/1,5,6,7,8/2,7), $80.
1 1 mile. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming $6,250. Purse: $11,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Lady Sister Anna (Eikleberry, Sheehan)123/20-1
2: Intercompany Loan (Velazquez, Scherer)123/5-2
3: Sikura's Gift (Vergara, Lund)123/7-2
4: Seemebythesea (Butler, Bolinger)123/6-1
5: M C Selena (Goodwin, Brueggemann)123/5-1
6: Two Bayme (Martin, Radcliffe)123/4-1
7: Aprettyunderstudy (Shepherd, Berndt)118/5-1
INTERCOMPANY LOAN finished strong last out closing late to get up for second at 6 furlongs, but versatile filly has ability to be placed forward leading the field for today's mile course. TWO BAYME returns to preferred route racing on dirt after being a nonfactor last out vs. tougher at Keeneland on the poly track. Look for veteran jockey Martin to sit last in the pack before making final move. SIKURA'S GIFT won last out in gate-to-wire fashion at controlled pace and holding on stubbornly down the stretch as the favorite.
2 6½ furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming $6,250. Purse: $12,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Boot N It (Delorme, Martinez)123/8-1
2: Cassidilly (Shepherd, Berndt)123/3-1
3: Befuddler (Butler, Bravo)123/9-2
4: Rita's Cheetah (Keith, Biehler)123/5-1
5: Stillwater Storm (Rivera, Oliver)123/6-1
6: Blarney d'Or (Goodwin, Brueggemann)123/4-1
7: Valari (Martin, Bends)123/7-2
BEFUDDLER plunges in class after finishing last after a troubled start last out. Deserves another chance with this group. Expect a strong closing kick from mid-pack. CASSIDILLY was second best closing four-wide in a strong effort in track's return three weeks ago. Could be on the right path if fractions are fast. RITA'S CHEETAH was basically a no-show in the Lady Slipper Stakes and now drops to lowest level of her career.
3 11⁄16 miles. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming $6,250. Purse: $12,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Carnival Candyman (Vergara, Lund)123/6-1
2: Dean Doesn't Know (Rivera, Bolinger)123/20-1
3: Half N Oops (Shepherd, Litfin)123/8-1
4: Forchtenberg (Stevens, Van Winkle)123/9-2
5: Justa Average Joe (Martin, Brueggemann)123/7-2
6: Saturday in May (Butler, Rhone)123/4-1
7: Powers Ofthe Court (Goodwin, Brueggemann)123/5-1
8: Cowboy Luke (Meier, Padilla)123/9-2
COWBOY LUKE made a big step forward with his last second-place performance off the layoff. JUSTA AVERAGE JOE's turf experiment didn't go as planned when he eased up late, so should enjoy the return to the dirt. Stablemate POWERS OFTHE DIRT won this past winter at Penn National and now enters with three solid works.
4 about 7½ furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming $10,000. Purse: $16,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Tigerstark (Meier, Suter)119/12-1
2: Jaival (Vergara, Lund)119/7-2
3: Robbie's Express (Escobar, Bends)119/10-1
4: Nic a Jack (Shepherd, Litfin)119/15-1
5: Silver Rock Star (Butler, Perez)119/5-1
6: Gilded Quest (Keith, Biehler)119/9-2
7: Don't Bluff (Martin, Robertson)119/3-1
8: Dontlaffhespaidfor (Goodwin, Troche)119/4-1
Leaning towards JAIVAL on class edge and because of good performances on dirt or grass. Concern is search for the winner's circle has been as tough as the search for the sun lately. DON'T BLUFF could prove tough on or off the grass if surface switch is needed. Gelding is usually in the mix and should get ideal trip in a field of closers and lack of rivals up front. GILDED QUEST was claimed by trainer Biehler down at Oaklawn and now ships up his new shooter with top jockey Lori Keith at the helm.
5 6 furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden special weight. Purse: $25,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Rapid Roni (Shepherd, Oberlander)119/7-2
2: Scorned (Butler, Bravo)119/12-1
3: Parris Island Babe (Eikleberry, Silva)119/10-1
4: Jordan's Sorority (Stevens, Lund)119/8-1
5: Prairie Lake (Goodwin, Donlin)119/20-1
6: Rippin Hot (Martin, Robertson)119/3-1
7: Frangelica (Vergara, Lund)119/4-1
8: Class of Twentyten (Franco, Rengstorf)119/12-1
9: Brassy Lucky Lady (Escobar, Ibarra)119/5-1
I'll give the slight nod to FRANGELICA,who enters for the Lund barn with a steady work tab including a sizzling bullet work at 4 furlongs. RIPPIN HOT makes debut for trainer Robertson, who likes his runners to excel at first asking and doesn't hurt teaming veteran jockey Martin with the rookie. RAPID RONI could well be post time favorite after making a living running for silver at Will Rogers Downs.
6 6 furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming $10,000. Purse: $16,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Patriate (Ochoa, Kilgannon)119/10-1
2: Timber Hills (Shaw, Sheehan)119/15-1
3: Our Family Affair (Stevens, Oliver)119/10-1
4: Gold Country Cat (Rivera, Van Winkle)119/9-2
5: Thatlleaveamark (Martin, Brueggemann)119/6-1
6: George Ray (Eikleberry, Padilla)123/6-1
7: Swiss Ski (Franco, Diodoro)119/7-2
8: Gordon Drive (Vergara, Lund)119/6-1
9: Jimmy Got Even (Shepherd, Berndt)119/4-1
JIMMY GOT EVEN shoots for his fifth straight win and is expected to sit off the pace wearing down the inside pace duel as the probable favorite. Six-year-old loves his job and should get the perfect set-up if ready off the 50-plus-day layoff. SWISS SKI will be showing early speed on the drop coming up from Turf Paradise but will have fellow speedballs to hang with up front. GEORGE RAY drops in class and distance for trainer Padilla, who won last out in the mud going two turns.
7 Dark Star Stakes. 6½ furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Stakes. Purse: $50,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Shrill (Keith, Biehler)118/10-1
2: Clear to Canada (Meier, Silva)118/20-1
3: Southern Dude (Bell, Amoss)123/3-1
4: Unsaddled Glory (Butler, Donlin)118/12-1
5: Breezy Point (Velazquez, Scherer)120/8-1
6: I'll Show Them (Goodwin, Brinson)118/9-2
7: Bet Seattle (Franco, Robertson)123/6-1
8: Absolutely Cool (Vergara, Lund)118/8-1
9: Ismael Grande (Martin, Robertson)118/10-1
10: Signsealndeliver (Eikleberry, Brueggemann)120/5-1
SIGNSEALNDELIVER won last out, breaking through a line of runners like a fullback clearing the way to get the victory in a stakes race at Hawthorne Park. That determination and what looks to be a fast pace up front makes him my top pick in the feature. Favorite SOUTHERN DUDE is clearly the one to beat being the class of the field for trainer Thomas Amoss. Concern is speedster will have company up front setting the race up for a closer like my top pick. I'LL SHOW THEM won both starts at this distance last season and enters with two bullet drills. BET SEATTLE was a shock winner in stakes turf sprint two weeks back for Mac Robertson.
8 About 1 mile 70 yards. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming $25,000. Purse: $29,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Little Wagon (Bell, Oberlander)119/7-2
2: Astarforbush (Vergara, Lund)123/5-1
3: Purest Form (Butler, Rhone)119/9-2
4: Ghost Dance (Goodwin, Porter)119/15-1
5: Wolsfeld Woods (Luark, Ranwick)119/20-1
6: Sugar Business (Eikleberry, Rengstorf)114/15-1
7: Black Wing (Velazquez, Scherer)119/6-1
8: Corporate Chapel (Delorme, Mankin)119/10-1
9: Rys Alley Cat (Keith, Bravo)119/10-1
10: Waronthehomefront (Stevens, Chambers)119/4-1
Give LITTLE WAGON the slight nod if race remains on the turf with Bell as the pilot. WARONTHEHOMEFRONT comes in with five wins in six starts on the lawn but will have to use his early speed to get to the front starting from the 10-hole. Concern is burning energy in doing so. BROKEN AERO and COCONINO SLIM will be tough foes if scratches occur to get them in off the also-eligible list.
9 Minnesota Stallion Breeders' And North Central Derby. 400 yards. 3-year-olds. Purse: $15,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Mr Shakem Diva (Smith, Hardy)124/10-1
2: Outlaw Memories (Eikleberry, Johnson)124/4-1
3: Hastabealeader (Smith, Johnson)124/6-1
4: Cc Tres (Fennell, Johnson)124/15-1 5: Bp Painted Lady (Smith, Blair)124/2-1
6: Stel Rare (Shaw, Johnson)124/20-1
7: Atsi Hero (Suarez Ricardo, Hanson)124/8-1
8: Jess Lika Blair (Ruiz, Johnson)124/15-1
9: Fly Eyeann (Goodwin, Hardy)124/6-1
10: Girls Dont Seis (Luark, Pride)124/12-1
BP PAINTED LADY closed strong at this distance as the favorite 14 days ago to get up quickly for the win. Repeat of that effort makes her tough to beat. FLY EYEANN and OUTLAW MEMORIES finished right behind top pick in game efforts. Fly Eyeann broke inward out of the gate that race and looks to turn the table with clean break to the right path.
10 350 yards. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming $10,000. Purse: $10,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, TrainerWt./Odds
1: Runaway With Cartel (Suarez Ricardo, Hanson)126/4-1
2: Ivory Celebration (Shaw, Johnson)126/5-2
3: Delazoom (Delorme, Haglund)126/15-1
4: Chumlee (Goodwin, Hardy)126/8-5
5: Courtney Kansas (Von Rosen, Sharp)126/7-2
6: Colosso (Ruiz, Livingston)126/12-1
CHUMLEE closed fast but just missed for the Hardy barn at Remington Park and now gets his top jockey aboard. IVORY CELEBRATION enters with three consecutive second best bids and is a must consideration for the exotics. RUNAWAY CARTEL returns to Canterbury, where he hit the board in all five starts last season including a couple of wins.
For more on Love's picks follow him at www.exoticplays.com or @StribLove on Twitter.
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Minnesota trailed by two goals in the second period. Matt Boldy, with three points, was among the reasons that didn’t last.