JOHNNY LOVE'S CANTERBURY LINE

Post time: 12:45 p.m. Best bet: Good Tickled (4th race). Best play: 50 cent Pick 4, Race 1, (1,3/All/All/4), $42.

1 1 mile, 70 yards. 3 year-olds and up. Claiming $12,500. Purse: $14,500.

#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds

1: Barbwirebilly (Butler, Heitzmann)1182-1

2: Simon's Hope (Sanchez, Padilla)1234-1

3: Take A Risk (Vergara, Diodoro)1235-2

4: Shipmaker (Carreno, Bends)1235-1

5: Franks On Fire (Thornton, Riecken)1186-1

6: Qahr (Goodwin, Sheehan)1238-1

If you draw a line through TAKE A RISK's last race where he was eased up, he looks much the best on paper. Merits respect and strictly the one to beat, but bet with caution with only two wins in his lengthy career. BARBWIREBILLY looks to be the biggest scare to my top selection. Stretches out to two turns as possible pace-setter with the drop in class. SHIPMAKER is allowance dropper who should show brief early foot as he presented at Mountaineer Park before shipping here.

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

#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds

1: Vespertini (Escobar, Troche)1178-1

2: Majestic Pride (Carreno, Robertson)1177-2

3: Impromptu (Butler, Rhone)1175-1

4: I'vegotafeeling (Vergara, Diodoro)1217-2

5: Contributor (Richard, VanWinkle)1214-1

6: Pilatus (Murphy, Keen)1215-2

PILATUS won two back at this distance for Midwest Thoroughbreds down at Lone Star Park with four-wide looping rally. Expect jockey Murphy to sit closer to the pace with lack of group speed. CONTRIBUTER has the best speed numbers in the field and has hit the board in four of past five starts at Turf Paradise. Regular rider Richard stays aboard. MAJESTIC PRIDE and I'VEGOTAFEELING are must use for last year's two top trainers.

3 6 furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming $6,250. Purse: $10,500.

#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds

1: Tough Toy (Franco, Fennell)1233-1

2: Hrishi Suprem (Keith, Bethke)1238-1

3: Zip Zip (Velazquez, Bolinger)1238-1

4: Grannys Pro (Carreno, Hawley)1196-1

5: My Golden Train (Butler, Keen)1192-1

6: Policio (Murphy, Cole)1236-1

7: Decantered (Vergara,Fennell)1235-1

MY GOLDEN TRAIN is first-time gelding who had diseased start last out off the four-month rest period. Has been freshened up with a couple of quick works and should be ready to fire. DECANTERED returns to sprinting after a lackluster performance traveling a mile last out. Won two back clearing the field after knocking heads up front. TOUGH TOY came on a little too late last out to settle for third spot. Purchased by Silva barn after that effort.

4 1 mile, 70 yards. 3-year-olds and up. Starter optional claiming $5,000. Purse: $14,500.

#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds

1: Tiu (Vergara, Diodoro)1196-1

2: Winningcherokee (Escobar,Brinson)1219-2

3: Silver Halo (Hernandez, Troche)1238-1

4: Good Tickled (Shepherd,Diodoro)1195-2

5: Duty Proper (Velazquez, Rarick)1195-1

6: Let's Do It (Carreno, VanWinkle)11910-1

7: Here Comes Mario (Butler,Berndt)1233-1

GOOD TICKLED should be set today as the expected heavily bet favorite out of the Diodoro barn. Faced much tougher at Oaklawn Park, including a front running victory two back. Stablemate TIU, also invades from Oaklawn, but will have much more work to do. Needs a brisk pace to swoop on flying from the clouds late. SILER HALO appears to be the one to catch after gate-to-wire win last out at Tampa Downs.

5 5½ furlongs. State-bred. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden Special Weight. Purse: $32,500.

#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds

1: Tahkodha Slew (Richard, Sheehan)12320-1

2: Alphabrat (Butler, Rhone)1238-1

3: Captains Glory (Goncalves, Litfin)11912-1

4: More Mona More (Martin, Thompson)11910-1

5: Connie Lee (Murphy, Bethke)12315-1

6: Precious Passion (Keith, Riecken)1235-2

7: Ghazi's Last Shot (Goodwin, Pfeifer)11912-1

8: Tale of Clairlyn (Escobar, Rengstorf)1196-1

9: Spring Training (Thornton, Rhone)1145-1

10: Gold Cup Skier (Carreno,Bravo)1197-2

ALPHABRAT gets the nod as a first-time starter in this head scratcher of a race with this group of Minnesota maidens. I know trainer Rhone doesn't hit much with his debuts, but might not get many chances like this to raise his winning percentage with new shooters. GOLD CUP SKIER is probable favorite for a barn that does well off the long layoff, training smartly coming in. TALE OF CLAIRLYN has swift early foot and should hang around for awhile and possibly longer without a rapid pace.

6 5½ furlongs. State-bred. Allowance. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance. Purse: $36,500.

#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds

1: Royal Tramp (Keith, Biehler)12110-1

2: Hansboro (Velazquez, Sweere)12110-1

3: Regards (Joubert, Hanson)12120-1

4: You Be Gator Bait (Shepherd, Robertson)1215-1

5: Bold Raider (Olesiak, Cole)12112-1

6: Stormy Affair (Goncalves, Sweere)12120-1

7: Pennant Fever (Murphy, Hanson)12115-1

8: Benny's Glory (Martin, Rarick)1218-1

9: Slippery Ice (Golibrzuch, Miller)1218-1

10: Vanderbilt Beach (Sanchez, Rengstorf)1216-1

11: Street Fighting (Butler, Rhone)1214-1

12: Bet Your Socks (Franco, Rhone)1216-1

Another wide-open affair, but will give slight edge to BENNY'S GLORY if he can regain his snappy turn of foot he possessed here last season. Should expect company up front, so expect jockey Martin imploring him to hold on to the wire. STREET FIGHTING broke open the gate in return at Tampa last out but did not become a factor after that. Supports two-bullet drills on the local track entering. VANDERBILT BEACH and ROYAL TRAMP are two of many options to use for closing threats if pace collapses.

7 Lady Slipper Stakes. 6 furlongs. State-bred. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Purse: $60,000

#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds

1: Gypsy Melody (Shepherd, Robertson)1204-1

2: Polar Plunge (Velazquez, Scherer)1163-1

3: Somerset Swinger (Vergara, Robertson)1209-2

4: Sky and Sea (Butler, Rhone)1235-2

5: Thunder and Honey (Escobar,Robertson)1188-1

6: Tapitintime (Hernandez, Rhone)11612-1

7: She Can Ski (Murphy, Bravo)11615-1

8: Stellabrini (Delorme, Donlin)11812-1

SKY AND SEA might need to get back on her home track to find her legs after a disappointing finish in her 2015 debut at Tampa last month. Expect to control her own destiny up front with jockey Butler looking around for competition to challenge her early. POLAR PLUNGE always gives her best but is going on two years since getting her picture taken; always a threat. Mac Robertson sends out two chasers in SOMERSET SWINGER and GYPSY MELODY. Both should improve second off the layoff.

8 5½ furlongs. State-bred. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden special weight.. Purse: $32,500.

#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds

1: Willow Spring (Joubert, Hanson)1198-1

2: Betty's Best (Thornton, Rengstorf)11410-1

3: Gone Ghazi (Hernandez, Donlin)11912-1

4: Gents Little Lady (Murphy, Bethke)12320-1

5: Dun Dancin (Franco, Lund)11910-1

6: Tahkodha Red (Martin, Sheehan)1238-1

7: Panela's Secret (Escobar, Rhone)11910-1

8: Dunkirk Victory (Carreno, Rengstorf)11912-1

9: Reggae Runner (Canchari, Oliver)1236-1

10: North Sky (Butler, Rhone)1196-5

REGGAE RUNNER comes in with three quick bullet drills for trainer Oliver and could be tough if filly can transfer this effort to live racing. NORTH SKY ran third in her second career start at Tampa 30 days back. Had bumpy start coming out of gate and could prove tough with clean exit. BETTY'S BEST showed some brief speed in her four starts last season. Couple of decent works leading in.

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