Race 1: WILLSHERWONTSHE ducked out at the start in her career debut and raced wide the entire race while trying to catch up. Only her second start and is prepped by a high percentage barn. DANZIG STAR has shown speed since moving to the Litfin barn but has been consistently backing up in the stretch. Shorter distance may be beneficial. GRETA’S CASPIAN is a first-time-starter and in a field with horses who have had many chances, why not the unknown?
Race 2: SHE B GLAMOROUS is third off the layoff for a high percentage trainer and draws the rail. Gets added distance and should be able to save ground until the stretch. LULUMARU had a brutal trip last time out encountering trouble into the first turn. Has tactical speed and could be the leader turning for home but question the distance for her. BADGERI CANDY is in good form with back-to-back wins at Louisiana. Ships north and will try to stay hot.
Race 3: LA ROSA DRIVE gets the outside post which will allow her to see how the race develops in front of her. Can either go to the lead or stalk off the pace. BLAZING CHARM returns on nine days rest after a nice closing victory in her last race. The Wade/Diodoro team wins at 26% at Canterbury. FORTY NINE MODEL went seriously off form at the beginning of the year after winning four straight. Drops to her lowest level and returns to the dirt.
Race 4: DON’T FORGET returns after almost a three-month layoff for Diodoro. Seems to be a lot of early speed in here and he should be able to sit right behind it and make first run. SAMURAI CAUSE will be coming from way back and that style has been effective after winning last two. Is hoping for a fast early pace. ASTRONAUT OSCAR may be the speed of the speed and if he happens to shake loose, he may not stop.
Race 5: SUPER CONSTITUTION has hung in his last two races but maybe a switch to the lawn will wake him up. Is bred to run forever on the grass and might be loose on the lead. TWOKO BAY had been consistent the last couple of years hitting the board eight-out-of-10. Needs a hot pace to be the most effective. FULLBRIDLEDPHANTOM has two runaway wins on the turf this meet but gets tested for class today.
Race 6: DROP O’CHOCOLATE has tactical speed, is in good form and the Hamilton/Berdt combo wins at a 24% clip at Canterbury. GRAND SLAM HOMERUN went wire-to-wire on the dirt to break her maiden then tried the turf with disastrous results. Gets back to preferred footing today and gets the rail. AKSARBEN SUMMER was on a two-race winning streak before trying the grass in last. Returns to dirt again.
Race 7: AUBEY RIDGE was only really asked for his best about the last sixteenth of a mile last time out before winning by a measured length. Should get an ideal trip today. EL TIZAR has four wire-to-wire victories on the Canterbury turf including his last race but there is a lot of speed present in this race. SUMMER ASSAULT captured the Mystic Lake Derby last summer but is winless since then. Gets class relief today.
Race 8: TANTIMA takes a big drop down the claiming ladder and returns to the distance/surface where she broke her maiden against better. Blinkers on and top jock aboard adds to the appeal. WARREN’S WISH broke her maiden against the bottom level two back by 21 lengths but won’t have things that easy today as she faces tougher. THAT’S ALL RIGHT graduated in her last easily going wire-to-wire. As a 3-year-old she has some upside but needs to improve.
Race 9: HR STORM ON IN ran a huge speed figure here last summer when crushing the field. Returns to Canterbury where he has three of his four victories. JUICE IS LOOSE is ultra-consistent and is always in the mix. If he breaks alertly, he could be tough to beat. ZOOMN ON BYE hasn’t won in about a year but does have two wins over this strip.
Race 10: RELENTLESS BABE narrowly lost as the favorite last time out in a stakes race. Hoping she’s going to reverse the outcome today vs. her stablemate. RELENTLESS COURAGE beat the top pick in last and is 2-for-2 at Canterbury for the top trainer. MAKIN DRAMA figured it out last time but needs to keep moving forward to compete here.
