Race 1: GRAVES MILL ROAD returns after an easy maiden special weight victory. That was a key race with two horses returning to win next out also in special weights. Hamilton/Berndt combo wins at 23%. EL CENTENARIO won last out in first start for Diodoro. Stretches out today but faces much tougher. ROMAN PHAROAH could be the speed of the speed coming from a sprint and is bred to run longer.
Race 2: STITZY starts for the third time off the layoff and has been facing better. Waiting for him to regain his 2020 form in which he was 5-for-5 in the money. SIERRA HOTEL takes the blinkers off which is a 22% move for this barn and his career high speed figure was established on this course. I’M AN EIGHT has been facing monsters lately with the winner of his last four races having returned to win next out including Shinny who has won six straight.
Race 3: SENSE OF FLURRY makes her first start for Berndt who strikes at 25% with first-time-starters and her bullet workout on July 21 shows she’s ready to fire. AMARETTO DI AMORE hard to argue with her genetics as her full siblings (who were both trained by Lund)won at first asking at Canterbury by three and 11 lengths. OH SO BLEU is a well-bred firster for the Robertson barn. Gets Quinonez aboard and this barn is more than capable with babies.
Race 4: PRANKED has back class after racing in multiple stakes races last year including two graded stakes. Is third off the layoff and woke up in last. FALL MOON will be coming from way out of it but needs a hot pace in front of her to compliment her later running style. BEAUTY DAY is bred to love the grass and raced well in her turf debut three races back. Her last two races weren’t great so needs to improve.
Race 5: SHARP ART likes to win with 12 career victories. Broberg won with him three back then lost him via claim but he claimed him back immediately which is a positive. GOT EVEN SMARTER switches to the high percentage Silva barn and gets leading jockey Wade in the irons. AWESOME EMMIT moved up in class last time and didn’t run a step. Drops to a more realistic level and won at this distance two back.
Race 6: WHISKEY PLANK ran a deceptively good race last time out breaking from the 11 post and was bumped repeatedly forcing him to race wide the entire race. Should improve with a drop in class. MO MORE drops from special weights to claiming and is bred to like the turf but needs to improve. OXWOOD is pace dependent with his closing style but if a speed duel develops, he’ll be there to pick up the pieces.
Race 7: JUST BLAZE returns to his favorite distance where he has scored eight victories overall. Gets the top jockey up and the rail draw should result in a favorable trip. HURTS SO GOOD is third off the layoff and won easily at this distance last year but has struggled to find his form this year. TORENO might have the best early speed and if he’s loose, he may not stop. Already has four wire-to-wire victories this year.
Race 8: DIABLO CUERNO drops steeply in class and returns to Canterbury after racing at Prairie Meadows exclusively this year. Ran evenly last year against much better. DIRTY DEEDS ran a winning race two back only to come up a little short. Last race he got caught in a speed duel, will try to avoid that today. WHERE’S FREDO ran a field high speed figure two back but that might have been off-track influenced.
Race 9: FIND A RIDER has had many opportunities to graduate but his speed figures say he will be right there and the shorter distance may benefit him. LADY CAPO continues to be close this year but has a propensity to break outwardly so the outside post may be a detriment. LEENAS LAST CALL faced winners last out in Fargo and was bet down but question the talent in that field.
Race 10: CHANGE N GEARS has been incredibly consistent for top connections hitting the board eight times out of nine races. Has caught a muddy track in last two, may prefer fast going. CHICKSFABULOUSCORONA hit the wire first in last at a price. If she can break alertly from the outside post, she may be able to repeat. CHICKIES FIRST LADY returns to the red-hot Stein barn after a win in Fargo. Needs to continue to improve.
