The weather was picture perfect and the track was sold out – as much as allowed by state emergency regulations – to watch track records fall and Jockey Jareth Loveberry ride a pair of winners in the Canterbury Turf Festival presented by Mystic Lake card Wednesday night.
In the $100,000 Mystic Lake Derby, Loveberry, guided Summer Assault boldly up the rail to a one length win over odds on favorite Angelus Warrior.
“It looked like a carbon copy of the Columbia Stakes at Tampa,” said co-owner Kevin Marko who came up to watch the race with one of the other owners, Tim Fella. “He got right up as hole opened on the rail and he hesitated and wouldn’t go through it.”
Loveberry got him through the gap this time and Summer Assault drew off to win in a stakes record time of 1:34.15. The ownership team had asked for Loveberry specifically when they went to nominate three weeks ago.
“With Arlington such a mess,” said Marko, “we all thought this would be a good spot and we really liked the way he rides over this turf course. Michele (trainer Michele Boyce) reached out to his agent and if we were going to go, we we’re going with Loveberry.”
Summer Assault paid $6.40 for the win. Angelus Warrior ($2.40) held for second and Creative Art ($2.80) was third.
The $75,000 Lady Canterbury wasn’t necessarily the first choice for Streak of Luck’s first start with trainer Kelly Ackerman, but circumstances made his plans for him and he made the most of it.
“We were all set to go in a stake at Ellis,” said Ackerman, “but she tied up so we didn’t run there. So then we went to plan B – stake at Indiana but the timing wasn’t going to be right, so then it was plan C.”
Leandro Goncalves took Streak of Luck right to the lead after a sharp break, executed a killer crossover to get to the rail into the first turn and was able to withstand a late rally from favored Winning Envelope. Streak of luck paid $14.80 for the win and covered the mile in 1:34.85.
“She broke sharp. I couldn’t believe I was going so easy and nobody came up to me,” Goncalves said. “I was thinking like, wow, they’re going to be in trouble. When I called on her she took off. She was just much the best today.”
“Leandro is terrific,” said Ackerman. “We’re friends as well so this was really a great experience. Ellis is right in my back yard and this is 11 hours away but Canterbury has been terrific and very accommodating to us. I really like it up here, but it’s still 11 hours away.”
Ackerman went on to thank California trainer Matthew Chew who had Streak of Luck prior to moving east.
“I bet I was on the phone with him every other day and he was great helping me figure her out,” he said.
Winning Envelope ($3.80) rallied into second while Aife ($3.60) was third.
The track record for a mile over the turf was broken by Tut’s Revenge in the $75,000 Mystic Lake Mile under Roimes Chirinos and trainer Clinton Stuart. The duo took the lead from front running Primo Touch just before the 3/4 mile mark and held off a charge from former Mystic Lake Derby winner Giant Payday to win by a head in 1:33.17, breaking the old mark set by Go Go Jack (1:33.40) in the 1995 Lady Canterbury.
“I wanted to go with the first group,” said Chirinos. “But when I saw the nine go, I just let him and waited. I just had to smooch at my horse a little through the turn to get him going because I knew the 8 (Temple) was going to be coming.”
Tut’s Revenge paid $12.80 to win. Giant Payday ($4.80) was second while heavily favored Temple ($2.10) was third.
Loveberry capped off the stakes with a front running victory in the $50,000 Honor the Hero, setting a new five furlong turf course record of 54.77 aboard the very talented Wellabled.
Larry Rivelli trained Wellabled prevailed over Chief Cicatriz by a dwindling half length with the key to victory being the top duo’s cutting the turn for home sharply, saving every bit of ground possible.
“I try to save as much ground as possible on the turf course because it’s so important,” said Loveberry. “I got him so he could see Chief Cicatriz coming and he really dug in. They were running at us hard.”
Wellabled ($3.20) notched his eighth win in fifteen starts. Chief Cicatriz ($3.00) was second with League of Shadows ($4.80) third.
The evening’s stakes action was kicked off by the $50,000 Northbound Pride Oaks which featured the Mike Maker trained Ask Bailey putting on a clinic, charging from last to first and cruising to a 4 1/4 length victory. The filly was guided home by Francisco Arrieta, the first of several riders to step in for Florent Geroux who came up positive for COVID 19 earlier in the week.
Handle for the day was a robust $2,162,165, the largest total through 19 days of the race meet.
Racing continues this evening with post time at 4:40 Central Time for the ten race card.
