SHAKOPEE, MN – While some race in upstate New York is garnering a lot of press and headlines, Thoroughbred stakes action begins at Canterbury Park this evening. The Lady Slipper and the 10,000 Lakes Stakes, both six furlong sprints on the main track for Minnesota breds, will launch Minnesota’s stakes season.
In the 10,000 Lakes for males three years old and up, Doctor Oscar, the Pete Mattson homebred, looks formidable and carries a 4/5 morning line into the race. The defending champ beat his stablemate, Thealligatorhunter, in gate to wire fashion last year and will be looking to duplicate that feat under regular rider Alonso Quinonez for trainer Tim Padilla.
Interestingly, the other early speed in the race is his stablemate. It’s hard to imagine that Thealigatorhunter, bred and owned by Mattson and Padilla, would push the favorite early, though neither seems to have another way of running, though Thealligatorhunter has shown more of an ability to sit just off the lead and still win, though noticeably not against Doctor Oscar.
Sir Sterling, who blistered fields of three year olds sprinters early in his three year old season, finished up that year getting eased in the Minnesota Sprint. After a break, he returned with a couple of tough trips in Texas before a solid third in a Will Rogers allowance race. It’s possible that he has his legs back underneath him again, though still appears to be a notch below the top two.
[EDITORS NOTE: As managing partners of Birdie Be Gone, a contender in the Lady Slipper, the following is the preview of the race from the Canterbury Park press release]
Thunders Rocknroll, owned and bred by Bob Lindgren of Prior Lake, Minn., is the 9 to 5 favorite in the Lady Slipper. The versatile 4-year-old filly won the Minnesota Oaks last year leading all the way around two turns but also has had success sprinting. She will be ridden by Eduardo Gallardo.
Cupids Crush, unraced since last October at Keeneland, is trained by Mac Robertson. She has a penchant for early speed and has never finished worse than third in seven main track races at Canterbury. Constantino Roman has the mount for owners Xtreme Racing Stables LLC. Robertson has won the Lady Slipper five times in the past 10 seasons.
Birdie Be Gone was claimed at Canterbury a year ago for $12,500. She since has won five of nine starts including an open company sprint victory at Canterbury May 25 with trainer Mike Biehler. This will be the 6-year-old’s 24th start and second in stakes company. Birdie Be Gone finished sixth in the Wilma Mankiller Stakes at Will Rogers Downs April 15.
“We are really excited for Birdie to run in the Lady Slipper,” managing partner of Pony Up Racing LLC Ted Grevelis said. “Mike [Biehler] has worked very hard with her and has really unlocked her potential. She’s only run one bad race since heading to Oklahoma in the Fall. We’re looking forward to seeing what she can do against a small but tough field of really nice state bred mares.” Guillermo Rodriguez will ride.
Biehler has raced at Canterbury for more than three decades and won 689 races yet a Lady Slipper victory has been elusive. The remainder of the Lady Slipper field includes Sunshine Forever, She’s My Warrior and Lover Girl.
Post time is 5:10 PM.
