CANTERBURY MAY 26

Storms in the forecast but if it doesn't turn into Swamp Shakopee....

Race 4: Diverse Curse finds himself in a very, very soft field. So much so that Dreams in the Mist, a horse that's 1/32, is listed at 8/1 in the ML. The only competition comes from Fatouls Gold and the maiden winner Military Mama. If it's wet, we stay with Diverse Curse.

Race 5: Flip a Coin. That would be a great name for a horse, or a the strategy in this race. Cam Casby, one of Minnesota's top breeders, has a first-timer in here named Winter Trek. Gary Scherer has been quite succesful bringing first-timers to the winners circle. But the distance, jockey and sire's win percent all raise questions. Kelsey Miss and Nirvani are not pushovers. So, flip a coin or pass the race or get a slice of pizza.

Race 6: An interesting race with lots of possibilities. Ope's last race was way above this class and the wrong distance. Toss that and you have a horse whose last 3 races were good enough to win here. Yeah, I know, wins in Nebraska suck, but they don't all suck. Kikika's Gold has been in two killer pace battles in the last two races and seems to be claimed every five minutes. That can't be good but he is a talent. Booster, 2nd in the morning line, is 0/8 at CBY. Pop the Latch won his last race, but at a much lower level. So...
Ope at 5/1 and or...
Kikika's Gold at 4/1.
I certainly wouldn't take either at short prices.
If wet: A flyer on JR's Scotty.


Race 7: A 12 horse field! A turf race. A strange distance! A short run to the first turn! This all adds up to a chaos race. Normally I'd play for those splendid thieves, Robinson&Martinez, to steal yet another race. But they're stuck out there in post 11. Another conteder, Citi Smoke, is even further out. This race could well set up for Did, 2/2 on the turf, but I'd bet place, because I'm not fully confident in jockey Tanner Riggs. Jockeys really do count in turf races, and that's why I'd look serious longshot here, Derek Bell on the 10/1 Little Wagon. If the race is taken off the turf, I'm going for Martinez on Reengage.

Race 8: Silver Pegasus, hopefully at 2/1. Almost every horse in here has back class, but Silver Pegasus has a lock on the current form, and the running style to stalk the pace.

Race 9: Don't Bother Knocking. This fabulous 9-year-old has never been better and has mercifully gotten the winter off. Almost ridiculously versatile, he has won on every surface and seemingly every track in middle America. He has 14 turf wins. If the race doesn't go on grass, I hope to hell they scratch him. I will. Prospective Kiss is the winner on an off track.

Race 10: Box Whiplash Warning and the perennial placer Katie O'Ready.