Post time: 4 p.m. Best bet: Drop the Gloves (8th). Best play: 50-cent Pick 4, 4-6/3-4-5-6/2-4-6/5-6-7-8 (1st), $48.00.
1 1 mile. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance optional claiming $35,000. Purse: $34,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds
1: Strut N Swagger, Loveberry, Hornsby12010-1
2: Private Prospect, Mawing, Diodoro1223-1
3: Valeski, Butler, Riecken1208-1
4: Conquest Bigluck E, Acosta, Diodoro1248-5
5: Aces High, A. Canchari, Heitzmann1209-2
6: Patriots Rule, Lindsay, Diodoro1204-1
First race of the season goes through the Diodoro barn, which sends out the probable three top wagering choices at post time. CONQUEST BIGLUCK E is a new acquisition for Diodoro, and comes in with consecutive wins against tougher. Stablemate PATRIOTS RULE is the class of the field but most of his running has been on the lawn. Expect to come rolling late. PRIVATE PROSPECT steps up a notch after getting his first win in 2½ years last out. Maybe a confidence-builder to get back-to-back wins.
2 6½ furlongs. Fillies and mares. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming $12,500. Purse: $13,500.
#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds
1: Adorkable, Joubert, Hanson1248-1
2: Hit It Up, Mawing, Silva1194-1
3: Hey Hey, Mojica, Berndt1195-2
4: Raspberry Punch, Sanchez, Livingston1245-1
5: Trappingsofsilver, Velazquez, Berndt1199-5
6: Blushing Bella, Loveberry, Hornsby1248-1
HEY HEY should enjoy the drop in class second off the layoff. Lone win came in her first career start at Canterbury. With a lack of speed in the field, TRAPPINGSOFSILVER might try to lull the field to sleep on the front end and protect the lead as far as she can go. RASPERRY PUNCH won last out by more than 10 lengths in a route race at Remington Park and finally broke her maiden with her 12th start. Expect to be shadowing the pace with decent early pace.
3 5½ furlongs. State-bred. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden special weight. Purse: $32,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds
1: Suddenly Seymour, P.Canchari, Oliver1246-1
2: Johnny the Jet, Mojica, Riecken1245-2
3: Sweet Proud Native, Butler, Walker11910-1
4: Nite Goggles, Velazquez, Brinson1193-1
5: Benson Hillbilly, Goodwin, Sweere12410-1
6: Saganaga, A.Canchari, Scherer1247-2
7: Poverty Flats, Olesiak, Anderson12412-1
8: Direct Impact, Kimes, Cook12415-1
JOHNNY THE JET ran his career-best speed figure last out and looks to be on the upswing. Would benefit from contested fractions while he departs from midpack. NITE GOGGLES has been training sharply for his return to the local track after winning a few minor awards at Hawthorne Park this winter. Speed figures put him in the hunt when things get interesting. First-time starter SAGANAGA has a steady stream of workouts for trainer Gary Scherer, who has been hitting 25 percent with his newbies. Doesn't hurt to get Alex Canchari aboard for the inauguration.
4 6 furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Claiming $4,000. Purse: $10,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds
1: Cajun Charlie, Loveberry, House12412-1
2: Leroidessioux, Velazquez, Scherer1244-1
3: Media's Delite, Delgado, Rarick12412-1
4: Hancock County, Shepherd, Heitzmann1247-2
5: Sidearm, Lindsay, Diodoro1242-1
6: Behr Strike, Sanchez, Westermann12410-1
7: Lou's Delta Blues, A.Canchari, Heitzmann1245-1
8: Corporate Charlie, Mojica, Bethke12410-1
SIDEARM is positioned to improve and get back to the winner's circle after facing stiffer competition at Oaklawn Park. Like to see jockey Lindsay push the go button out of the gate with the lack of group speed. LOU'S DELTA BLUES returns to sprinting after a few humdrum efforts running two turns at the Fair Grounds. Merits respect coming from off the pace. CORPORATE CHARLIE could get brave and take the lead if no one wants to challenge up front. Won three back sprinting on a muddy track.
5 5½ furlongs. State-bred. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden special weight. Purse: $32,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds
1: Rino Boy, A.Canchari, Sweere12412-1
2: Cozy Owen, Sanchez, Padilla1198-1
3: Azaruk, Velazquez, Berndt1193-1
4: Joe Money, Lindsay, Silva11912-1
5: Logan's Story, Shepherd, Becker11910-1
6: Monday Confession, Acosta, Broberg1193-1
7: Floki, Kimes, Braves1192-1
8: Keats Corner, Joubert, Hanson11915-1
MONDAY CONFESSION should show more after finishing off the board coming off a seven-month hiatus. Gets a new barn that excels at 30 percent off the claim. FLOKI has good early speed and could be on or near the lead. Quick bullet drill out-of-state to get him geared up for his local return. AZARUK begins his racing career for a barn that loves to win first time out. Two quick bullet drills entering, so expect to be part of the pace duel.
6 6 furlongs. State-bred. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden claiming $30,000. Purse: $16,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds
1: Taz Warrior, Shepherd, Danger1246-1
2: Carosteiin, Loveberry, Biehler1194-1
3: Top Pride, Sanchez, Padilla1193-1
4: Dark Captain, Kimes, Cook12412-1
5: Cats Stormy Native, Lindsay, Bethke11915-1
6: Justfortherunofit, A.Canchari, Sweere1247-2
7: Bring Your Alibi, Olesiak, Butler11910-1
8: Captain of Summer, Goodwin, Cook1246-1
9: Bye Bye Bennie, Mawing, Sheehan12412-1
Wide-open maiden sprint with many ways to go. JUSTFORTHERUNOFIT might shake loose on the front end. Best effort was last out when he finished a decent third to a next-out winner. Both DARK CAPTAIN and TAZ WARRIOR return to Canterbury off the extended layoff since racing here last fall. Both should be in the main body of runners making their first start of the year and are a threat if they regain last year's form.
7 5½ furlong. State-bred. 3-year-olds and up. Allowance. Purse: $33,000.
#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds
1: Holy Brass, Mawing, Weir12420-1
2: Archarchmonarch, Olesiak, Rarick12415-1
3: Formidable Force, Butler, Bravo1195-1
4: Richard Thomas, A.Canchari, Scherer1245-1
5: Got Even Smarter, Lindsay, Silva11912-1
6: Sweet Pitch, Shepherd, Walker12420-1
7: Hatties Cab, Kimes, McShane11915-1
8: Tavernonthecrow, Mojica, Bethke12410-1
9: Chaska, Sanchez, Lund11915-1
10: Fireman Oscar, Loveberry, Van Winkle1193-1
11: Fridaynitestar, Velazquez, Berndt1197-2
FIREMAN OSCAR moves down in class after spending the spring at Gulfstream Park, where he faced stronger competition. Should have a lot of speed in front of him to cut loose on from back of the pack. FRIDAYNITESTAR also steps down in class after chasing the pace at Hawthorne Park for second-best last effort. Won his debut here last summer. TAVERNONTHECROW caught a muddy track last out at Keeneland and was never a threat. Looks to improve with a dry surface and a softer field.
8 5 furlongs. 3-year-olds and up. Maiden claiming $6,250. Purse: $10,550.
#/Horse, Jockey, Trainer Wt.Odds
1: Glorious Summer, A.Canchari, L.Canchari12410-1
2: Talk Me Up, Sanchez, Padilla1196-1
3: Drop the Gloves, Butler, Rhone1192-1
4: The Checotah Kid, Goodwin, Riecken12412-1
5: He Gotta Go, Loveberry, Hornsby1243-1
6: Red Wolf, Acosta, Broberg1247-2
7: Carson's Storm, P.Canchari, L.Canchari12415-1
8: Gents Magic, Shepherd, Bethke11920-1
DROP THE GLOVES should come firing out of the gate and zip to the lead, taking this field of chasers as far as he can go with Dean Butler aboard. RED WOLF will be lagging behind but merits respect if Drop The Gloves gets challenged to a heated duel. Had some issues past two races, so a clean trip could be the answer. GLORIOUS SUMMER drops for more than half the price but will need to get going early while exiting from the rail position or he's going to have a lot of work to do.
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