Berndt can win closing-day Shakopee Juvenile as well as the training title

Barring a miraculous rally during the last two days of the 2020 Canterbury Park race meeting this week, Joel Berndt is going to win his first Canterbury training title.

He also can win the closing-day co-feature, the $50,000 Shakopee Juvenile, where Berndt sends out Strong Rules in a race where Mac Robertson starts favored Heart Full of Soul. Berndt first ran a serious Canterbury string in 2013, and while Robertson nearly doubled Berndt’s meet win total in 2019, Berndt entered closing week with a 40-32 edge over Robertson, who has been active this summer at Delaware Park.

The Shakopee Juvenile has thrown up fast winners in the past, like the Robertson-trained Amy’s Challenge, but no such horse appears to grace this year’s entries as the six-furlong race drew a field of just six.

Heart Full of Soul, by the hot sire Violence, has raced once, winning his debut Aug. 5 by almost four lengths after breaking from the rail and taking early pace pressure. He’s gotten in three works since, figures to handle the stretch from five to six furlongs, and should have latitude to improve in his second start.

Berndt’s entrant, Strong Rules, also debuted with a decisive win Aug. 5, his at 4 1/2 furlongs. Strong Rules had post 6 and got a clean outside trip but on Thursday must cope with the rail draw.

Westa Waverly would hold appeal at something like his 5-2 morning-line odds. A sloppy track likely ruined his chances last out in the Northern Lights Futurity and on the Beyer Speed Figure scale Westa Waverly’s two previous races on dry tracks are the fastest in this field.

After the Shakopee Juvenile comes the $50,000 Tom Metzen HBPA Stakes, headed by Slews Hymn. Five-year-old Slews Hymn only made his career debut July 9 at Canterbury but comes into this start with three wins from his three races, winning clear in all of them.

Slews Hymn could offer a touch of value if The Tabulator is bet like his 9-5 morning line suggests. The Tabulator, based at Arlington with trainer Larry Rivelli, hasn’t started since May and ran below form in his previous ship to Canterbury.

Also worthy of respect is the Robertino Diodoro-trained King of the Court, who has the highest recent Beyer Speed Figures, 95 and 96, from claiming and starter-allowance race scores at this meet.