Bravo has solid trio for Myers Stakes
Trainer Francisco Bravo packs a one-two-three punch in the Victor S. Myers Stakes, one of two $60,000 stakes for Minnesota-bred 3-year-old sprinters at Canterbury Park on Monday.
The Myers, for colts and geldings at six furlongs on dirt, drew seven entrants, and Bravo trains three of them: Smooth Chiraz, Cupid’s Delight, and Pensador. The trio finished in that order while sweeping the top placings in the Northern Lights Futurity last summer at Canterbury and could well fill out the trifecta again Monday.
While it was Smooth Chiraz who won the Northern Lights, it is Cupid’s Delight who is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the Myers, and for good reason. Cupid’s Delight raced without blinkers when Smooth Chiraz beat him in the Northern Lights, but they went on for his final start at 2 and might have been partially responsible for taking Cupid’s Delight to new heights in two starts at age 3, comfortable wins over older Minnesota-bred allowance sprinters. Cupid’s Delight runs on the front end but can rate just enough for jockey Alex Canchari to take a little hold if the early pace gets crazy.
Smooth Chiraz was thumped by Cupid’s Delight when they met June 3 but got back on track with a 2 1/2-length allowance win of his own June 19, and as a stalking type, he could benefit from a pace battle, though the Canterbury main track has recently played to speed.
Pensador started racing in blinkers two races ago and broke through with an easy win last out, and he’s in line for a clean, outside stalking trip. But if Cupid’s Delight holds his form, that probably won’t matter much.
Unbeatens in Genter Stakes
Dazzlingsweetheart, who has started her career with two wins, and La Petite Cherie, who is 3 for 3, are among eight fillies entered in the co-featured Frances Genter Stakes. The Myers Stakes goes first as race 4, with the Genter as race 6. First post for the Monday card is 3:25 p.m. Central.
Dazzlingsweetheart made her career debut earlier at this meet and has won twice despite breaking slowly in both of her starts. She’s drawn on the rail Monday, and while facing better competition, she probably can’t afford to make another mistake if she is to win again for trainer Joe Sharp and owners Barry and Joni Butzow.
La Petite Cherie won her 3-year-old debut at this meet in a Minnesota-bred allowance at odds of 9-5, the first time bettors gave her any respect. The filly won her debut last summer at 12-1 and was 28-1 when she rallied to easily win the Northern Lights Debutante in September. At 7-2 on the morning line, she might offer value yet again in the Genter. Tony Rengstorf trains her for owner-breeder Curtis Sampson.
Honey’s Sox Appeal finished second in the Northern Lights Debutante and finished nicely to beat open, first-level allowance rivals in her most recent start. She has a chance of winning Monday, as does the on-again, off-again Stella’s Princess, a front-runner in a race that drew only two horses with obvious early speed (the distance-limited Pecos is the other).