Canterbury: Breds get their day

SHAKOPEE, Mn. - The $35,000 Frances Genter and $35,000 Victor S. Myers Jr. Stakes are the season's first real opportunities for Minnesota-bred 3-year-old fillies and colts to earn statebred black type.

The two six-furlong stakes also serve as useful preps for the Minnesota Derby and Oaks, which will be contested Aug. 3.

Twelve fillies were entered in the Genter Stakes in what appears a wide-open contest. Favoritism may fall on last season's local 2-year-old filly champion, Susie Blues, who captured the Northern Lights Debutante in a front-running performance. Susie Blues began the meet with a similar effort to beat older fillies in an allowance contest. She enters the Genter with some question marks following a last-place finish in a subsequent allowance, in which she was beaten better than 20 lengths.

Several fillies figure to press the pace in the Genter, including Brighten My Day, who beat open company by daylight when she won her maiden race last fall.

Brighten My Day gets a rider switch to Les Mawing because apprentice Ann Von Rosen has elected to ride Susie Blues.

Amanda's Deelite showed promise in her career debut when she set all the pace to best a statebred field of maidens by 3 1/4 lengths. She tired to finish sixth following an extended pace duel in an allowance test three weeks ago. Amanda's Deelite will keep leading rider Derek Bell for the Genter.

Ashley's Affair began her season with a win in open company at Turf Paradise and has since finished a close second and third in two tries against allowance foes at Canterbury Park. Seth Martinez will return in the irons.

Demiparfait prevailed in an allowance race that also featured Ashley's Affair, Amanda's Deelite, and Brighten My Day and is a runner who would benefit from a taxing pace duel. Lakeville finished a troubled fourth in that same contest captured by Demiparfait and could improve at a price with a cleaner trip.

J.P. Jet might be favored in the Victor S. Myers Jr. Stakes for Minnesota-bred 3-year-old colts and geldings following a recent allowance win. J. P. Jet was named Minnesota champion 2-year-old colt or gelding after his victory in the Northern Lights Futurity last season. Bell was aboard for J. P. Jet's last two victories and takes the return call in the Myers.

That call was not given easily as Bell, who leads the rider standings at Canterbury, also rode One Trick Ata Time in two starts this season. A full brother to former Minnesota champion older mare Dot's Moment, One Trick Ata Time finished second in the Northern Lights Futurity last year in only his second start. He returned this year to win his maiden in his seasonal debut, then finished second in an allowance race following an eventful trip three weeks ago. Joel Campbell is named to ride.