Canterbury Park: John Bullit Stakes highlight of Extreme Day

SHAKOPEE, Minn. – In addition to camel and ostrich races, the $50,000 John Bullit Stakes will be contested over a mile and sixteenth on the turf course on Extreme Race Day at Canterbury Park on Saturday. Several contenders in this closely matched field are coming into the contest riding winning streaks, including Arlington shipper Mr. Mischief.

Fresh off a victory in the $114,000 Black Tie Affair Handicap for Illinois-breds at Arlington, Mr. Mischief has not trailed at a single call in 2012 and will try to take advantage of what has recently been a speed-favoring turf course.

I’ll Show Them has two impressive sprint wins over the Canterbury main track this meet and now stretches out in distance and switches to the turf. A multiple turf winner, I’ll Show Them was a brilliant front-running winner of the Shot of Gold Stakes last time and will pressure Mr. Mischief on the front end.

Multiple stakes winner Stachys, coming off a victory in the Brooks Fields Stakes, will try to win back-to-back stakes for the first time since 2010. Stachys is one of several entrants who will be looking to come from off the pace.

Defending John Bullit winner Wild Jacob is 2 for 2 over the Canterbury turf and will try to get back in the win column for the first time since last year’s race. The second betting choice in the Brooks Fields, Wild Jacob finished nearly 10 lengths behind Stachys after the race was moved from the turf to the dirt.

Bernell Rhone trainee Gold Brew is riding a six-race winning streak and has won 4 of 5 over the turf.

Dakota Digger has shown versatility in his back-to-back turf wins this season, winning the first in front-running style and collaring the field late in his last start.

Edgerin J, shipping in from Indiana Downs after a string of starter handicap starts, Patch of Blue, and Lone Star shipper Ocean Seven round out the field.

Also on the card is the $35,000 HBPA Sprint Stakes at six furlongs over the dirt.

Morning-line favorite and oft-claimed Warning Song ships in from Prairie Meadows for trainer Jon Arnett. Most recently claimed for $35,000 by Arnett on May 4 out of a nine-length victory, Warning Song came back to finish third in the $125,000 Iowa Sprint Handicap. Allowance winners Silver Magnus, Clear to Canada, and 3-year old Careless Hunter will be Warning Song’s top challengers.

Additional races on the Extreme Race Day card includes a 100-yard Quarter Horse stakes, a 3 1/2-furlong Thoroughbred dash and a $25,000 allowance for horses who have never won on turf.

Post time for Saturday’s Extreme Race Day is 1:30 p.m. Central.