Females take on males in Shakopee Juvenile

An interesting group of 2-year-old fillies will take on male rivals Thursday night in the $50,000 Shakopee Juvenile at Canterbury Park.

The race, which will be run over six furlongs, is one of two stakes on the card. The $50,000 Tom Metzen H.B.P.A. will be run at the same distance Thursday.

The Shakopee Juvenile drew a field of nine, and three are fillies: Summer Lightning, Runnin Happy and Misyneedsacocktail.

Summer Lightning was an 8 3/4-length maiden special weight winner July 24 at Louisiana Downs. She advanced to the $100,000 Prairie Gold Lassie on Aug. 14 at Prairie Meadows and finished second by 1 1/2 lengths in her stakes debut. Trainer Robertino Diodoro has since based the daughter of Overanalyze at Canterbury, where she worked a bullet half-mile in 46.40 seconds Sept. 1.

Karl Lopez has the mount from post 7 for Highlander Training Center.

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Runnin Happy comes off a debut win at Canterbury on Aug. 26. She stalked the pace and went on to a two-length victory. Runnin Happy earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 61, one of the best last-race numbers in the field Thursday. Lindey Wade has the mount on the daughter of champion Runhappy for Stone Bridge Investments and trainer Eric Heitzmann.

Misyneedsacocktail also was a debut winner at Canterbury. She set the pace en route to a five-length maiden special weight win July 29. Misyneedsacocktail broke from the rail and showed superior speed. The February foal is by Bernardini and out of the millionaire racemare Superior Storm. Superior Storm won 13 stakes while dominating her division in Louisiana.

Misyneedsacocktail is owned by Jack Mac Stable and will be ridden by Luis Negron. Mac Robertson, who trains the filly, won a past running of the Shakopee Juvenile with an outstanding filly in Amy’s Challenge.

Among males entered, Robertson will saddle Bit Coiner, a debut winner who goes for Novogratz Racing Stables, which campaigned the now-retired Amy’s Challenge.

Cause I’m Leavin owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, a 68, for his 8 1/4-length maiden-special win at Canterbury.

The Metzen is a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up who have not won a stakes in 2021 other than statebred or restricted.

The field of six includes the rail drawn Market King, who won a $20,000 claiming race off an extended layoff in his last start, Aug. 19 at Cantebury. He was favored in the 6 1/2-furlong race.

Market King shortens up some to six furlongs and is a winner at the distance. Karl Lopez has the mount from the rail for owner and trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Locamotor seems like an up-and-coming runner for Quarter B Farm and trainer Arthur Coontz. He’s a winner of three of four starts with his lone loss coming last out, when he made his stakes debut in an Illinois-bred offering Aug. 14 at Arlington Park. He was beaten a neck and earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 89.