Hold for More bids for fifth straight win in Laddie
SHAKOPEE, Minn. – Hold for More, one of the best Minnesota-breds in training, stands out at Canterbury Park in Sunday’s $55,000 MTA Stallion Auction Laddie. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint is restricted to 3-year-olds by stallions whose services were offered at the 2010 Minnesota Thoroughbred Association stallion-season auction.
Hold for More, a winner of four straight races, including a 6 1/2-length tally July 4 in the Victor S. Myers Stakes here, faces six rivals in the Laddie. Trained by Francisco Bravo, who is 15 for 60 at the meet, Hold for More has tactical speed that should be put to good use by jockey Dean Butler from his outside post.
The Valorie Lund-trained duo of Plenty of Sun and Hi Five Cy both have ability and will aim for a major upset. Plenty of Sun, a Minnesota-bred maiden winner May 29, drew the rail and has closed ground in all three of his outings. Hi Five Cy, an Iowa-bred maiden who has flashed a good turn of foot in two of his three Prairie Meadows races, turns back in distance.
The Laddie, Sunday’s featured ninth race on a 10-race card, is scheduled for 4:47 p.m. Central.
KEY CONTENDERS
Plenty of Sun (Last 3 Beyers: 36-40-35)
◗ He retains jockey Geovanni Franco, who has won 17 percent of his races for the Lund stable in 2014-15.
Hi Five Cy (Last 3 Beyers: 5-37-50)
◗ His best effort was a debut sprint where he closed strongly for second and registered a 50 Beyer Speed Figure.
◗ Jockey Ry Eikleberry climbs aboard, and he has won 24 percent of his races for the Lund stable in 2014-15.
Hold for More (Last 3 Beyers: 63-70-48)
◗ This top Minnesota-bred juvenile has improved this year, and Butler, who has won on 30 percent of his mounts for Bravo in 2014-15, retains the mount.