Ralph Strangis Stakes rematches last year's top finishers
A chance of heavy rain throws everything into question on a four-stakes card Wednesday evening at Canterbury Park.
Two of the four stakes – all restricted to Minnesota-breds – are carded for turf, and a surface switch could be in order if the wet weather comes.
Race 6, the Ralph Strangis, and race 7, the Minnesota Turf Distaff, are the two grass races in question, both carded at 7 1/2 furlongs and each with a solid field.
Less than two lengths separated the top four finishers from the 2020 Strangis, and all those horses as well as the sixth-place finisher Twoko Bay return for Wednesday’s contest.
In last year’s renewal, pace-setting Cinco Star edged pace-pressing Drop of Golden Sun by a nose, with Fireman Oscar 1 1/4 lengths farther back in third and Hot Shot Kid just behind him in fourth. The Canterbury turf course at times this meet has strongly favored front-runners, especially with the temporary rail placed at 20 or 30 feet, but the rail is down Wednesday, and the course did not play to speed when used this past weekend. A surplus of front-runners was entered in the Strangis, and neither of last year’s top two finishers have displayed tactical versatility.
Dame Plata can win this race regardless of surface. Last summer at Canterbury, in the only grass race of his career, he rallied into a modest pace to win at this 7 1/2-furlong distance. Racing on dirt, Dame Plata chased a loose-on-the-lead Drop of Golden Sun in an allowance race last month. Mr. Jagermeister, who appears to have lost a step this season, should assure a strong tempo in the Strangis, and Dame Plata can reap the benefits.
Firstmate is the grass play in the Minnesota Turf Distaff. She won this race a year ago with a strong late rally, and in her most recent start, an open Canterbury grass allowance on June 30, her rider probably chose the wrong path in upper stretch when he dove to the inside rather than steering out. Firstmate was beaten a length that evening and can take one more forward step in her third start of 2021.
Clickbait fits this race on either surface, but her Mac Robertson-trained stablemate Ready to Runaway, has struggled to find her best form this season after easily being the best Minnesota-bred filly as a 4-year-old of 2020.
◗ Thealligatorhunter will take plenty of beating as a short-priced favorite in the Victor S. Myers Stakes, a six-furlong dirt dash for 3-year-olds. This colt raced competitively in the $100,000 Inaugural Stakes over six furlongs at Tampa Bay Downs earlier this year and has dominated Minnesota-bred competition in two starts this meet. He’s sweetly drawn in post 7, from which he can track the apparent main competition Bayou Benny, a 12-length winner of a Minnesota-bred maiden sprint in his lone start.
Star of the North will be a short-priced favorite in the Frances Genter for 3-year-old fillies. She lost her career debut last summer but since has gone 5 for 5, with those victories coming by more than 25 combined lengths. Hell of the North was no match for Star of the North in the Northern Lights Debutante last summer, but should run closer Wednesday.