Strong field for closing-day Mystic Lake Derby

SHAKOPEE, Minn. – Canterbury Park wraps up the 2014 racing season Saturday with the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby for 3-year-olds contested at a mile on turf and the $75,000 Shakopee Juvenile Stakes, a six-furlong dash for 2-year-olds.

The Mystic Lake Derby, now in its third year, had been held earlier in the summer during previous meets.

Kicking off the closing-day stakes program will be the Shakopee Juvenile, which goes as race 9. Trainer Robertino Diodoro sends out the Mercedes Stables duo of colt Grand Full Moon and filly Native American. Both horses enter off maiden victories at Canterbury. Native American cruised to a front-running victory in her first start, while Grand Full Moon stalked the early pace and drew off to win by five lengths in his second out.

Half of the 10-horse field is made up of fillies.

SHAKOPEE JUVENILE (RACE 9)

KEY CONTENDERS

Native American (Last Beyer: 74)

◗ The front-running filly gets the rail and will be ridden again by Jorge Carreno.

◗ Mercedes Stables is fourth in the owners’ standings at Canterbury despite one-third fewer starts than each of the three owners ahead of it.

Grand Full Moon (Last 2 Beyers: 70-57)

◗ With several speedsters in the race, his stalking style could be effective.

◗ He gets his third jockey in as many starts with Geovanni Franco, who has partnered with Diodoro the last two years to win at a 29 percent clip overall, though 18 percent at Canterbury.

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Chicago Son (Last 2 Beyers: 76-56)

◗ He makes his first trip over the dirt after making both career starts over the Arlington Polytrack.

◗ Despite an early bobble, he managed to wire the field in his maiden-winning effort last out.

Hero On Saturday (Last 2 Beyers: 46-64)

◗ This filly has beaten males twice, in her maiden win and in the $40,000 Careless Navigator Stakes.

◗ She will come from off the pace and will benefit from the early speed.

In the Mystic Lake Derby, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott sends out 4-1 morning-line favorite Long On Value, a multiple stakes winner who has shown new life since moving to turf full time in May. Also in the mix will be Grade 3 Canadian Derby winner Edison, returning to turf and the United States for the first time since June, and General Jack, a previous Canterbury turf stakes winner.

MYSTIC LAKE DERBY (RACE 10)

KEY CONTENDERS

Long On Value (Last 3 Beyers: 86-87-79)

◗ He won the Jamestown on turf as a 2-year-old and returned to the surface full time in May with two fourths and two seconds, most notably a second in the Grade 3 Arlington Classic.

◗ He checked badly in his only turf start at a mile, closing sharply to finish second in the Manila Stakes in June at Belmont.

General Jack (Last 3 Beyers: 82-92-93)

◗ He was close in the 1 1/4-mile, Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes for most of the race before faltering in the last quarter.

◗ He had two consecutive wins at a mile on turf prior to the Secretariat, in a Churchill allowance and the Centaur Stakes at Indiana Grand.

◗ He won his lone start at Canterbury in 2013 over the turf course.

Edison (Last 3 Beyers: 74-73-71)

◗ He is a winner of three straight races, including an 11 1/2-length score in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby on dirt at Northlands.

◗ He won his maiden over the Gulfstream Park turf course, earning an 82 Beyer Speed Figure.