Challenge


Canterbury Holiday Program Features Challenge Doubleheader
Coming off a win in the Skip Zimmerman, The Fiscal Cliff is now the 1-2 morning-line favorite for Tuesday’s 440-yard, $60,840 Bank of America Canterbury Championship Challenge Stakes at Canterbury Park.

© Coady Photography
Canterbury Holiday Program Features Challenge Doubleheader

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

SHAKOPEE, MN—JULY 3, 2017—The Fiscal Cliff, a homebred 4-year-old son of Pyc Paint Your Wagon owned by Tom Lepic of Iowa City, Iowa, is the 1-2 morning-line favorite for Tuesday’s 440-yard, $60,840 Bank of America Canterbury Championship Challenge Stakes at Canterbury Park.

Trained by Kasey Willis, The Fiscal Cliff made his local debut with a one-length victory in the 350-yard, $20,000 Skip Zimmerman Stakes on June 18. The stallion has earned $51,730 from three outs this year, and his season resume includes a second-place finish, 1 1/2 lengths behind winner Bodacious Eagle, in the 350-yard, $50,000 Eastex Stakes (G2) at Remington Park on March 12.

The Fiscal Cliff drew post 7 and will be ridden by Benito Baca.

The winner of this race will earn a berth in the October 14, $330,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) at Prairie Meadows. The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

  1. Hastabealeader (Justin Shepherd), 20-1
  2. Okeyfreight (Jorge Torres), 15-1
  3. Eagles Span (Brayan Velazquez), 5-1
  4. Fast N Famous Jeans (David Pinon), 12-1
  5. Fowl Play (Elliot Bachicha Jr.), 15-1
  6. Dash For Number One (Cristian Esqueda), 8-1
  7. The Fiscal Cliff (Benito J. Baca), 1-2
  8. Watch My Wallet Loto (Oscar Delgado), 12-1.

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Merial Canterbury Distaff Challenge

A field of 11 fillies and mares, topped by 5-2 morning-line favorite Bye Bye Birdy, as been entered in Tuesday’s 400-yard, $33,750 Merial Canterbury Distaff Challenge Stakes.

Bye Bye Birdy races for Barbara Barley from the barn of trainer Casey Black. A homebred 5-year-old daughter of champion Hawkinson, the mare will be dropping in class off of a third-place finish, a half of a length behind winner Time For Wine, in the 400-yard, $100,000 Junos Request Stakes (G2) at Remington Park on June 3.

Bye Bye Birdy drew post 11 and will be ridden by Cristian Esqueda. Her 10 opponents include Honeymoon Candy, a homebred 5-year-old Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare trained by Stacy Charette-Hill for owners Michael and Donalda Pohl. Honeymoon Candy will be making her first start since May 14, when she finished third, one length behind winner Time For Wine, in the 400-yard, $53,000 Merial Oklahoma Distaff Challenge (G3) at Remington Park.

Honeymoon Candy will be ridden by Oscar Delgado from post 10.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

  1. Marys Ice Dancer (Marcus Swiontek), 15-1
  2. Fast Movin Fire (Cody R. Smith), 30-1
  3. Blacks Cartel (David Pinon), 12-1
  4. My Girls Toasted (Justine Klaiber), 15-1
  5. Jr Rock Star (Brayan Velazquez), 6-1
  6. Corona Springs (Nik Goodwin), 12-1
  7. Kokko Wagon (Jorge Torres), 6-1
  8. Thrice Wise (Elliot Bachicha Jr.), 12-1
  9. Stelthy (Benito J. Baca), 20-1
  10. Honeymoon Candy (Oscar Delgado), 4-1
  11. Bye Bye Birdy (Cristian Esqueda), 5-2.

All Canterbury Park races can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.