HORSE RACING

Canterbury Park Horse Racing Picks for Tuesday 8/4/20

It's a great time to dive into horse racing, and TVG gives you the chance to do just that.

Starting at 5:40 p.m. EST, we have nine races at Canterbury Park. Here are some of the best bets.

As always, check the program for scratches and changes.

(I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure in selected races, which tells you how fast a horse has been running in each of its races -- adjusted for track, distances, and conditions.)

Jerrys Pridenjoy and Unleash the Beast, Race 5

TVG Odds: 8/1 and 2/1

Race 5 is an Allowance race at 1-mile with an Optional Claiming tag of $20K. Jerrys Pridenjoy (8/1) is running for the claiming tag, and EPO trainer Robertino Diordo races this four-year-old for the eighth time this year. He’s missed in the last seven tries, but speed figures are solid in all but his last race, and he hit 91 two races ago when running on the lead and finishing second.

Favorite Unleash the Beast (2/1) looks tough in here having won three straight races and hitting a 99 speed figure last time out three weeks ago. He ran loose on the lead at this distance and turned back Bobby Baby (3/1) by a half length. Bobby Baby was claimed two races back for $20K when finishing fifth and further back of runner-up Unleash the Beast. He's capable of improving and settling.

Central Park (4/1) and Go Away (5/1) are running for trainer D. Van Winkle. Central Park has won 4-of-9 races as a son of Pioneer of the Nile and made significant strides three weeks ago at this level when winning as a huge longshot (35/1) with a 91 speed figure.

Delia O’Hara, Race 6

TVG Odds: 7/2

Race 6 is an Allowance race for fillies and mares racing 1-mile on the turf. There are eight runners, and favorite Defend the Rose (5/2) breaks from the rail. She raced twice in July in minor stakes and won here at 6 furlongs on July 1, going wire-to-wire as the favorite. She finished fourth next time out, going 1-mile and fading badly from the lead after three quarters.

Delia O’Hara (7/2) is a better bet and finished third just in front of Defend the Rose last race. Her maiden win the month prior was impressive and by margin with an 86 speed figure. In her third race off a layoff, she'll look for improvement again.

There's some value with Lady Hideaway (9/2), who has outrun her odds in her recent two outings and improved her speed rating in three straight races across the past three months and can close from off the pace for a piece.

Rental Pool (5/1) is the stablemate of Defend the Rose. She won here last race at the distance on the front end in late June, and a slight improvement of that speed figure (72) would give her a shot.

Son of Poseidon and Sierra Hotel, Race 7

TVG Odds: 12/1 and 10/1

Race 7 is a small Claiming ($5K) race at 1-mile. There's ten runners in here who aren't showing much, and we’ll look for a price and higher payoff potential. Son of Poseidon (12/1) breaks from the rail and raced against better last time out and now returns to a shorter level after winning from off the pace at very long odds the end of June.

Sierra Hotel (10/1) drops down off last two tries and races for the first time in three months. Hot trainer Lynn Rarick has won 6-of-16 at meet, and Sierra Hotel is working well for return.

Don’t trust favorite Cool Edge (5/2) to bounce back after missing in his first try against winners a month ago. Ironically, his sire is Competitive Edge, which is what his EPO trainer Diodoro gives him, and it's not just oats and hay. He finished fifth as the favorite last race, and we’ll root for similar.

Flanagan (6/1) is just 1-for-13 but hit his best ever speed figure (73) last race just two weeks ago. While he finished a well-beaten third, the improvement is a good sign, and he's ready to return quickly.