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Canterbury Cancels Wednesday Thoroughbred Races, Pushes Post Time For Quarter Horse Qualifiers

With a high heat index expected, Canterbury Park racing officials will delay Wednesday evening's first post until 8:05 p.m. CDT and will not conduct the first five originally scheduled Thoroughbred races, leaving seven Quarter Horse races beginning at the adjusted start time.

The decision was made after consultation with the Minnesota Racing Commission veterinary staff and in agreement with the Minnesota HBPA.

The Wednesday program was to begin at 5:00 p.m. with 12 races, five Thoroughbred races followed by seven Quarter Horse races. With a heat index forecast to exceed 105 degrees into the early evening, racing officials opted to delay Wednesday's start until the apparent temperature is projected to subside and to cancel the first five races.

The seven quarter horse races, races 6 through 12, are time trials for the Northlands Futurity and the Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby. The final race is now scheduled for 10:53 p.m.

“We made the decision to delay Wednesday racing, based on the forecast of an extremely high heat index, with the safety of all participants, horses, jockeys, staff and spectators, in mind,” Vice President of Racing Andrew Offerman said. “We are confident that by 8 p.m. the temperatures will have decreased to a comfortable and safe level.”

There will be no admission charge on Wednesday. Gates open at 7:00 p.m. Indoor seating, which is also free, offers air conditioned comfort.

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NHC Rundown: 2020 NHC Champion Thomas Goldsmith Qualifies For 2022 Championships

Each week, the NTRA will provide a rundown of those who have qualified for the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) from the previous weekend. A total of eight individuals qualified for the 2022 NHC, led by Thomas Goldsmith, who won the 2020 NHC title. Dave Wang, of Las Vegas, became a double qualifier.

The NHC is the most important tournament of the year for horseplayers and is the culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments conducted by racetracks, casino race books, off-track betting facilities and horse racing and handicapping websites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the national finals. The 2021 NHC is slated to take place in the Bally's Events Center from Aug. 27-29 with the 2022 NHC set for Jan. 28-30 at Bally's.

Last weekend's qualifiers, and their respective contest sites, are as follows:

Horseplayers, Friday, 7/9/2021

Dave Wang of Las Vega, NV, has double qualified for the 2022 NHC.

“I am excited to be double qualified for the 2022 NHC,” said Wang. “Obviously, two entries are better than one but I think this is especially true in the mandatory races. I am usually torn between two horses in the generally full-fields of the mandatories—-now I can play them both.”

His key race was the eighth at Belmont, when Dancingwithdaffodls came from off the pace in a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming race and won by a half-length, paying $46.20. “I had a decent shot at pulling an upset at a big price, said Wang. “Fortunately, “I got lucky,” and added, “I love playing in the NHC finals and I hope I can use my two entries to double the fun and maybe some big money.”

Kirk Tesar of Ankeny, IA, has qualified for his fifth NHC.

Lone Star Park, Saturday, 7/10/21

Thomas Goldsmith of Montgomery, Texas won the 2020 NHC. He has now qualified for his fourth Championship appearance.

Mark Simonovich of Richardson, TX, has qualified for his third NHC.

Ellen Patrick-Leavell of Irving, TX, has qualified for her seventh NHC. In last weekend's Lone Star Summer Challenge tournament, Ellen needed a strong comeback and saw a horse named Streak of Silver in the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity that “jumped out at me that was going off at 17-1.” Ellen wagered $100WP and Streak of Silver broke on top as was never headed; paying Ellen $2,510 and “skyrocketing me from 32nd to second place.” She played it safe for the last two races and wound up finishing third overall in the Summer Challenge, and earned a NHC seat in 2022.

An NHC Mentor, Ellen's major career was the time she became the first female to win a Last Chance/First Chance tournament, which was held in January 2017 – earning $22,165 ― at Treasure Island in Las Vegas. Ellen qualified for her first NHC in 2008 and played in the January 2009 Championship at Red Rock Resort.

George Brant of Ft. Worth, TX, has qualified for this second NHC.

Belmont Derby Day Challenge NYRA Bets Saturday, July 10, 2021

James Herthum of Whitesboro, NY, has qualified for his first NHC

Ellis Starr of Lexington, KY, is a first-time NHC qualifier, who is the National Racing Analyst for Equibase, and writes regularly for the site, and for America's Best Racing, covering the major races and handicapping challenges around the country.

To qualify last week, Starr nailed a $100 exacta on European runners Bolshoi Ballet and Tokyo Gold in the Belmont Derby Invitational, which returned $1,940 and placed him in the top 10. In Belmont's following race, he wagering $1,000 on Fox Ranger to win and cashed for $2,550, and an NHC 2022 slot.

“Having tried to qualify for many years, I feel lucky and honored to have joined the ranks of so many great handicappers who participate in the NHC annually,” said Starr, who began attending the Southern California tracks when he was about eight years old.

Horsetourneys.com Sunday, 7/11/21

Craig Hom of San Francisco has qualified for his 12th NHC. He grew up playing the Dollar Fridays at Bay Meadows. Hom hit five winners in 12 races, all at around 5-1. His biggest winner paid $18.10. “Often times the difference in a contest isn't by 'such and such' dollars but they flip on the whisker of a photo finish.”

Hom is looking forward to returning to Las Vegas. “After a year like 2020, (I'm) really excited to be back in a big room with fellow horseplayers. Have made a lot of good friends through these on site contests. Feels great to qualify again. Never take it for granted. It's definitely not easy.”

Michael Kiatipis of Toronto, has qualified for his second NHC.

Click here for the full NHC Leaderboard

Click here for upcoming NHC qualifiers

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Cross Country Pick 5 Pays $6,000 Saturday

Saturday's Cross Country Pick 5, featuring action from Saratoga, Woodbine, and Monmouth Park, paid $6,061.25 for selecting all five winners for the 50-cent wager. The total pool was $106,967.

Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, commenced the sequence with graded stakes action, as Jolie Olimpica won the $175,000 Grade 2 Nassau for older fillies and mares going one mile on the turf in Race 6. Trained by Josie Carroll and ridden by Luis Contreras, the Brazilian-bred Jolie Olimpica's three-quarters of a length victory in a final time of 1:34.83 paid $5.30 on $2 win wager.

The first of three races at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., came in the second leg, as Luis Saez piloted 10-1 Midnight Worker to a victory by a head over Bourbon Heist in a six-furlong maiden sprint over the main track in Race 6. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Midnight Worker paid $22.20 in hitting the wire in 1:11.92.

Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., also got in on the stakes action, with He'spuregold besting slight favorite Quiberon Bay by one length in the $85,000 Irish War Cry for New Jersey-breds 3-years-old and up going one mile on the turf in Race 9. The Kelly Breen trainee, who posted a final time of 1:35.53, returned $5.40.

Saratoga concluded the last two legs, starting when Sifting Sands topped Never Explain by a head in a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming tilt on the turf in Race 7. Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Manny Franco, the British-bred Sifting Sands won at 28-1, paying $58.

A Brown-trained horse completed the Cross Country Pick 5 when the Irish-bred Rastafara won a one-mile inner turf contest for maidens 3-years-old and up going one mile on the inner turf in Race 8. Ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., Rastafara paid $7.10 in notching a final time of 1:36.47.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

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Sunday Pick 6 At Saratoga Bolstered By Saturday Carryover

Sunday's Pick 6 will be bolstered by a $257,811 carryover as the multi-race wager went unsolved on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The $1 Pick 6 returned $1,014 to bettors who selected 5-of-6 winners correctly.

Saturday's sequence kicked off in Race 6 with Midnight Worker [No. 1, $22.20] graduating at first asking under Luis Saez for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher in a six-furlong maiden event for 2-year-olds.

Peter Brant's Sifting Sands [No. 3, $58] posted the biggest price of the sequence in Race 7, capturing a turf allowance under Manny Franco for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown. Brant and Brown combined again in Race 8 as Rastafara [No. 3, $7.10] secured the win in a one-mile inner-turf tilt under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Caramel Swirl [No. 6, $4.30] won as the post-time favorite in Race 9, capturing the seven-furlong allowance with a perfect trip from Junior Alvarado for Hall of Fame conditioner Bill Mott.

Ortiz, Jr. notched his second win of the sequence, rallying outside rivals aboard Caravel [No. 1, $4] to win the Grade 3, $200,000 Caress in Race 10 in impressive fashion for trainer, breeder, and co-owner Elizabeth Merryman.

In the Race 11 finale, Mike's Girl [No. 10, $19] staved off Cara's Dreamer [No. 1], who was also uncovered in the sequence, clinching the carryover in the 1 1/16-mile inner-turf event.

Sunday's Pick 6 kicks off in Race 5 at 3:21 p.m. Eastern and includes the $200,000 Grade 3 Shuvee for older fillies and mares in Race 9. First post on the 10-race card is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

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