THIS WEEK IN MINNESOTA—WEEK 3021

This weeks 10th race feature is THE DOCTOR NINER BONANZA STAKES, which goes 11 furlongs on the dirt for fillies and mares 3YO+. The race is named after the mare DOCTOR NINER who had 9 wins including 1 stakes victory in 54 lifetime starts earning $112,782.

Let’s take a look at today’s field.

1)TWENTY FOUR—2/1—b2 sends out this 5YO MARIA’S MON mare with a 46-10-7-8 $206,163 record. She has 4 wins in 11 starts this year including her only lifetime stakes victory. She is a speed horse, but has not been able to clear the lead in her last 3 starts and does have other speed horses to contend with in today’s race. She was claimed for 30K last year and has proven to be a good valued claim. Stinson(12.1%) is in the irons today.

2)CLASSIC GREEK(FR)—8/1—blacksoxuk sends out the only 3YO in today’s race in this DREAM WELL(FR) filly with a 16-2-3-1 $67,409 record. Won first two starts this year (MSW & NW2L) but has not seen the winners circle in 8 starts since. Best races on the front end but does not seem to be able to hold speed to the wire. I really cannot see her liking the added ground today. Annika(6.8%) gets the call for this one today.

3)UNDER THE GUN—9/1—sirivor sends out this 4YO GULCH mare with a 18-3-3-1 $58,379 record. She was no factor in her stakes debut last time out at 16 furlongs. She has 1 win in 7 tries this year a  12 furlong NW2X allowance. She is a big time closer who does pop a big speed rating number every now and then and does reward backers with big prices. Douglass(8.5%) is the jockey for this one today.

4)POINT SYSTEM—6/1—privetdriv sends out this 5YO POINT GIVEN mare with a 29-7-4-6 $197,948 record. She has 1 win in 11 lifetime stakes races. She loves the front end but has a bad habit of giving up the lead late in the stretch. Horse is a solid BP and $ earner who has not finished out of the top 5 in last 15 races. One of the circuits top riders, Friar(19.4%) is riding today.

5)PJ STRONG LEGS(IRE)—9/2—oddbreeds sends out this 5YO INDIAN DANEHILL(IRE) mare with a 28-7-5-4 $244,652 record. She has 1 win in 10 lifetime stakes attempts, that one coming last year in her 4YO campaign. She is another horse who has cashed cheques in every start this year winning 2 allowance races. She is dropping back in distance this time out and is best when stalking the early front runners. There are a few in here today that she can chase. The crafty aussie Ritorto(10.2%) is aboard today.

6)WAR LIVEWITHMOM—6/1—1aussie sends out this 5YO AWESOME AGAIN mare with a 28-5-5-5 $80,736 record. She was a $13,500 claim last year and won 3 times earlier this year while running out her tag. Her last 5 starts have been stakes races with 2 fourth and 3 third place finishes. Another steady earner who has cashed a purse cheque in every start this year. She has good closing speed which Ritterspauch(10.1%) will need to take advantage of.

7)SHAKY LEGS—5/2—bigspruce sends out this 6YO FUSAICHI PEGASUS mare with a 53-13-9-8 $684,654 record. This multiple stake winning and former Grade III stake winner is high earner in this field. She won a similar race in Oklahoma earlier this year and shows a very versatile running style winning both from the front and coming from the back. With top jockey Bowen(19.3%) aboard, this crafty veteran is this writers choice for the race today.

All in all a very competitive field with the edge going to #7 SHAKY LEGS

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE MINNESOTA DOWNS RESIDENCY THIS WEEK

The final race in the 20 race Minnesota Sire Series contest will go off as the 16th race co-feature this week with a purse of $100,000. This series pitted 17 MOUNTAIN CAT sired horses run against each other in a series which had various sprint,route,dirt and grass conditions. Only seven horses remain in the series with the top 3 still eligible for the top prize of 5000 credits and the others vieing for the 2000 and 1000 credit prizes for 2nd and 3rd.

The standings going into the final race are as follows,

THEO’S MULLIGAN—THEO—$279,250

CATS AND LITTERS—RICHGINS—$235,750

ON AND ON AND ON—RHARFO—$233,750

CATHOUSE—DESPERADO—$212,000

MOUNT CHRIS—DUNDEY—$134,500

GLACIER—SILVERNY99—$39,000

MOUNTAIN TOWN—CHUCKROCK—$25,250.

There was no winner in the Pick 4 contest last week so this weeks jackpot is 1800 credits.

A new No Mercy contest started last week with Randy, Supertoy7, Cothill, Dundey and Silverny99 qualifying for the second round. Chuckrock and Citation will battle it out this week for the final spot in round #2.

Cothill took last weeks speed rating contest with LAKE BED who posted a 98 speed rating.

Chuckrock currently leads the Minnesota Stallion contest with 16 points.

Cothill currently leads the Minnesota Homebred contest with 25 points, 2 more than both Silverny99 and Chuckrock.

The current division leaders in the Minnesota Cup contest are Theo in the St Paul division and Cothill in the Minneapolis division.

Dundey is the early leader in the Mountains of Money contest after 2 weeks.

Randy is the early leader in the Trainers contest after 2 weeks with his EARTHLING stable.

MINNESOTA DOWNS RESIDENCY IS ALWAYS ACCEPTING NEW MEMBERS AND WE HAVE CONTESTS FOR BOTH THE VETERAN AND NEW PLAYER.

CHECK OUT OUR RESIDENCY AT

http://home.comcast.net/~mndowns/

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK

THEO

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD RACING