Time to Step Up!

Fizzy Pop is back in this week after a 3 week respite after his win of May 25th. We'll be coming back in an $18,000 allowance test going one mile on the turf. The race is for non-winners of two races other than maiden, claiming or starter. As Fiz only has one allowance win under his belt, we qualify. The race will be Thursday night, the 4th race on the card at Canterbury. I'll be traveling a bit during the week, but I will make sure I'm back in time for this one.

The race has turned up pretty tough: last year's Minnesota Derby winner, Palm Reader, as well as his stablemate, the equally talented Chaska (in the money in both the Minnesota Turf Championship and the Blair's Cove last season) are both entered; Tez Azadi comes in off a nearly 18 length win in an allowance race here last out, though turf form is iffy; Indian Hoss has won, place and showed in three allowance starts here and, while never run on grass, is certainly bred for it; Finalactofdefiance has been a solid allowance runner at Turf Paradise; Joni's Justice is making his second start off a layoff and comes in after placing third in the Honor the Hero Stakes a few weeks ago; Classic Trouble drops in from running competitively against $25,000 claimers in Chicago; and you can even throw in Deputy Tice, second to our boy last out - though all out to do it.

What about the Fiz? Well, he has the 2nd best Beyer speed figure last out and we know he wasn't asked to work for it; there appears to be some early speed in the race, so it should help his closing kick; after last race, Fizzy has more to show us if asked; and, of course, his partners believing that he can win - we saw how well that worked out last time!

There are several closers in the field, so it should be a pretty exciting stretch run. I'd prefer a 15 length romp, but as I don't see that happening, we'll hunker down and see what the racing gods have in store for us this Thursday night.