Daily Picks

Canterbury Park Picks & Predictions — June 28, 2026

Sunday, June 28, 20267 racesCanterbury Park

It's a beauty of a Sunday at Canterbury Park — clear skies, 73°F, and the kind of conditions that make the turf course play fast and fair. With seven races on the card spread across both dirt and grass, there's something here for every type of handicapper, from the sprint speed merchants on the main track to the grass routers looking to find their rhythm around one mile.

Three of today's seven races go on the turf, and with the weather cooperating, expect the going to be firm and front-runners honest. The card opens with a claiming turf sprint before shifting to allowance company on the dirt in Race 2, and it doesn't let up from there. A pair of maiden races in the middle of the card add an element of the unknown — always a spot where sharp angles can pay off big.

We've got full analysis on all seven races, with the first three open to every TrackWiz reader. Races 4 through 7 — including what shapes up as the most competitive heat of the day — are available to premium subscribers.

Best Bets

Race 1

6:10 PM EDT

Claiming · 7 1/2 fur · Turf

Island Jive towers over this 7.5-furlong turf claimer on paper, but Skipwineyesterday's 18% career win rate and the 5/1 price on Paarl make this more interesting in the exotics than a single-horse affair.

win4Island JiveML 9/5

Island Jive owns the top TrackWiz rating in this field at 88.83 — a significant gap over the second-best horse — and that kind of separation in a five-horse claimer is hard to ignore. The 9/5 morning line suggests the market agrees, but this is a case where the favorite may genuinely deserve to be the favorite. Trainer Bennie L. Woolley Jr. puts Manuel Americano in the irons, a sharp combo on the Canterbury turf. The class scenario here sets up well for a wire-to-wire effort.

place5SkipwineyesterdayML 5/2

Skipwineyesterday brings the best career win percentage in the field at 18%, a stat that tells you this horse knows how to finish the job. Alonso Quinonez takes the mount, and at 5/2 on the morning line there's solid each-way value if Island Jive handles the chalk duties up front. Tim Padilla has two horses entered today, which sometimes signals a trainer leaning on a stable that's clicking.

show1PaarlML 5/1

Paarl at 5/1 is an interesting underneath option, carrying the second-highest TrackWiz rating (65.81) in a race where the middle of the field is fairly compressed. John Jude gets the call for Stacey Rushton, and a 15% career win rate suggests this horse is no stranger to hitting the board. At that price, tossing Paarl into trifecta tickets makes sense as a live longshot for the bronze spot.

Race 2

6:40 PM EDT

Allowance · 5 1/2 fur · Dirt

Mischievous Al looks like the class of this 5.5-furlong dirt allowance, but Mighty Army's eye-popping 50% career win rate makes the pace scenario worth watching in what could be a speed duel early.

win4Mischievous AlML 3/1

Mischievous Al is the standout here, posting an 87.08 TrackWiz rating and a career win percentage of 33% — by far the best strike rate among the horses with meaningful samples in this spot. Manuel Americano picks up the mount for trainer McLean Robertson, who doubles up in this race with Heavenlyconveyance, suggesting the barn is live and confident. On a 5.5-furlong dirt sprint, a horse with that kind of consistency and a strong average speed figure of 55 is exactly what you want to anchor your tickets.

place3HeavenlyconveyanceML 5/2

Heavenlyconveyance is the other Robertson runner in the race, and when a trainer saddles two horses in the same field, you often want both in your exotics. Jermaine Bridgmohan gets the mount, and the 57.01 rating with a 55 average speed figure puts this horse right in the mix for a board finish at a 5/2 morning line that offers solid value. A place bet here is a reasonable way to cover the Robertson barn without doubling up on win tickets.

show5Mighty ArmyML 5/1

Mighty Army is hard to fully trust at a distance of 5.5 furlongs on the dirt given the 53 average speed figure trails the leaders, but that 50% career win rate is a number you simply cannot ignore — it means this horse competes hard more often than not. Fausto Henrique Da Silva takes the ride for Tena Birdwell, and at 5/1 on the morning line there's legitimate overlay potential if the pace sets up favorably. Use in trifectas; leave off win singles.

Race 3

7:10 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi · Turf

Baby Doll Peach looks like a deserving favorite at 8/5 in this mile turf claimer, but Tikihut lurks at a juicy 3/1 and Radio Charlie at 8/1 gives the trifecta a compelling longshot angle.

win2Baby Doll PeachML 8/5

Baby Doll Peach tops the TrackWiz ratings at 89.12, the highest mark in this field by a meaningful margin, and Eduardo Gallardo — one of the sharper riders in the Canterbury colony — is in the irons for trainer Joel Berndt. A 15% career win rate and a 54 average speed figure at a mile on the turf checks the right boxes for a distance that rewards horses that rate and finish. At 8/5, the price isn't flashy, but the profile screams top choice.

place4TikihutML 3/1

Tikihut sits second in the TrackWiz ratings at 80.95 and Constantino Roman has been one of the steadiest hands at Canterbury Park this meet. The 3/1 morning line represents genuine value relative to the horse's overall profile — a 9% career win rate is modest, but speed figures of 52 on a one-mile turf course suggest this horse can stay close to the pace and grind out a board finish. An excellent ticket-building companion alongside Baby Doll Peach.

show1Radio CharlieML 8/1

Radio Charlie at 8/1 is the longshot value play for exotics in this race, carrying a 73.66 TrackWiz rating that ranks third in the field — not a throwaway. A 14% career win rate and Alonso Quinonez in the saddle for Ronald Westermann gives this horse legitimate credentials to sneak into the trifecta. If the pace shapes up to favor closers over the mile turf trip, Radio Charlie could easily be picking up pieces late.

Our three free best bets today lean heavily on the turf, which makes sense given how inviting the conditions look. Island Jive opens the card at 9/5 on the morning line over 7½ furlongs of grass — that's a distance that rewards horses who can rate comfortably and still finish, and Island Jive's TrackWiz rating of 88.83 puts her firmly on top of the field. Over in Race 3, Baby Doll Peach is the one to beat at 8/5 going one mile on the turf, posting the highest rating (89.12) of any free-race pick today. Both plays suggest the turf course at Canterbury is drawing top-end talent in the claiming ranks, so don't overlook exacta opportunities underneath these two.

Bridging the turf races is Mischievous Al in Race 2 — a 5½-furlong dirt allowance that gives us a change of pace. At 3/1 on the morning line with an 87.08 rating, Mischievous Al represents solid value in a surface switch back to the main track. Dirt sprints at this distance at Canterbury tend to favor horses with early foot, so pace scenario will be worth watching closely as the field loads up.

Full Card Analysis

Race 4

7:40 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 4 1/2 fur · Dirt

This 4.5-furlong maiden special weight on the dirt is a true puzzle — all six runners carry zero career wins and no prior speed figures, making trainer and morning line angles the primary handicapping tools.

win5SummeratcanterburyML 2/1

Summeratcanterbury carries the top TrackWiz rating at 58.33 and lands at 2/1 on the morning line, a combination that suggests both our model and the morning line makers are pointing the same direction. Tim Padilla conditions the horse with Alonso Quinonez up — a trainer-jockey combo that's had success in short sprints at Canterbury. In a wide-open maiden field where past performance data is thin, backing the horse that projects best on multiple angles is the right play.

place6Rhyme AwayML 5/2

Rhyme Away sits just a tick below the top-rated horse at 57.50 and draws a 5/2 morning line for trainer Troy Bethke, who also has Golden Winterapple in the field — a two-pronged stable attack worth noting. Manuel Americano gets the mount, and his ability to find pace in a short sprint can be a difference-maker at 4.5 furlongs where positioning out of the gate is everything. If Summeratcanterbury doesn't fire, Rhyme Away is the most logical beneficiary.

show3Golden WinterappleML 4/1

Golden Winterapple is the second Bethke runner and posts a 55.0 TrackWiz rating, slotting right in the middle of a tight field. Jose Riquelme takes the ride, and at 4/1 on the morning line there's enough implied value to include this horse in trifecta tickets as the show leg. When a trainer fires two horses in a maiden sprint, it often signals the barn has been watching these horses work well, and both deserve exotics coverage.

Race 5

8:10 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 1 mi · Turf

Dancing Boots and Kaitskate dominate the TrackWiz ratings in this maiden turf mile, but those big gaps over the rest of the field make the exacta between these two a natural focus — the real question is which one lands on top.

win3Dancing BootsML 2/1

Dancing Boots posts an 88.54 TrackWiz rating, the highest mark in this five-horse maiden turf field, and Eduardo Gallardo is a strong booking for trainer Coty Rosin. The 2/1 morning line puts this horse as co-favorite alongside the slightly shorter-priced Kaitskate, but our model gives Dancing Boots the edge. An average speed figure of 53 on the turf — matching the top runners in this field — supports the case for a strong showing going a mile.

place5KaitskateML 7/5

Kaitskate is the morning line favorite at 7/5 and checks in second in the TrackWiz ratings at 80.59, making the 1-2-3 combination of Dancing Boots over Kaitskate the logical exacta play. Constantino Roman pilots this one for Joel Berndt, and the 53 average speed figure matches the top horses in the field step for step. The only reason we tab Kaitskate for place rather than win is that the TrackWiz gap slightly favors Dancing Boots, but either of these two could easily reverse that order.

show1Add to CartML 3/1

Add to Cart at 3/1 is a clear third choice on the morning line and lands third in our ratings at 47.61, which is a significant drop from the top two. That said, Jermaine Bridgmohan is a veteran Canterbury rider who knows how to get horses to the board in maiden routes, and trainer Bruce Riecken has shown he can develop turf horses. In trifecta construction, Add to Cart is the most logical show play — just be aware there's a real gap between this horse and the top pair.

Race 6

8:40 PM EDT

Allowance Optional Claiming · 7 fur · Dirt

Auntie Vodka comes in as a heavy favorite in this seven-furlong allowance optional claimer, and a 37% career win rate with a 89.71 rating make it hard to build a case against her — but Lexithea at 6/1 offers the best secondary value in a race that could get interesting behind the chalk.

win1Auntie VodkaML 6/5

Auntie Vodka has a 37% career win rate, the best in the field, and a TrackWiz rating of 89.71 that tops this allowance optional claiming field by more than 13 points. Manuel Americano rides for McLean Robertson — a sharp trainer-jockey combination that knows how to fire at Canterbury — and the 55 average speed figure matches the top of this class level. At 6/5, the price is chalky, but the data backs the short number, and in a seven-furlong dirt race, a horse this consistent rarely throws in a bad effort.

place2MiwomanML 3/1

Miwoman lands at 3/1 on the morning line with a 76.47 TrackWiz rating and a 23% career win rate for trainer Ruben Fuentes, who teams with Luis Fuentes in the irons — a family operation that runs sharp. She rates just below the class standout in our model but well above the rest of the field, making the place spot an excellent value play at a fair price. If anything softens Auntie Vodka's effort, Miwoman is the most natural horse to pick up the pieces.

show6LexitheaML 6/1

Lexithea is the value angle in this race, posting a 74.64 TrackWiz rating — statistically near-identical to Miwoman — while sitting at a 6/1 morning line. Trainer Valorie Lund has a legitimate runner here with Eduardo Gallardo, a reliable Canterbury jockey, and a 33% career win rate puts this horse among the most accomplished in the field. In trifecta and exacta wheels, Lexithea is too good to leave out at that price.

Race 7

9:10 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi · Turf

A fascinating top-three scenario unfolds in this mile turf claimer, where Loring Park and Sonic Speed are separated by barely more than a point in the TrackWiz ratings — making the exacta between these two a potential player while Commissioner Oscar lurks at 4/1 with the best career win percentage in the field.

win3Loring ParkML 9/2

Loring Park edges out the top spot in our ratings at 84.90, a hair above Sonic Speed's 83.74, and Eduardo Gallardo is one of the hotter riders at Canterbury this summer. Trainer Troy Bethke has shown a knack for developing turf routers, and Loring Park's 17% career win rate and 53 average speed figure fit the profile of a horse that can be positioned in mid-pack before unloading down the Canterbury turf stretch. The 9/2 morning line is a solid price for a horse our model tabs as the top selection.

place2Sonic SpeedML 8/5

Sonic Speed comes in at 8/5 on the morning line and checks in just behind Loring Park in our ratings — a genuine photo finish on paper between the top two. Luis Fuentes takes the mount for trainer Ruben Fuentes, and an 18% career win rate paired with a 54 average speed figure makes this a horse that consistently runs its race. Backing Sonic Speed for place makes sense if you want to structure an exacta both ways — the gap between these two horses is thin enough that either order is live.

show6Commissioner OscarML 4/1

Commissioner Oscar at 4/1 is the most compelling exotics inclusion in this race beyond the top pair, carrying a 73.96 TrackWiz rating and a 26% career win rate — the highest among any horse in the field. Alonso Quinonez gets the call for Joel Berndt, and at a mile on the turf, a horse with that kind of hit rate knows how to find the wire. Trifecta players should strongly consider Commissioner Oscar underneath the top two at what amounts to a generous price given the career numbers.

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Bottom line: today's Canterbury card is built around turf speed and a couple of maiden wildcards that keep things spicy. Island Jive, Mischievous Al, and Baby Doll Peach are your free best bets — confident plays backed by our TrackWiz ratings. For the full-card breakdown, pace projections, and exotic wager strategies covering Races 4–7, unlock premium access at TrackWiz Premium. Good luck at the windows — let's have a big day.

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