Doctor Oscar battles to victory in 10,000 Lakes Stakes

Doctor Oscar raced wire to wire, holding off stablemate Thealligatorhunter in a mid-stretch battle, to win the 10,000 Lakes Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths for owner Pete Mattson at Canterbury Park.

Alonzo Quinonez was aboard for trainer Tim Padilla, who also trains and co-owns with Mattson Thealligatorhunter, who finished second 8 1/4 lengths ahead of Westons Wildcat. Hot Shot Kid finished last in the four-horse field. Xavey Dave was scratched.

“The both did exactly what they were supposed to,” Padilla said. Doctor Oscar took the lead with Thealligatorhunter chasing. He got within a head of the winner before Doctor Oscar kicked away.

The winner paid $2.60 as the prohibitive favorite in the $50,000 six-furlong stake restricted to horses bred in Minnesota. Doctor Oscar, who covered the distance in a rapid 1:08.82, now has won seven of 16 lifetime starts and $252,923 in purses.

Favorite Charlie’s Penny had to earn it, but the 5-year-old mare closed with a rush to beat Clickbait by one length in 1:09.96 in the $50,000 Lady Slipper Stakes. Charlie’s Penny was ridden by Lindey Wade, trained by Joel Berndt and is owned and was bred by Bob Lothenbach. Clickbait, ridden Saturday by Cecily Evans, won the Lady Slipper in 2021 and 2022.

“Clickbait was just resilient in getting beat, but I think we could have went a second faster and Charlie’s Penny would have just gritted it out,” Wade said. “There was no way she was going to let a horse finish in front of her.”

Charlie’s Penny paid $3.00 to win. There were no winning tickets in the 10 percent takeout Pick 5 on Saturday, resulting in a carryover to Sunday’s card of $69,683. The pick 5, a 50-cent base wager, will begin in race 4. The eight-race program begins at 2 p.m. EDT. Total handle for Saturday was $1,184,778.