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Canterbury Requests 65-Date Season For 2021, Purses Projected To Return To Pre-COVID Levels

Canterbury Park racing officials have submitted a request to the Minnesota Racing Commission for 65 racing dates in 2021 beginning May 18 and running through Sept. 16. With the request came the caveat that future impacts associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may necessitate an amendment to the request. Horsemen purses are projected to return to pre-COVID-19 levels of approximately $220,000 per day, a 13 percent increase over the $195,000 per day in 2020. The meet would feature both thoroughbred and quarter horse racing.

Canterbury Park's 2020 race meet was delayed and shortened but once commencing on June 10 the meet ran uninterrupted for 53 days through Sept. 17 with limited spectators.

“We intend to run a more typical 65-day meet in 2021,” Vice President of Racing Operations Andrew Offerman said. “We have learned a lot about safely conducting a racing season during very trying circumstances. We will build on that knowledge next season knowing that there may be subsequent changes and alterations to the schedule. However, it is important for the racing industry to understand our intention to run a 65-day meet from mid-May through mid-September.”

With a capacity limit of 750 spectators in the recently concluded meet, track officials moved off the traditional Thursday through Sunday schedule and conducted racing Monday through Thursday evenings. The result was a 116 percent increase in out-of-state wagering handle. The request for 2021 is for a Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday schedule with racing on Memorial Day and Labor Day as well as Saturday, July 3.

Canterbury Park's live racing success has been predicated on live crowds averaging more than 6,500 per day generating food, beverage, handle and admission revenues crucial to supporting a race meet that employs more than 1,000 workers, the majority of which was lost in 2020.

“We fully understand the severity and serious nature of the ongoing pandemic; however we remain optimistic and are planning a 2021 season for what might be possible,” Vice President of Marketing John Groen said. “Should venues like Canterbury Park be allowed to safely increase attendance capacity, Sunday afternoon would provide an opportunity to reintroduce popular family promotions tied to live horse racing that we are known for.”

Sunday afternoon racing in 2021 would replace Mondays which produced the weakest results during Canterbury Park's 2020 meet. In past years, promotions such as corgi dog races and fireworks displays have attracted crowds three times larger than the daily average.

The 2021 schedule also includes a nine-day break to accommodate Twin Cities Summer Jam, a three-day music festival held in the racetrack infield July 22 through 24. The event was first held in 2019 but postponed in 2020 as a result of the pandemic.

The Minnesota Racing Commission, a nine-member panel appointed by the state's governor tasked with overseeing the integrity and safety of horse racing at Minnesota's two pari-mutuel racetracks, is expected to consider Canterbury's race date request at its December meeting. Minnesota Administrative Rule 7872.0100 required Canterbury Park to submit for 2021 racing dates no later than Nov. 15, 2020.

Canterbury Park's 24/7 card casino and simulcast racebook remain open daily. For more information visit www.canterburypark.com.

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Minnesota Oaks Winner Hotasapistol Takes On Open Company In Remington Park Oaks

The Grade 3, $100,000 Remington Park Oaks tops the undercard for Oklahoma Derby Sunday, Sept. 27. The 1-1/16 miles main track event will be drawn in the track racing office on Wednesday morning.

Clinton Stuart, a mainstay at Remington Park throughout the track's history, is expected to enter Hotasapistol in the oaks. The 3-year-old filly by Flat Out from the Dayjur mare Alacazar would make her first attempt away from Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn.

Owned by Gary and Brenda Bergsrud, Hotasapistol has made eight starts in her career, three as a juvenile and five this summer, all in Minnesota-bred company at Canterbury. The winner of the $100,000 Minnesota Oaks on Aug. 19, Hotasapistol put in her first local work for the Remington Park Oaks on Monday, Sept. 21. She went a half-mile in :49.72, handily, on a fast track.

Stuart is seeking his second Remington Park Oaks victory. He saddled standout War Thief to win the 1995 oaks, when it was contested at 1-1/16 miles over the turf.

Also targeting the Remington Park Oaks is the Simon Callaghan-trained Paige Anne. Arrived on Monday at Remington Park, she will make her first start outside of California in the Remington Park Oaks. Most recently, she was third in the Grade 3, $100,000 Torrey Pines at Del Mar on Aug. 22.

A daughter of Take Charge Indy from the Milwaukee Brew mare Forbidden, Paige Anne worked at Santa Anita on Sunday, Sept. 20, prior to traveling to Oklahoma City. She moved a half-mile in :50.1 handily on a fast track for trainer Simon Callaghan.

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Canterbury’s 2020 Season Sees Record Off-Track Wagering; Average Race Handle Up 114 Percent

A racing season that was postponed and shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic concluded Thursday evening at Canterbury Park with the results leaving track officials pleased, considering the race meet was in jeopardy in April. The Shakopee, Minn. racetrack conducted an uninterrupted 53-day race meet that began on June 10, a month later and 12 days shorter than originally planned.

With capacity limited to 750 spectators, when in 2019 the track averaged 6,592 daily, and race days reduced by 20 percent, wagering on track declined 65 percent to $3.7 million. Off-track wagering from across the country however increased 115.6 percent to $64.7 million. Average handle per race, perhaps the best comparison under the circumstances, increased 114 percent due to a 174 percent increase in per race out of state handle.

“We are pleased with the results of the 2020 live racing season and our record all-sources handle,” Vice President of Racing Andrew Offerman said. “Although the substantial increase in off-track handle didn't fully offset our losses in admissions, food and beverage and on-track handle revenues, the increase in exposure of our racing product and the national acceptance of it were encouraging. These off-track gains helped us salvage a mostly successful season in the midst of a global pandemic.”

Canterbury officials made the decision to pivot from a traditional schedule that included weekends to a Monday through Thursday race week designed to capture national wagering dollars when facing less competition. The gamble paid off as total handle of $68,388,504 for 53 days far exceeded the 2018 record of $48,142,704 when 66 racing programs were conducted.

Jockey Francisco Arrieta won the final two stakes of the season with victories in the $50,000 Shakopee Juvenile aboard 2-year-old filly Heart Full of Soul and the $50,000 Tom Metzen HBPA Sprint on King of the Court. Heart Full of Soul is trained by Mac Robertson and is owned by Hugh Robertson and Gregory Erwin. She defeated five colts and geldings, winning by two lengths and paying $7.00.
Robertino Diodoro trains King of the Court for owner Gary Kropp and Clayton and Rick Wiest. Arrieta and King of the Court tracked the pace, took control in upper stretch and held off a late challenge by Arcadia Calls to win by a neck. As the wagering favorite, the 5-year-old paid $5.40.

The leading Thoroughbred owner for the meet was Robert Lothenbach who won 32 races. Joel Berndt, whose primary owner is Lothenbach, won his first Canterbury training title with 45 wins. Ry Eikleberry was the leading thoroughbred jockey with 77 wins. This was his third riding title. The top quarter horse trainer was Jason Olmstead for the sixth consecutive season. He had 19 wins. Nik Goodwin won the quarter riding honors with 10 victories. Corey Wilmes was leading quarter horse owner with six wins.

Ready to Runaway, winner of four of five starts including the Lady Slipper Stakes, the Glitter Star Stakes and the Minnesota Distaff Sprint, was named Horse of the Meet. She is owned by John Mentz of Lakeville and is trained by Mac Robertson.

Canterbury Park's 2020 Horse of the Year and divisional champions:

Horse of the Year – Ready to Runaway (owner: John Mentz : trainer: Mac Robertson)
Sprinter – Ready to Runaway (owner: John Mentz : trainer: Mac Robertson)
Older Filly or Mare – Ready to Runaway (owner: John Mentz : trainer: Mac Robertson)
Older Horse – Drop of Golden Sun (owner: Rengstorf Racing LLC : trainer: Tony Rengstorf)
Grass Horse – Tut's Revenge (owner: Claim To Fame Stable : trainer: Clinton Stuart)
Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding – Vo Fantastic Aira (QH) (owner: Corey Wilmes : trainer: Ed Ross Hardy)
Three-Year-Old Filly – Hotasapistol (owner: Gary and Brenda Bergsrud : trainer: Clinton Stuart)
Two-Year-Old – Sneeky Diversion (owner: Lothenbach Stables, Inc : trainer: Joel Berndt)
Claimer – Hotfoot (owner: Rocket Wrench Racing LLC : trainer: Karl Broberg)
Quarter Horse – Vo Fantastic Aira (owner: Corey Wilmes : trainer: Ed Ross Hardy)

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Approaching Final Week Of Racing, Canterbury’s 2020 Handle Already $15 Million Above 2019 Record

Canterbury Park's 53-day horse racing season will conclude with 4:00 p.m. post times on Wednesday and Thursday. Each evening, 13 thoroughbred races will be run. A total of 247 horses were entered over the two programs for an average field size of 9.5, exceeding the season average of 7.2 horses per race.

The racing season, in jeopardy this spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was postponed and subsequently shortened from the planned 65-days. The meet began June 10. Track officials abandoned weekend racing and shifted to a Monday through Thursday schedule where there would be less competition nationally for the wagering dollar. On-track business suffered as capacity was limited to 750 spectators, substantially below the 2019 average attendance of 6,592, however wagering handle soared due to the schedule change as horseplayers across the country bet on Canterbury's races in unprecedented numbers. Handle this season has already exceeded 2019's record $48 million, with $63.8 million bet during the first 51 days and an additional $4 to $5 million expected over the final two days.

“It was crucial to the Minnesota horse racing and breeding industry that Canterbury Park conduct a meet in 2020,” Vice President of Racing Andrew Offerman said. “The support and guidance of the Minnesota Racing Commission and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture was very helpful as we found a way to make racing a reality in the current environment. The horsemen have been very supportive throughout the summer and operated in a manner that kept all participants safe. The efforts of the Canterbury staff must also be acknowledged as they have put in long hours implementing our safety plans.”

Wednesday's program is highlighted by a $41,427 carryover in the 10% Takeout Pick 5 pool. The 50-cent base wager begins with the ninth race. Track officials anticipate the pool could swell to $250,000, far exceeding the average pool of nearly $75,000. Thursday features two $50,000 stakes races, the Tom Metzen HBPA Sprint and the Shakopee Juvenile.

Trainer Joel Berndt is on the cusp of winning his first leading trainer title at Canterbury, holding a 40 to 32 edge over 13-time champion Mac Robertson. Berndt has 28 horses entered, Robertson 17. Jockey Ry Eikleberry seeks his third riding title, he was best in 2014 and 2018, as he leads last year's top jockey Francisco Arrieta by five wins, 71 to 66. While the lead is daunting it is not insurmountable with Arrieta named on horses in all 26 races. Eikleberry has 22 mounts.

Limited seating remains available and tickets can be purchased in advance at www.canterburypark.com .

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