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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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Canterbury Handles Record $2 Million During Minnesota Festival Of Champions

Rain may have forced scratches and surface changes Wednesday at Canterbury Park, but it did not dampen the spirit of participants in the 27th Minnesota Festival of Champions, an evening of racing restricted to horses bred in the state and designed to celebrate the industry. The 12-race card, with eight stakes, was conducted over a sloppy main track with five races moved from the rain-saturated turf course to the slop in front of a capacity crowd limited to 750 spectators due to COVID-19 restrictions. On track handle was $121,434 while total handle of $2,048,915 was a record for the event.

Ready to Runaway continued her Canterbury dominance winning the $100,000 Bella Notte Minnesota Distaff Sprint by 4 1/4 lengths in 1:10.12, her sixth stakes winner, including a 2019 Festival victory, since being claimed last summer for $25,000 by John Mentz of Lakeville, Minn. The 4-year-old filly came from off the pace, before taking command in the stretch. “I was a little concerned because I thought she would get the lead,” Mentz said. “But she has been so good. When you claim a horse you just hope to get a [winner's circle] picture taken, not win a $100,000 stakes race.” Roimes Chirinos rode the $2.20 winner for trainer Mac Robertson.

Chirinos and Robertson teamed up again to win the $100,000 Princess Elaine, moved from turf to the main track, with Clickbait who is co-owned by Mentz, Jeff Larson and Hugh Robertson. Clickbait won easily by 7 ½ lengths and paid $3.20 as the favorite. Robertson has won a record 37 Festival races.

Drop of Golden Sun raced gate to wire in the 1 1/16 mile $100,000 Blair's Cove Stakes under Francisco Arrieta winning by two lengths over Dame Plata. The 5-year-old is owned and trained by Tony Rengstorf. Made the wagering favorite off a front running win in the Wally's Choice Stakes Aug. 19 at the same distance, Drop of Golden Sun paid $5.20 to win covering the distance in 1:42.57.

Sneeky Diversion, a 2-year-old gelding who eight days earlier broke his maiden at first asking, battled for the lead with eventual fourth place finisher Well Pro for a half-mile in the six furlong $100,000 Northern Lights Futurity before prevailing by 1 1/2 lengths over closer Fitzpatrick in 1:09.80. Sneeky Diversion, who paid $9.80, was ridden by Dean Butler for leading owner Lothenbach Stables, Inc. and leading trainer Joel Berndt. This was the first Festival victory for Berndt.

Jockey Ry Eikleberry wasted no time sending 2-year-old filly Star of the North to the lead in the $100,000 Northern Lights Debutante and was never challenged, winning by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:10.77 for six furlongs and paying $8.00 to win. The filly is owned by Michael Grossman and trained by Francisco Bravo.

Trainer David Van Winkle won $100,000 Crocrock Minnesota Sprint with Fireman Oscar who closed from last to win by three lengths after chasing a pace of 43.93 seconds for the half mile. The 6-year-old completed six furlongs in 1:08.80. Fireman Oscar is owned and was bred by Peter Mattson and was ridden by Alonso Quinonez.

The $70,350 Minnesota Quarter Horse Futurity was decided by a head as Corona White Sox defeated favorite Western Reserve with Nik Goodwin aboard for trainer Patrick Swan and owner and breeder Dan Kjorsvik.

“I broke really, really well,” Goodwin said. “I was pretty confident,” he said after a photo finish determined the winner.

Eikleberry closed out the card winning the $67,250 Minnesota Quarter Horse Derby on the favorite Vo Fantastic Aira who paid $3.40. The 3-year-old was a head better than Johnee B. Vo Fantastic Aira is trained by Ed Ross Hardy for the meet's leading quarter horse owner Corey Wilmes.

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Northern Playboy Posts Minor Upset In Minnesota Derby

Upsets were sandwiched by favorites in the five stakes races run Wednesday evening at Canterbury Park. The first stake, the $50,000 MTA Sales Graduate Futurity, went to 2-5 favorite Westa Waverly and the final stake, the $50,000 Glitter Star, to 1-5 winner Ready to Runaway. In between were 10-1 Minnesota Oaks winner Hotasapistol, 6-1 Minnesota Derby winner Northern Playboy and Drop of Golden Sun, 6-1 winner of the $50,000 Wally's Choice. Both the Oaks and the Derby offered $100,000 purses. All five races were restricted to horses bred in Minnesota.

Hotasapistol, a 3-year-old filly owned and bred by Gary and Brenda Bergsrud, is trained by Clinton Stuart and was ridden by Alonso Quinonez. She covered the 1 mile and 70 yards of the Minnesota Oaks in 1:44.57, using a rail trip to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Hotasapistol paid $22.60 for a $2 win wager.

The Minnesota Derby winner Northern Playboy was bred and is owned by Dale Schenian and his trainer Francisco Bravo. Leading rider Ry Eikleberry was aboard the 3-year-old gelding that paid $14.20. Northern Playboy tracked favorite Weekend Ride and Public Safety in the early stages. Eikleberry waited for room to get by.

“I wasn't even sure if I could get through,” he said, but when Weekend Ride drifted out the eventual winner shot through and pulled away for a 4 3/4 lengths victory. “I was on much the best,” Eikleberry said. “We're really proud of him.”

Drop of Golden Sun went gate to wire in the Wally's Choice defeating all-time Minnesota bred money earner Hot Shot Kid by 3 1/4 lengths. He is owned and trained by Tony Rengstorf and was ridden by Francisco Arrieta. Drop of Golden Sun paid $15.00 to win.
Westa Waverly set the pace in the MTA Sales Graduate Futurity, fended off a challenge from Well Pro in the stretch, and then drew off to win by 4 lengths under Quinonez. The 2-year-old gelding, trained by Coty Rosin and owned by Jeff Ryan and Gary Starkson, returned $2.80. Final time for the 5 furlongs was 58.08 seconds.

Ready to Runaway continued her Canterbury main track dominance with an easy win in the Glitter Star Stakes. Jockey Roimes Chirinos sent the 4-year-old filly to the lead in the 1 1/16 mile race and was never challenged. She was under wraps at the wire, clear of second-place finisher Clickbait by 8 1/2 lengths. Ready to Runaway, $2.40, is trained by Mac Robertson for owner John Mentz. She has now won eight of 10 main track races at Canterbury.

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Canterbury Requests Added Race Date, Schedule Changes

Canterbury Park racing officials have submitted to the Minnesota Racing Commission a request to add to the 2020 racing schedule Thursday, Sept. 3 and to reschedule Sept. 7 and 15 to Thursdays, Sept. 10 and 17.

The added day is a make-up for a six-race cancellation on June 18 due to inclement weather. The shuffling of dates moves racing from a Monday and Tuesday to Thursdays, the most robust day of the week for wagering handle. The change would make Sept. 17 the final day of the season. The racing commission is expected to approve these changes.

The annual Minnesota Festival of Champions, a day of racing dedicated to horses bred in the state originally slated for Sept. 7, will now be Wednesday, Sept. 9. In its 27th rendition, the Minnesota Festival of Champions will offer more than $710,000 in stakes purses, making it the richest day on the 2020 schedule.

First post each day remains 4:30 p.m. More information is available at www.canterburypark.com .

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