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Racing Steward And Judge Needed For Minnesota Racing Commission

The Minnesota Racing Commission is accepting proposals for racing steward and judge positions for the live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse race meet at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota and the live Standardbred race meet at Running Aces Casino, Hotel and Racetrack in Columbus, Minn. Both meets will be held May 2021 through September 2021 and work for these positions is expected to begin in April 2021.

The approximate term of contract would be from April 15, 2021 through April 14, 2022, with the option to extend an additional four years in increments determined by the state.

Prospective bidders can obtain a copy of the request for proposals by sending a written request, by email, to Bob Schiewe, deputy director of the Minnesota Racing Commission, at bob.schiewe@state.mn.us.

Proposals may be submitted throughout the calendar year 2021, but preference will be given to responses received by January 30, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. central time for the initial award of contract(s).

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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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Midshipman Filly Tops Minnesota Yearling Sale

The Minnesota Thoroughbred Association's 2020 yearling sale took place Sunday, led by a $42,000 Midshipman filly.

A total of 34 Minnesota-bred yearlings changed hands during the auction for revenues of $359,800, down 34 percent from last year's auction when 44 horses brought $549,000. The average sale price fell 22 percent to $9,724 from $12,477.

Sunday's auction was topped by Hip 43, Harlow's Harmony, a Midshipman filly who sold to Barry and Joni Butzow for $42,000.

The bay filly is out of the stakes-winning Sahm filly Sahm Sweetheart, who is the dam of two winners from three runners, including stakes winner Dazzlingsweetheart and stakes-placed Blumin Sweetheart. Harlow's Harmony hails from the family of Grade 3 winner He's Vivacious and stakes winners including Plana Dance, Heliskier, and Gypsy Melody.

The sale-topper was bred in Minnesota and consigned by Mary and Eric Von Seggern. They finished the sale as the leading consignor by gross, with four horses sold for a combined $91,800.

Novogratz Racing Stable and trainer Mac Robertson secured the auction's second-most expensive horse, Hip 30, a Fed Biz filly, for $35,000.

A dark bay or brown filly out of the winning Sky Mesa mare Mesa Mirage, she is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Mister Banjoman and a full-sister to the winner Dreaming Biz. Her page features Grade 1 winner Cool and English Group 2 winner Mountain Kingdom.

Almar Farm partners bred the filly in Minnesota and consigned her at the sale.

To view the auction's full results, click here.

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