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.
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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