An average daily handle of $830,371 was up 72% from the 48-date meet in 2022 to set a new track record and was the highest daily handle recorded by a racetrack in the state of New Mexico since 2010. Live handle was up an equally impressive 47% from 2022. Five of the tracks ten all-time highest daily handles were recorded in 2023, all coming in the last 15 days of the meet.

Purses were a big reason in driving the average Thoroughbred field size to nearly nine horses per race (8.91) versus last year's 7.45 per race figure. Average daily overnight purses totaled $344,067, both a track and New Mexico record. Total average daily purses, including stakes, was $432,767.

Racing safety also set records with only two racing catastrophic injuries the entire meet resulting in a rate of 0.74 per 1000 starters–the lowest ever recorded for Zia Park and nearly 50% lower than the national average for dirt races as published by The Jockey Club's Equine Injury Database. There was one catastrophic injury during training which began Oct. 1.

“From all metrics the meet was a great success–records set for wagering, purses and in safety as well,” said Lauren Barrows, Vice President and General Manager. “We thank all our guests, horsemen and racing participants and team members for having a part in delivering those impressive numbers.”

Todd Fincher won his third straight training title, while jockey Luis Fuentes secured his second straight leading rider title. The leading Thoroughbred owners were J. Kirk and Judy Robison.

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“We are delighted to announce that the World Championships will be returning to Del Mar next year for what is sure to be an unforgettable two-year-run on the West Coast,” said Drew Fleming, Breeders' Cup President and CEO.

This year's Breeders' Cup races take place at Santa Anita Nov. 3 and 4.

Fleming added, “Breeders' Cup has always been a strong supporter of California racing and we look forward to showcasing this wonderful venue once again to our horsemen and fans from around the world.”

In 2017 and again in 2021, Del Mar drew fans from around the world and set wagering records on both occasions. In the inaugural Del Mar Breeders' Cup, two-day on-track handle was a record $25,181,317, as Gun Runner stamped his authority on that year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic. History was made in 2021, as Japan celebrated its first two Breeders' Cup victories with Loves Only You (Jpn) and Marche Lorraine (Jpn). Despite operating at only 50% capacity due to COVID-related protocols, all-sources handle reached a record $183,260,127.

“We're excited for the return of Breeders' Cup to Del Mar in 2024,” said Josh Rubinstein, President of Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. “The prestige of the event combined with our venue's iconic, seaside setting makes for an extraordinary weekend. Additionally, we are grateful for the economic support the Championship races bring to our community. This is a milestone event for San Diego and we look forward to building upon the record-breaking success in 2017 and 2021.”

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The all-sources wagering of $208,907,655 was a 15.41% increase over the 2021 fall meet record of $181,009,626. It was the fourth consecutive season of record handle at the track. The numbers do not include whole-card simulcasting at Keeneland.

“This fall meet embodied everything our founders envisioned for Keeneland–a place where families and friends could gather and enjoy great horse racing–all heightened by anticipation for the Breeders' Cup,” said Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin. “The race meet was special in every way: idyllic weather, terrific racing, and special events like Make-A-Wish Day, Heroes Day, and Teacher Appreciation Day that celebrated many deserving people. We thank everyone involved in making the Fall Meet a success and look forward to the fun continuing as we host the World Championships next weekend.”

On-track wagering for the fall meet totaled $15,351,232, up from last year's $15,162,221 (a 1.25% increase). Fall Stars Saturday (Oct. 8) set records for fall meet single-day all-sources handle ($21,695,896, surpassing the $20,926,640 on the equivalent day in 2021, a previous record) and Pick 5 wagering ($1,431,736, bettering last year's $1,255,080). In addition, a Keeneland record payoff of $72,863.72 for a 10-cent superfecta wager occurred Oct. 20.

All the fall meet leader titles came down to the wire, with all decided on Saturday. Gary and Mary West won their first Keeneland leading owner title with four wins over the 17 days, including the GII Hagyard Fayette S. with West Will Power (Bernardini) on closing day. West Will Power also pushed his trainer, Brad Cox, to the trainer title with 11 total wins. It was Cox's third consecutive fall training title and fourth Keeneland title overall. Todd Pletcher and Wesley Ward tied for second with 10 wins apiece.

Luis Saez nabbed his second Keeneland riding title by winning three races on closing day, including the final race of the meet. He just edged Tyler Gaffalione 21-20. Gaffalione had six stakes wins during the fall meet, one shy of Pat Day's single-season record of seven.

Other highlights of Keeneland's fall meet included:

• Average daily purses of a record $1,168,120, up 32.66% from $880,511 during the 2021 Fall Meet
• Average daily all-sources handle of $12,288,686, up from $10,647,625 in 2021 (15.41% increase)
• Average daily on-track handle of $903,014, up from $891,895 in 2021 (up by 1.25%)

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Officials at Churchill Downs Incorporated reported a new handle record for Friday's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks program at Churchill Downs. Despite a threat of widespread scattered thunderstorms, 100,188 spectators gathered under the historic Twin Spires to watch Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas win his fifth Kentucky Oaks.

Wagering from all-sources on the full Kentucky Oaks day race card totaled $74.6 million, up 37% compared to 2021 and up 24% compared to the previous record in 2019. All-sources wagering on the Kentucky Oaks itself was $24.3 million up 40% compared to 2021 and up 25% from the previous record in 2019.

“Today we celebrate Secret Oath and her connections,” said Churchill Downs President Mike Anderson. “The 148th Kentucky Oaks will be remembered as a triumphant return to a full-

capacity crowd. We thank the fans, sponsors, horsemen, horseplayers and all participants who contributed to today's record-breaking success.”

CDI continued the tradition of using Kentucky Oaks as a platform to raise money for women's health initiatives, and welcomed breast and ovarian cancer survivors who had waited to walk in the Survivors Parade presented by Kroger. The 148 survivors were joined by charitable partners and volunteers from Norton Healthcare and Kentucky Cancer Program's Horses and Hope, to take an in-person walk on Churchill Downs' newly-installed Turf Course.

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“The camaraderie in Indiana this season was unprecedented and as a result, we undoubtedly had our best year to date,” said Elmore. “We started out with an extensive planning project and were able to achieve everything on the list thanks to everyone coming in and doing their part with one goal in mind – what was best for Indiana.”

Elmore noted the partnership with the Indiana Thoroughbred Breed Development Advisory Committee, led by Jessica Barnes, Indiana Grand led by Joe Morris, Senior Vice President of Racing, and Halstrom, Joe Davis, president of the Indiana HBPA and the board of directors, members of the Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (ITOBA), and members of the Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance (ITA) all contributed to the success from all angles. As a result, the state established numerous records, including the highest amount of money paid for Indiana bred and sired overnights and stakes ($9,096,200), a record for highest amount of money paid in breeders awards ($3,274,045), a record number of Thoroughbred Breed Development races run (400), and a record for highest amount of money paid in stallion awards ($777,205), showing the continued growth and investment in the state's breeding and racing industries.

“Our board really worked hard to ensure we had everything in the right place for racing in 2021,” said Davis. “We spent a lot of time working out details with Indiana Grand track management as well as the Breed Development committee members and it really paid off. We want to thank everyone involved for their time and commitment to Indiana racing.”

Along with state records, Indiana Grand also hit several new marks, including a record for all sources handle ($223,204,265), a record single day handle during Indiana Derby ($6,292,388), and a record number of purses paid at $36,035,650.

“We had a large number of people engaged in our product from the start of the meet,” noted Halstrom. “From the horsemen to racing fans, we had great momentum carrying us through the 123-day racing season. It set the tone as our company continues on the path of expansion and enhancements directly related to the racing program. We have a lot to celebrate.”

Some of the enhancements Halstrom referred to include the current construction of a new 100-stall barn and a 50-room dormitory, the completion of a new Equicizer, the addition of a drone during live racing, and a new lighting and paving project in the barn area. In addition, the track introduced several new lower takeout rates which were appealing to handicappers and had a direct impact on purses, which were increased twice during the season.

The HBPA also implemented several programs throughout the year specifically for their membership base, including a produce stand with reduced rates from mid-May through September, three Ice Cream truck events, two large dinners for those living and working on the backstretch, and an active Chaplaincy program which provided a monthly dinner in addition to transportation for food, medical appointments, and overall ministry on an on-going basis for its member base that exceeds 2,000.

“It just goes to show how strong a program can become when everyone pitches in and works toward a common goal,” added Elmore. “And we feel this is just the beginning. With this momentum, we will continue to work with everyone to take racing to the next level in 2022.”

The 20th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing is set to resume Tuesday, April 19 and run through Wednesday, Nov. 23. Racing will be held Monday through Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. with Thursday racing beginning at 3:30 p.m. A total of 12 Saturday racing programs will be held in 2022. For more information on events and racing, go to www.indianagrand.com.

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Led by a record handle at the Del Mar-hosted Breeders' Cup World Championships on Nov. 5 and 6 ($183,260,127, a two-day record for the championship event), November's total wagering numbers were up 7.40 percent over the same month in 2020. Part of the reason for the increase could be the return of in-person attendance to the Breeders' Cup, which was severely restricted at Keeneland in 2020.

When Del Mar last hosted the Breeders' Cup in 2017, it posted a then-record handle of $166,077,486. The new mark is 10.4 percent higher than that.

Compared to 2019, this November's handle was only 0.62 percent higher, though average wagering per race day sustained a solid 12.04 percent bump between November of 2019 and November of 2021.

Though purses and race days are both up over 25 percent from the same month in 2020, average daily wagering saw a sharp decrease of 17.33 percent, while the year-to-date figures for average wagering are also down nearly 10 percent. That contrasts sharply with the numbers from 2019, which put average wagering up over 20 percent from the first 11 months of 2019 to the same period in 2021.

The discrepancy could be explained by the increased attention horse racing experienced during the harshest months of the pandemic in 2020; this year's return to a more normal sports schedule and in-person activities could definitely play a role in where wagering dollars have been spent.

YTD 2021 vs. YTD 2020
Indicator	YTD 2021	YTD 2020	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$11,409,728,296	$10,171,153,164	+12.18%
U.S. Purses	$1,106,048,142	$812,236,796	+36.17%
U.S. Race Days	3,821	3,073	+24.34%
U.S. Races	31,415	25,692	+22.28%
U.S. Starts	230,147	203,122	+13.30%
Average Field Size	7.33	7.91	-7.34%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,986,058	$3,309,845	-9.78%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$289,466	$264,314	+9.52%

2019 Comparisons:

YTD 2021 vs. YTD 2019
Indicator	YTD 2021	YTD 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$11,409,728,296	$10,326,096,192	+10.49%
U.S. Purses	$1,106,048,142	$1,101,605,086	+0.40%
U.S. Race Days	3,821	4,173	-8.44%
U.S. Races	31,415	34,038	-7.71%
U.S. Starts	230,147	254,992	-9.74%
Average Field Size	7.33	7.49	-2.21%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,986,058	$2,474,502	+20.67%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$289,466	$263,984	+9.65%

* Includes worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races.

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The track could point to many other positives throughout the 2021 year – the return of racing fans, exceptional purses for its horsemen, and hosting another record-setting Breeders' Cup among them. But the standard the track is proudest of is its continuing mark as America's safest major racetrack. Only one horse was injured catastrophically in the 426 races and 3,552 starters that performed during the two sessions, a mark that is unmatched in the country.

Total handle for the four-week, 13-day fall session was $171.58 million. The fall meet average daily handle was a record $13.19 million, which was 1.0% higher than the record average daily handle posted last year.

The Breeders' Cup – conducted at Del Mar on November 5 and 6 – had a common-pool handle of $183,260,127, a two-day record for the championship event.

When Del Mar last hosted the Breeders' Cup in 2017, it posted a then-record handle of $166,077,486. The new mark is 10.4% higher than that.

The two-meet mark of $943.49 million is 21.3% higher than the 2017 standard of $779.97 million. Both years featured Breeders' Cups.

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club's CEO, Joe Harper, said he was extremely pleased by events at his track over the year. “I am exceptionally proud of our team and seeing all their hard work come to such wonderful fruition over the course of the two seasons,” he said. “We put on a helluva Breeders' Cup show once again; we were at our best for the best. And we're safe, very safe. That's just the best of all.”

“The racing world once again got to see what we're spoiled with every year – one of the best operations in the industry,” said Gary Fenton, chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners. “Breeders' Cup kicked off another wonderful meet and we're so grateful for the entire DMTC team. TOC couldn't ask for a better partner.”

The track's Ship & Win program – where it encourages horsemen and horsewomen to bring their runners to Del Mar for both of its seasons and has proven to be one of the great thoroughbred magnets in the country – had another banner session. Sixty-seven new runners came to town this fall under the program with six of them making a second start during the Bing Crosby Season. All told, 1,885 “S&W” runners have come to California since the program was put in place 11 years ago.

Its fall Turf Festival again drew high-class runners from across the land to compete in its seven-race stand over the final weekend of the meet. More than a dozen stakes aces shipped in to take on the local runners in the rich events.

The track's fall riding king was Juan Hernandez with his 17 firsts from 79 mounts during the 15-day (counting the Breeders' Cup) session. It is his first riding title at Del Mar. The top trainer was Phil D'Amato who registered 15 firsts from 52 starters. It is his first fall training championship, but his third at the track overall.

Racing will return to Del Mar next July 22 for the track's 83rd summer season.

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The total represents a 4.7% increase over the prior record of $174,628,986 set when the event was held at Santa Anita Park in 2019 and a 14.0% increase from the total handle of $160,472,893 at the 2020 event held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

Total common-pool handle on Saturday's 12-race Breeders' Cup card was a record $121,562,392. All sources common-pool handle on Breeders' Cup's 10-race Future Stars Friday card was $61,346,017, also a new record for a Breeders' Cup Friday. This is the fourth consecutive year that Breeders' Cup grouped all its juvenile races together on Friday.

“We had an extraordinary two days of racing showcasing the best Thoroughbreds from around the world and we want to thank our partners here at Del Mar, who did an amazing job, and the greater San Diego community, our gracious hosts this week,” said Breeders' Cup President and CEO Drew Fleming. “The Breeders' Cup is a truly global event with winners this weekend bred, raised, and raced on three different continents.”

On-track handle for the two days was $19,032,307. On-track attendance for the two days was 47,089. Due to precautions related to COVID-19, Breeders' Cup and Del Mar reduced ticket capacity for the 2021 event.

“Our team at Del Mar was thrilled to host this year's renewal of the Breeders' Cup,” said Josh Rubinstein, Del Mar's President and Chief Operating Officer. “We want to extend our congratulations to all of this weekend's participants. They put on an amazing display of world-class competition.”

The Breeders Cup World Championships will return to Keeneland in 2022.

Breeders' Cup Two-Day Attendance and Handle (common-pool) history:

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Keeneland offered a race meet record of $6 million in stakes purses and an expanded stakes schedule of 22 races this fall to further elevate its racing program throughout the meet. Fans responded enthusiastically.

All-sources wagering (not including whole-card simulcasting at Keeneland) for the 17-day Fall Meet, held Oct. 8-30, totaled $181,009,626, smashing the record of $164,680,229 set during the 2021 Spring Meet and the previous Fall Meet record of $160,207,916 set in 2019. The total represents a 22 percent increase over last fall's $148,229,708.

“We are so appreciative of the tremendous support from our fans, our horsemen, the Central Kentucky community, our horseplayers, and our corporate partners,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “Welcoming fans back to Keeneland this fall, along with the return of our special events and tailgating on The Hill, felt like a breath of fresh air after the restrictions of the past year and a half. It was a terrific way to mark our 85th year of racing and to celebrate the important role Keeneland plays in our community and the horse industry.”

Wagering was boosted when on Fall Stars Saturday, Oct. 9, Keeneland established records for Fall Meet single-day all-sources and Pick 5 wagering, besting previous records set on Fall Stars Saturday in 2019 and 2020, respectively. All-sources handle totaled $20,926,640, surpassing the $18,392,756 set in 2019. Wagering on the All-Stakes Pick 5 totaled $1,255,080 to shatter the former Fall Meet record of $868,303 from 2020.

Keeneland introduced a new wager, the Keeneland Turf Pick 3, with a $3 minimum and 15 percent takeout, tying together the final three turf races of each day. The wager was well received by the public, netting a total handle of $1,683,502, or an average of $112,233 per day. The average payout was over $1,300 for a $3 wager.

On-track wagering for the Fall Meet totaled $15,162,221, for an average of $2,477,890.

Memorable Racing Moments and Milestones

Purses at Keeneland this fall remained among the richest in North America, averaging $880,511 per day, up 29 percent over the 2020 Fall Meet. Average starters per race was 8.7.

To enhance the final days of the season, Keeneland scheduled two new $150,000 juvenile stakes, the Myrtlewood and Bowman Mill; revived the Perryville and Bryan Station, both fixtures for 3-year-olds, and scheduled the Grade 3 Rubicon Valley View and Grade 2 Hagyard Fayette to create multiple stakes cards.

Keeneland featured a deep turf schedule with 12 of its 22 stakes held on the grass, headlined by three Grade 1 events: $750,000 Keeneland Turf Mile, $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana, and $400,000 First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare.

The Fall Meet showcased a number of Breeders' Cup-bound horses in 10 Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” races. Among those winners pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup are Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner Rattle N Roll (TVG Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance); Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades winner Juju's Map (NetJets Juvenile Fillies); First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare winner Blowout (GB) (FanDuel Mile Presented by PDJF); Indian Summer (L) Presented by Keeneland Select winner Averly Jane (Juvenile Turf Sprint); Grade 2 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine winner California Angel (Juvenile Fillies Turf); Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster winner Letruska (Distaff); Grade 1 Keeneland Turf Mile winner In Love (BRZ) (Mile) and Grade 2 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix winner Special Reserve (Qatar Racing Sprint).

Another Fall Meet stakes winner pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup is Grade 2 Woodford Presented by TVG winner Golden Pal (Turf Sprint).

“Fans enjoyed a spectacular fall season of racing, and we say a sincere 'thank you' to our owners, trainers, and jockeys for their loyalty and support,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “We are proud of the lucrative purse money and expanded racing opportunities offered during the Fall Meet, and look forward to continuing to strengthen the quality of our program.”

This fall, Keeneland also welcomed two new race sponsors. Castle & Key Distillery, one of Central Kentucky's most popular distillery destinations, sponsored the Grade 2 Bourbon, a Breeders' Cup Challenge event won by Tiz the Bomb, who is pre-entered in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Rubicon, a Lexington-based software company known as “America's technology company” that provides smart waste and recycling solutions to businesses and governments worldwide, became the new sponsor of the Grade 3 Valley View, won by Navratilova.

Among the racing highlights, two owners – Godolphin and G. Watts Humphrey Jr. – achieved their eighth graded stakes win at Keeneland to each earn a Keeneland Tray as part of the track's Milestone Trophy Program. Both were accomplished with homebreds – Godolphin with Caramel Swirl in the Grade 2 Lexus Raven Run and Humphrey with Navratilova in the Rubicon Valley View.

Fall Meet Leaders

The nation's top owners, trainers, and jockeys competed at Keeneland this fall, and their participation heightened the excitement surrounding the title races.

Eclipse Award-winning rider Tyler Gaffalione dominated a deep jockey colony with 29 wins to earn his second consecutive, and third overall, Fall Meet title. He was also leading rider during Keeneland's 2020 Summer Meet. Gaffalione's record was enhanced by five days on which he rode three or more winners, and he notched a win aboard Averly Jane in the Indian Summer Presented by Keeneland Select.

Florent Geroux finished second in the standings with 16 wins, highlighted by the Darley Alcibiades with Juju's Map and the Perryville with He'smyhoneybadger.

Among the jockeys to notch stakes wins during the Fall Meet were brothers Brian Hernandez Jr. and Colby Hernandez, Corey Lanerie, Flavien Prat, Joel Rosario, John Velazquez, Irad Ortiz Jr., Julien Leparoux, Rafael Bejarano, and Javier Castellano.

The battle for leading trainer honors between Brad Cox and Wesley Ward was decided in the final race on closing day. Cox prevailed with 14 victories to secure his second consecutive Fall Meet Keeneland title. Cox also earned the title in the 2018 Spring Meet. Cox's stakes wins were the Darley Alcibiades with Juju's Map and the Perryville with He'smyhoneybadger.

Ward, a seven-time leading trainer at Keeneland, won 13 races, including the Woodford Presented by TVG with Golden Pal and Indian Summer Presented by Keeneland Select with Averly Jane, to rank second in the standings.

Chad Brown and Kenny McPeek were among the other trainers to win two graded stakes this fall. Brown took the First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare with Blowout and the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana with Shantisara (IRE). McPeek scored with Rattle N Roll in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity and with Tiz the Bomb in the Castle & Key Bourbon.

Brad Kelley's Calumet Farm and Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum's Godolphin tied for leading owner with four wins each. It is the first Keeneland owner title for Calumet under Kelley's ownership and the second for Godolphin, who also won in the 2017 Spring Meet.

Fall Meet Special Events Offer Fun and Philanthropy

Keeneland welcomed the on-site return of its popular special events calendar, which exemplified philanthropic goals in keeping with the track's mission to support the Central Kentucky community and horse industry.

Keeneland partnered with valued race sponsors to support community initiatives. Juddmonte and Keeneland donated $10,000 to the Kentucky Equine Management Internship Program. Lexus and Keeneland contributed $5,000 to The MAP Foundation to benefit the Woodhill Community Center.

Current members of the Keeneland jockey colony joined retired riders for an autograph session on Oct. 9 that raised $6,372 for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.

On Make-A-Wish Day, Oct. 14, Keeneland teamed with local Thoroughbred farms and organizations to grant wishes for 10 deserving children, who, along with their families, enjoyed a VIP day at the races. More than $8,000 was raised from fans who placed donations into the “Wishing Well” near the Keeneland Paddock.

The following day, Keeneland hosted College Scholarship Day Presented by Lane's End. Full-time college students were eligible to win one of 10 $2,000 scholarships provided by Keeneland and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and one of two $10,000 scholarships provided by Lane's End.

Heroes Day Presented by Rubicon on Oct. 24 honored members of the military and first responders (law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs, and health care workers) and their families with free general admission and access to reserved Grandstand seats. The afternoon featured lunch provided by City BBQ, children's activities, a spectacular flag unfurling on the main track, and special recognitions and remembrances throughout the day. Keeneland and Rubicon donated $5,000 to the Fraternal Order of Firefighters.

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With no COVID-19 restrictions in place this season, spectators returned and daily average on-track wagering increasing by 87.1 percent to $130,304, leaving officials at the Shakopee, Minn. racetrack thrilled about the season and optimistic for the future.

“It really was an encouraging racing season,” track president Randy Sampson said. “We maintained wagering levels out of state but most importantly we saw racing fans return to Canterbury Park. Business levels increased throughout the summer which allowed us to continue to bring employees back to work and provide the race-day experience that our guests expect.”

Purse money averaged $239,365 daily, with $7.28 of the more than $15 million total contributed by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community through a cooperative marketing and purse enhancement agreement reached with Canterbury Park in 2012. SMSC owns and operates nearby Mystic Lake Casino Hotel. More than $6.6 million in purses was paid to owners of horses that were foaled in Minnesota.

“With the support of horse trainers and owners, we presented an excellent racing product which continued to attract wagering across the country,” Vice President of Racing Operations Andrew Offerman said. “We are grateful for the owners, trainers, breeders, patrons and team that contributed to this record season and we celebrate the record purse distribution of more than $15 million dollars in 2021 that will allow industry participants to reinvest their earnings into future racing prospects and support vitals components of Minnesota's agriculture industry.”

Mac Robertson won the Thoroughbred training title for the 14th time with 62 wins. Lindey Wade, riding at Canterbury for the first time, was leading Thoroughbred jockey with 80 wins, 13 more than last year's champion Ry Eikleberry. Lothenbach Stables Inc. was leading thoroughbred owner with 32 wins and $886,904 in purse earnings. Jason Olmstead continued his dominance in the quarter horse ranks, easily winning his seventh consecutive training title. Tom Maher was leading owner and Edwin Escobedo was top quarter horse jockey.

Cinco Star, trained by Robertson, was named Horse of the Meet. The 6-year-old Minnesota bred, owned by John Mentz of Lakeville, won three times this summer including the Blair's Cove and Ralph Strangis Stakes.

Thursday's 13-race card attracted $2,892,591 in wagering. Minister of Soul under jockey Luis Fuentes won the $50,000 Tom Metzen HBPA Sprint Stakes. The 7-year-old is owned and trained by Esteban Martinez.

Robertson capped the season winning the $50,000 Shakopee Juvenile, a race he has now won five consecutive times, with 2-year-old Misyneedsacocktail. The filly was ridden by Luis Negron for owner Jac Mac Stable, LLC.

Canterbury Park's 2021 Horse of the Year and divisional champions:
• Horse of the Year – Cinco Star (owner: John Mentz : trainer: Mac Robertson)
• Sprinter – Clickbait (owner: Hugh Robertson, John Mentz & Jeff Larson : trainer: Mac Robertson)
• Older Filly or Mare – Ready to Runaway (owner: John Mentz : trainer: Mac Robertson)
• Older Horse – Cinco Star (owner: John Mentz : trainer: Mac Robertson)
• Grass Horse – Cinco Star (owner: John Mentz : trainer: Mac Robertson)
• Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding – Thealligatorhunter (owner: Pete Mattson & Tim Padilla : trainer: Tim Padilla)
• Three-Year-Old Filly – Star of the North (owner: Michael Grossman : trainer: Francisco Bravo)
• Two-Year-Old – Love the Nest (owner: Lothenbach Stables, Inc : trainer: Joel Berndt)
• Claimer – Wild Behavior (owner: Empire Racing Stables : trainer: Robertino Diodoro)
• Quarter Horse – Jess Rocket Man (owner: Lunderborg LLC : trainer: Jason Olmstead)

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