SHAKOPEE, MN – Saturday night marks the 30th running of the Minnesota Festival of Champions and the first to be run without Canterbury Park co-founder Dale Schenian, who passed away earlier this month.
Schenian, along with Curt and Randy Sampson, purchased the track from financier Erwin Jacobs in 1994. “Mr. Dale”, as he was known around the track, had an oversized personality as well as an oversized heart. Mr. Dale had six Festival Day winners, including the brilliantly fast Crocrock who won three Sprint Championships in a row (2000-02) and then came back and won another for good measure in 2004. While an interview with Mr. Dale after a race was more soliloquy than a question and answer, he was always entertaining. Minnesota racing lost a legend, and the human race lost a gem with his passing.
Of the 10 races on the card, six are stakes and all are for Minnesota breds.
The pair of two-year-old stakes are the Northern Lights Futurity and Debutante going six furlongs over the main track and carry a purse of $100,000.
Debutante
Trainer Mac Robertson will be looking to add to his Festival record of 39 wins with the 7/5 morning line favorite, Xtreme Diva. The Coal Front filly out of Silly Little Mama broker her maiden first out in her last race, absolutely cruising under Nik Goodwin to a 12 ½ length victory. A thirty-five-thousand-dollar purchase at last year’s Minnesota Thoroughbred Association sale by Xtreme Racing, Xtreme Diva will be taking on the sale topper from that sale, A Primera Vista, who drew to her outside.
Owned and trained by Kerri Raven, A Primera Vista went to $70,000 before the gavel fell and then won at first asking for Raven at Delaware Park over the turf. She returns to the dirt and home to Minnesota for the Debutante. Raven is bringing in Carol Cedeno to ride.
Futurity
On the boy’s side, leading trainer Joel Berndt brings in a pair of strong contenders with Jonny B Goney and Frosty View. While Frosty View is still a maiden, he only lost his debut by ¾ of a length to stablemate Jonny B Goney, showed a lot of talent – and inexperience. With a race under his belt, he’ll be looking to turn the tables on Jonny B Goney.
Other winners in the Futurity include a pair of Tim Padilla trainees, Outofthedark (owned by Padilla and Pete Mattson) and Mattson home bred, General Battle Axe. Trainer Mike Biehler also has a pair with Mach Two and I Wish I Could.
John Mentz bred and owned Superstar Swank won impressively first out for trainer Mac Robertson on August 10 and should be able to stalk the early pace under Eduardo Gallardo.
The pair of Sprint Championships are shaping up to be the most anticipated and competitive races of the evening.
Crocrock Minnesota Sprint $75,000 Six Furlongs
Doctor Oscar has had a very impressive Canterbury Park season, winning two of three starts including the 10,000 Lakes and notching a sublime 105 Beyer Speed Figure in an open $35,000 optional claiming race. He faltered in a turf dash next out but he’s back on the dirt tonight and is going to be very tough to beat.
His stablemate, Thealligatorhunter, has a lot of speed as well, but it’s hard to believe that he would challenge for the lead against the Doctor, but it is both their running styles.
Sir Sterling, who reeled off three in a row to start the local season, seemed to have a rough time getting the Minnesota Derby distance of a mile and 70 yards, but he’s back sprinting tonight and he’s best effort may be enough.
The Minnesota Derby winner, Roses By Liam, the third Mattson owned horse in the Sprint, will look to be coming off the pace should his stablemates hook up early, though he has shown promise in routes winning at a mile and a mile 70 yards as well as 7 furlongs.
Bella Notte Minnesota Distaff Sprint $75,000 Six Furlongs
A small, but mighty, six horse field has been assembled for the distaff sprint. It feels like every filly and mare are in with a shot so we’ll take this field from the rail out:
Clickbait (Robertson/Cedeno) – The veteran has an incredible career, taking this race in 2021 and was third last year. She’s won 8 of 21 and has earnings of $378,663. Earlier in her career her go-to move was to get on or just off the lead and play catch me if you can. This season she has sat behind the early pace and has a win and two seconds in three starts. It may be notable that Robertson kept regular jock Eduardo Gallardo on Cupids Crush and puts on visiting Carol Cedeno.
Saint Sarena (Biehler/Roman) – This big filly has really come into her own this season, reeling off four consecutive wins before finishing third last out in a $25,000 Optional. She’ll me on the engine and should try and take this field gate to wire.
It’s Her Time (Robertson/Hernandez) – Historically more of a router with a second in the mile and a 1/16 Glitter Star on August 12, she does like being closed to the pace and tried to take an open allowance field start to finish at a mile before finishing third.
She’s My Warrior (Padilla/Quinonez) – Flexible filly won her first race of the season sprinting but had enough stamina to lead all the way in the Glitter Star last out.
Cupids Crush (Robertson/Gallardo) – This filly has had a dynamite 3-year-old season. She started off with a win at Oaklawn Park in a $100,000 Optional and came right back to win at home in an open allowance. She beat open company stakes fillies in the Curtis Sampson Oaks before annihilating a field of locals in the Frances Genter. Her only loss of the year came in the Minnesota Oaks at a mile and 70 yards where she was second behind an explosive performance by Thunders Rocknroll. She’s back sprinting again and should be the one to beat.
Charlie’s Penny (Berndt/Wade) – After her winter break, the five-year-old mare made her seasonal debut in the Lady Slipper and took home the trophy at odds on. That was followed by a pair of uninspiring performances in a Hawthorne stake and then back home in the Glitter Star. Has she had enough or was she just overmatched in Chicago and not cut out to route anymore in the Glitter Star? That’ll be the question you’ll have to answer if you’re going to back her at the windows.
A pair of turf routes round out the stakes action with the boys in the Blair’s Cove and the girls in the Princess Elaine.
Blair’s Cove Minnesota Turf $75,000 Mile and 1/16
Joel Berndt has a pair of Lothenbach Stables’ gelding that appear formidable in the Blair’s Cove. Both will be running late and the race may come down to the strongest finisher.
That’s Not Funny bested his stablemate last out in $25,000 Optional at a mile on the grass. He came from nearly 10 lengths out of under stellar turf rider Jermaine Bridgmohan earning a career best 86 Beyer Speed Figure.
Stagecoach Boys was a bit closer to the pace in that race but was outfinished. While That’s Not Funny earned his top figure in that race, Stagecoach boys has consistently been at that mark all season. Though he’s been 2nd in four consecutive races, he did win his seasonal debut at a mile and 70 yards, longer than anyone else in the field this season.
Jose Patio and Angel’s Magic both have had impressive wins this season, though none over a mile and both will vie for the front end early. That will further play into the strenbgths of the pair of Berndt runners.
Princess Elaine Distaff Turf $75,000 Mile and 1/16
The Princess Elaine features 2022 Horse of the Meet, Midnight Current. Last season she was an undefeated five for five including a win in the 2022 edition of this race. This year she was second to Let’s Skedaddle in her season opener and second in the Lady Canterbury Stakes before she reeled off a pair of wins, including the Minnesota Turf Distaff. She’s two for two at this distance on this course and hasn’t missed the board in her eleven local turf tries.
Let’s Skedaddle was second to her stablemate in the Minnesota Turf Distaff but was charging hard to just miss by a head at 7 ½ furlongs. She’ll need the right kind of setup to win this race and she may get it with Thunders Rocknroll, gate to wire winner in the Minnesota Oaks, Lock It Down and Scent of Success all wanting to go early.
Minnesota Festival of Champions Day will start at 4:00 PM Central Time. Other events this evening will include a performance by the Budweiser Clydesdales and a memorial race honoring late jockey Alex Canchari. Here is the order of the stakes races:
Race 2: Blair’s Cove
Race 3: Minnesota Sprint
Race 4: Northern Lights Debutante
Race 6: Princess Elaine
Race 8: Northern Lights Futurity
Race 9: Minnesota Distaff Sprint
