Shakopee, Minn.  —  Canterbury Park today announced a 2024 quarter horse stakes schedule for the 54-day mixed meet that begins May 18.  Ten quarter horse stakes will be offered, highlighted by the Northlands Futurity on Aug. 15. The 350-yard race for 2-year-olds, being run for the 37th time, will offer an estimated purse of $86,000. The 400-yard Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby, also Aug. 15, has an estimated purse of $50,000. The Grade 3 Canterbury Park Distaff Challenge will be run July 25. Six of the 10 stakes will be restricted to quarter horses bred in Minnesota.

“Both the Northlands Futurity and Canterbury Derby have storied histories at Canterbury dating back to 1986,” Racing Operations Manager Amber Carlisle said. “The races annually attract quality fields with entries from top Midwest stables.”

Quarter horse racing will be conducted primarily on Thursdays during June, July and August with Wednesday races added July 3, 10 and 24. Overnight purse payouts will be increased by 10 percent.

“Increasing overnight payouts will have a positive impact on Minnesota breds, while also attracting open-bred horses and stables,” Carlisle said. “We are looking forward to a strong quarter horse meet.”

The Minnesota Festival of Champions, which includes the Minnesota Quarter Horse Futurity and Minnesota Quarter Horse Derby, will be Saturday, August 31. The first quarter horse races of the season, the North Star State Futurity and North Star State Derby, are scheduled for June 6.

Initial nomination payments for the Northlands Futurity and Canterbury Park Derby are due March 1. The entire stakes schedule can be found at this link:  https://canterburypark.egnyte.com/dl/2Tbt9a5Xln .