SHAKOPEE, MN – The biggest 3-year-old races of the year for state breds are this Saturday night at Canterbury Park. The Minnesota Oaks and the Minnesota Derby, both carrying a purse of $100,000, headline Made in Minnesota Night in Shakopee. A pair of stakes for older horses, the Glitter Star and the Wally’s Choice, are also on tap Saturday night.

In the mile and 70 yards Oaks, the opening race on the card, the prohibitive favorite is Cupids Crush.  While she’s never missed the board in her 2 years on the track, this season she has taken her game to another level. Owned by Xtreme Racing and trained by Mac Robertson, the $40,000 Minnesota Thoroughbred Association sale graduate, is undefeated this season including a romp in the France Genter, a length win in the Curtis Sampson Oaks and a score in her season debut, a $100,000 optional claiming event at Oaklawn Park. Eduardo Gallardo stays aboard for the Oaks and the only question, if there really is one, is can she go a mile and seventy yards on the dirt, though that may have already been answered when she beat open company going a mile over the turf in the Sampson.

The only other filly in the five-horse field that has a speed figure close to Cupids Crush is Thunders Rocknroll.  She earned an 83 Beyer Speed Figure just last weekend in a five furlong turf sprint.  She would have to come back on short rest and stretch out while changing surfaces to beat the favorite.  Bernell Rhone trains and Alonso Quinonez rides.

The Derby, also at a mile and 70 yards, features Sir Sterling, a Chad Kuehn homebred, who has won impressively in all three of his Canterbury starts including wins in the Vic Myers and the MTA Stallion Auction Stakes.  

“From what I’ve heard from the exercise rider and from Lindey (Wade) and from what I have seen in his training, [Sir Sterling] will be able to get the distance,” Rengstorf said. 

“Of course, that’s training not racing,” Rengstorf said.  “It looks like when [Sir Sterling] gets out there he has a cruising gear. It’s almost effortless. I think that cruising gear will help him get the Derby distance.”

Jose Patio, trained by Mike Biehler who is sitting on 997 career wins heading into the night, is riding a two race winning streak. After breaking his maiden, he came back three weeks later and took a field of state bred allowance horses gate to wire going 7 ½ furlongs over the turf course.

Ramblingamblinman broke his maiden in spectacular fashion last out for trainer Bruce Riecken.  The issue is wheeling back in a week, though he did not need to go too hard to claim that 10 length win.

Roses by Liam is trying to give owner and co-breeder Pete Mattson his second Minnesota Derby in 3 years after taking the 2021 edition with Thealligatorhunter.  He was second to Sir Sterling in the Vic Myers at six furlongs but won earlier in the season stretching out to a mile against older in an open allowance.

The two routes for older horses had a purse boost to $65,000 (from $50,000) because of a sponsorship obtained by the Minnesota Thoroughbred Association with JTR Roofing, Inc. of Lake Elmo, Minn., American Roofing Supply and CertainTeed Corporation.

Charlie’s Penny headlines the mile and a sixteenth Glitter Star.  Though she’s six of thirteen in her career and won $364,470 in her career, she’s only faced state breds twice: romping in the Sprint Distaff on Festival Day last year and then closing late to win the Lady Slipper to kick off 2023.  Though both those races were sprints, she did win the Silverbulletday and was third in the Broussard , both at the Fairgrounds, at a mile and 70 yards. Charlie’s Penny was bred and is owned by Lothenbach Stables, trained by Joel Berndt and will be ridden by Lindey Wade.

Pete Mattson homebred, Molly’s Angel, is not going to be cowed by the shiny resume of the Penny.  She’s coming in off a beautiful stalking trip in an open allowance going a mile.

The three inside post positions in the mile and a sixteenth Wally’s Choice look to be the main contenders.

Thealligatorhunter (Padilla/Roman) should be prominent early while both Bayou Benny (Scherer/Hernandez) and Xavey Dave (Robertson/Gallardo) will look to stalk and pounce late. Unfortunately for those two, Thealligatorhunter could be loose on the lead with the other three horses in the race unlikely to show early speed.

One possibility for an upset is the “other Robertson” horse, Devil Vision.  Devil Vision is the only confirmed route horse in the race and is coming in lightly raced but has had a series of solid workouts coming into the race.  He should be coming hard late and, if there is enough action near the front end by the inside three or if they falter going longer than they are used to going, Lindey Wade will be able to pilot Devil Vision to an upset.

First post on Made in Minnesota Night is 5:05 PM Central Time.