The life of co-owner of the modern Canterbury Park, Dale Schenian, will be celebrated on Saturday at the Shakopee racetrack from 1-3 PM.

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 Minnesota Festival of Champions 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.

Schenian was 82.