SHAKOPEE, MN – When the joint marketing agreement between Canterbury Park and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community was signed in 2012, one of the goals was to provoke an increase in the quantity and quality of breeding in Minnesota. The pair of Minnesota bred stakes on tap tonight showcase the fruit of the agreement. The 10,000 Lakes and Lady Slipper, both $50,000 sprints over the main track for three year-olds and up, have drawn the deepest fields of older horses in recent memory with many of the contenders running in, and winning, stakes around the country.
In the Lady Slipper, 2020 horse of the meet, Ready to Runaway, leads the field to post, but by no means is a walkover. The defending champion’s plan heading into 2021 appears to be the same as 2020 – sharpeners at Oaklawn Park with the eye towards the Lady Slipper to kick off the local season.
Last year she clicked off three impressive races, hitting the board in all three Arkansas efforts. This year the pair of Oaklawn races were not as impressive, though one could argue the Oaklawn meet in general was considerably tougher this year than in years past.
Ready to Runaway owner John Mentz has a second shot in the Lady Slipper with Clickbait, owned in partnership with Jeff Larson and Hugh Robertson. Clickbait captured the Princess Elaine Stakes late last season and while the Princess Elaine was a mile and a sixteenth and the Lady Slipper is six furlongs, Clickbait has won sprinting in the past. She finished ahead of her stablemate in her Oaklawn prep and is ready for her local seasonal debut.
Second to Clickbait in the Princess Elaine was Hotasapistol, the Minnesota Oaks winner. Another whose best distance may be longer but also has won sprinting. This will be her first start of the season. She concluded her three-year old season with an ambitious placement in the Grade 3 Remington Park Oaks where she finished 8th.
Brilliant three-year old, Star of the North, will make her first start against older fillies and mares in the Lady Slipper. She’s cruised to four wins in a row straddling her two- and three-year-old seasons including three consecutive stakes wins here and at Sam Houston. Her front running style should challenge Ready to Runaway early and ensure an honest pace.
Firstmate already owns a win over Ready to Runaway, defeating her in the Minnesota Distaff Turf. This race, however, is back on the latter’s preferred surface and distance, which may prove too challenging for the 6-year-old daughter of Midshipmen.
The seven-horse field is rounded out with the stakes placed Rush Hour Traffic and Diva de Kela.
While last year’s 10,000 Lakes was virtually a match race between Mr. Jagermeister and Hot Shot Kid with the Kid catching Jags late for the win, this year’s edition is considerably more formidable.
Drop of Golden Sun was a nose from being undefeated at Canterbury Park last season, nipped on the grass by Cinco Star in the Ralph Strangis. He won a pair of stakes, the Wally’s Choice and the Blairs Cove going long. He debuted in a Will Rogers allowance this season, finishing second off the bench in the six-furlong dash. The speedy and versatile gelding, owned and trained by Tony Rengstorf, will be dangerous off his breakout season.
Minnesota Sprint winner Fireman Oscar will look to take advantage of any kind of pace meltdown as the confirmed closer will come from well off the pace. The way owner Pete Mattson’s horses have been running – winning 4 of 5 starts on opening night – there is no question he can be a contender, especially over an “off” track where the gelding is three for eight. Combine Mattson’s hot start with a strong chance of showers this evening and Oscar has the markings of an upset winner.
By no means are last year’s top two finishers ready to retire, however.
Morning line favorite, Mr. Jagermeister, ran an abbreviated 2020 season after a minor injury sidelined him last summer, but came back strong to kick off his 2021 campaign with a 3rd place finish in the King Cotton Stakes at Oaklawn. In subsequent starts he hooked sprint monsters CZ Rocket and Whitmore in a pair of stakes before faltering in a $100,000 optional claiming race. Shipped back home to Canterbury, the Atta Boy Roy gelding sparkled in a four-furlong work on May 12 and comes in to the race ready to kick off his local campaign.
Last year’s champion, Hot Shot Kid, won a pair of races last season: both at Canterbury and both dirt sprints – the only dirt sprints he ran at home. He is an impressive thirteen for nineteen at the distance at Canterbury and put in a solid prep at Oaklawn before shipping north. He should try to stalk early and catch the speed late like he did last year.
Adding pace pressure to Mr. Jagermeister should be Weekend Ride while Dame Plata was a gate to wire winner in a Will Rogers allowance to kick off his 2021 season. Happy Hour Cowboy will try and live up to the promise of his two-year old season after a subpar 2020, turning in a bullet work on May 8 in preparation.
Post time tonight is 5 PM with the stakes being races four and five on the nine-race program.
