SHAKOPEE, MN – Minnesota bred stakes horses made their debut Saturday at Canterbury Park on a day more reminiscent of November than mid-May in a pair of $50,000 sprints.
The 10,000 Lakes featured an attempted three-peat by Bourbon County, 7-year old gelding owned and bred by Rake Farms and ridden by Alex Canchari.
Bourbon County broke well but by virtue of his outside post he was three wide down the backstretch an into the turn outside of Smooth Chiraz and Cupid’s Delight. Hold for More, last year’s Minnesota Sprint Champion, stalked the front three from the rail and jockey Orlando Mojica angled him outside through the turn giving him a straight run to finish line, drawing off to win by 2 1/2 lengths, covering the six furlongs in 1:11.19.
“Mojica did a great job with him,” said winning trainer Francisco Bravo. “He likes to go to the lead but this time we felt that would be too beneficial to Bourbon County who usually likes something to run at. We figured, ‘let’s turn things around a bit and give Hold for More something to run at.’
“The closer to the front he is with slower fractions, the bigger his heart gets,” continued Bravo.
“We didn’t really expect a whole lot coming off his last race and then, with this weather,” said winning breeder Teresa Benson of Wood-Mere Farm. “He really ran well. It was great.”
Hold for More paid $11.80 to win. Bourbon County was second (3.40) and AP is Loose (4.20) was third.
The winner’s $30,000 puts Hold for More into second place among purse money won at Canterbury with $323,950. Crocrock, also trained by Bravo and owned by Hold for More owner Dale Schenian holds the top spot with $340,452.
The Lady Slipper looked to be a two horse race between the six year old mare Rockin the Bleu’s and 4-year old filly Honey’s Sox Appeal and that’s exactly what transpired.
Out of the gate both horses were less than a length apart until late stretch with Rockin the Bleu’s under Orlando Mojica leading the way. As both horses moved nearly five lengths clear of the rest of the field, Honey’s Sox Appeal under urging from Alex Canchari, got a head in front and slowly put the mare away, drawing off to win by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:11.91.
Honey’s Sox Appeal, owned by Bob Lindgren, bred by Lindgren and Paul Knapper, and trained by Mac Robertson paid $4.20 as the favorite. Rockin the Bleu’s paid $2.40 to show and Thunder and Honey – also owned by Lindren and trained by Robertson – paid $3.80 to show.
