SHAKOPEE, MN – Breeder/owner Pete Mattson and Bob Lothenbach’s Lothenbach Stables picked up an armful of the awards at the Minnesota Thoroughbred Association’s annual awards brunch on Saturday at Canterbury Park. The brunch honored the top performers of the 2021 racing season.

The event kicked off with owner Barry Butzow saying a few words about he and wife Joni’s experience at the Kentucky Derby with Zozos. It’s not every day that Minnesota has representation in the Derby and earlier this year it was not only the Butzows and Zozos representing Minnesota, but Jeff Drown and Zandon and Pete Mattson, who had earlier bought a one percent interest in Mo Donegal.

“It’s still such a dream,” said Butzow. “It was a dream when it happened and it’s still a dream now.”

“When we got called for the walkover,” continued Butzow, “there are 150,000 people starring at you, people yelling out the horse’s name; it was an experience that you can’t replace. I just hope that I get to live it again just one more time.”

Steve Erban, whose travel company set up a special trip to the Derby for Minnesotans that wanted to share in the experience, said to the group after Butzow’s remarks, “This was the best experience – without me actually being in the Derby – having Minnesotans in the race. We can be very proud of Barry, Joni, Jeff and Pete who represented our state and Canterbury very well.”

Mattson swept two-year-old awards with filly She’s My Warrior and colt Love the Nest. Mattson combined to breed and campaign She’s My Warrior and bred Love the Nest, who is owned by Lothenbach Stables.  Lothenbach picked up Love the Nest at the Keeneland September yearling sale and is trained by Joel Berndt.

Mattson and Padilla also combined to bred and race Thealligatorhunter, the three-year-old male champion off the strength of his Minnesota Derby win. Mattson and Padilla also own Broodmare of the Year Garden Gloves.  Garden Gloves is also the dam of She’s My Warrior.

In addition to owning the two-year-old male champion, Lothenbach also took the honors with the Minnesota Owned Horse of the Year, Bell’s The One, and swept the pair of breeder awards, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association award and the Charles Bellingham award.

Star of the North was voted top three-year-old male for breeder/owner Eureka Thoroughbreds (Michael Grossman).  Rush Hour Traffic was named top Older Female for breeder/owner Sugarland Thoroughbreds while Cinco Star (owner/breeder John Mentz) was top Older Male.

Kela, owned by Kela Minnesota LLC was named top in-state stallion and Tony Rengstorf was top Minnesota Trainer of the Year. Jay Dailey and Mary Malkerson were given Past Board Member Awards from the MTA.

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