SHAKOPEE, MN – In April, there was little hope of a race meet taking place at Canterbury Park.  Trainers, owners, employees, track officials and others who depend on the Shakopee oval to make a living were in limbo.  Racetrack executives made the bold decision to open the track to horsemen who had no place to go in hopes that the slim glimmer of hope for a 2020 season would grow into a sunrise.

Track officials and horsemen’s groups worked with the Minnesota Agriculture commissioner Thom Peterson to develop guidelines that eventually led to the beginning of the race meet on June 10.

“The Ag Commissioner was a real rock star,” said Vice President of Racing Operations Andrew Offerman. “His office was instrumental in getting us open for racing again.”

It was certainly not business as usual, however.  Initially anyone but licensed barn personnel were allowed on the backside and it did not look like fans would be permitted to attend the races in any fashion.

However, a few days before opening, guidance from the Governor’s office changed and a limited number of spectators were to be allowed, sending Canterbury officials scrambling to produce effective guidelines and procedures to allow fans to attend.  At various points during the season, as guidance changed, the number of possible spectators varied from 750 to 1100, finally settling on the 750 number.

“We really got a good picture of what our most loyal fans contribute to handle,” said Offerman.  “We were pleasantly surprised at how much handle was done on track.”

Naturally on-track handle was down significantly with the restrictions, but an average of $69,636 was wagered on track daily.  It’s difficult to estimate the per capita wagering, but assuming 750 fans per day, that’s an average of over $90 per patron while the per capita wagering based on the 2019 numbers averaged only $24 per patron.

Off-track wagering from across the country increased 115.6% to $64.7 million. Average handle per race, perhaps the best comparison under the circumstances, increased 114% due to a 174% increase in per race out of state handle.

“We are pleased with the results of the 2020 live racing season and our record all-sources handle,” Offerman said. “Although the substantial increase in off-track handle didn’t fully offset our losses in admissions, food and beverage and on-track handle revenues, the increase in exposure of our racing product and the national acceptance of it were encouraging. These off-track gains helped us salvage a mostly successful season in the midst of a global pandemic.”

Canterbury officials made the decision to pivot from a traditional schedule that included weekends to a Monday through Thursday race week designed to capture national wagering dollars when facing less competition. The gamble paid off as total handle of $68,388,504 for 53 days far exceeded the 2018 record of $48,142,704 when 66 racing programs were conducted.

Total purses were down just over 30% year over year, but would likely have been much worse without the continued cooperation from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.  The average purse per race was down less than 15% and that was a testament to the bonds between to the two organizations forged by the late SMSC Chairman Stanley Crooks and track Chairman Curtis Sampson resulting in the historic joint marketing agreement in 2012.

Sampson, a chairman of the board, then emeritus, since purchasing and reopening the racetrack in 1995, passed away during the season, adding a layer of sadness to an already difficult season.

After the conclusion of the 2019, the track also lost writer Jim Wells who chronicled the lives of the members of the Canterbury community, first with the Pioneer Press and then as a Canterbury Park employee.

Field size year over year remained steady at 7¼ starters per thoroughbred race.  The quarter horse field size was down slightly (3.5%).

Claiming activity this season was brisk all year.  Despite the number of unique starters being down by 220 horses and the number of total races off by nearly 100, there were only 12 fewer claims this season than last with claims all the way through closing night.  The last two days of the meet 12 horses changed hands.

In a year of uncertainty, necessity was indeed the mother of invention.  Racing days were moved to the week days and a 10% takeout pick five was added to the wagering menu.

“We know better now the certainty of on and off days than we did before this year,” said Offerman.  “We know better which days work and which don’t and let’s us know how to plan for a limited or non-fan business model if we have to.

Should there be a return to “normalcy” next year, the track can see a hybrid model of race days: maximize both the ability to draw fans on to the racetrack as well trying to keep off-track handle maximized.

“I haven’t had time to do enough analysis on the pick 5 to gauge it’s impact,” said Offerman.  “As always we will look at the recently concluded wagering offerings and plan for next year.  I’d be surprised if it, or something similar to it, didn’t return.”

As much as one third of the Canterbury stables have called Turf Paradise home over the years and the cancellation of the meet there has left quite a bit of uncertainty heading into 2021.

“That’s probably my biggest concern,” said Offerman. “We have had a circuit built in with Phoenix given our complimentary racing dates.  These barns could end up going to circuits that don’t fit as well into our schedule.  Retention will be difficult the next six months and we’ll have to find ways to help people make it back. Getting people back here is always priority number one and the situation in Phoenix adds difficulty.”

The Quarter Horse racing season was made even more difficult in 2020 with Prairie Meadows choosing to move from a complimentary fall racing season to a mixed meet, making the tracks compete for a limited number of barns, horses and jockeys.

“Moving to one day of quarter horse racing wasn’t ideal,” said Offerman.  “It was hard given the scarcity of resources available. I’ve asked the horsemen to come up with some ideas for next year for what would work best for them and we’ll get together and try and come up with a solution.”

Offerman did not rule out some form of cooperation with Prairie Meadows if they were willing.

While much of the 2020 season wasn’t ideal – especially stripping out provisions of a bill that would have allowed on-line wagering on Canterbury (and Running Aces) races for Minnesota residents – the meet nearly never was.  That a meet was a conducted at all is a tribute not only to the racetrack, but to the horsemen and women that committed to race here and the cooperation and close communication of the two groups and their interaction with state government to make a meet happen.

Offerman praised the backside for working hard to get horses over to the track for races and their adaptability with frequent changes in guidance from state and local officials to make the meet happen and be as successful as it was.

“We are so grateful to our community of horsemen and women that kept us going this season,” he said.

There were doubts that there was even going to be a 2020 season and then, once started, that it would not be able to conclude. The success of getting a meet started and being able to finish it, gives horsemen and track officials alike some optimism heading into 2021.