SHAKOPEE, MN – The first state bred stakes of the Canterbury Park season were decided in decidedly different fashions Saturday afternoon.
In the $50,000 10,000 Lakes Stakes, 3-year old phenom Mr. Jägermeister was stepping into the gate against older horses for the first time, keeping trainer and co-owner/breeder Valorie Lund up nights.
“I stay up worrying if I have him tight enough,” Lund said before the race. “I missed two days of training shipping him and I just wasn’t sure if I had him trained enough.”
Mr. Jägermeister broke alertly and stalked early leader Smooth Chiraz down the backstretch during the early stages of the six furlong race before jockey Leandro Goncalves asked him to get down to business.
“He’s still plays,” Goncaleves said. “He is a 3-year old and has more learning to do, but when I asked him, he just took off.”
Mr. Jägermeister took command through the turn and never looked back, lengthening his lead before crossing the wire 8 1/2 lengths ahead of Hot Shot Kid and Smooth Chiraz in 1:10.81. Goncalves had the colt wrapped up for the last 1/16th of a mile.
As the odds on favorite, Mr. Jägermeister returned $2.60 for the win. Hot Shot Kid paid $3.00 to place while Smooth Chiraz held on for show ($2.80).
What’s next for Mr. Jägermeister is still up in the air, but for the summer he will remain at Canterbury Park.
“His sire, Atta Boy Roy, didn’t win a stake until he was four and I don’t think Jägermeister is going to hit his best lick until next year,” said Lund. “He’ll stay at Canterbury for the summer and we’ll run here. I’d like to breeze him over the turf. His action indicates that he shouldn’t have a problem with grass.”
The $50,000 Lady Slipper Stakes for fillies and mares remained in doubt considerably longer than the 10,000 Lakes until Pinup Girl ($12.40) got up late for the win for owners Gary & Brenda Bergsrud and trainer Sandra Sweere.
Shipmate broke well and took charge of the pace in the early stages of the six furlong dash. She managed to hold the lead into the stretch but began to succumb to pressure from Ta Kela Warning while Pinup Girl started to wind up from the outside.
Ta Kela Warning was able to get in front briefly in the stretch but was run down by Pinup Girl who cleared off to win by two lengths in 1:12.37. Ta Kela Warning ($5.80) was clear for second while Shipmate ($5.60) held on for 3rd.
“We knew she was going to be special early on,” said co-owner Brenda Bergsrud. “She had a bit of an attitude as a baby.”
Trainer Sandra Sweere was able to confirm that Pinup Girl has lost none of that attitude as she’s matured.
“She got me coming off the walker a coupe of years ago,” Sweere said. “She got me in the ribs and ripped everything up. Thank God for my daughter, Tember, she took care of everything in the barn during my recovery. She’s my rock”
Pinup Girl was a bit overlooked in the wagering going off at odds of 5-1, mostly because she’s viewed more as a route hose than a printer.
“She is a better route horse,” said Sweere. “I knew that she didn’t have the speed to stay up against a fast pace. She likes to come from out of it and Santiago did a great job.”
