SHAKOPEE, MN – For the second consecutive night, Canterbury Park is featuring Quarter Horse Stakes action with a trio of stakes on tap for this evening worth nearly $250,000.
The Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby features the latest in a Minnesota bred line of successful Quarter Horses trying to keep the legacy going.
Jess Rocket Man, a full brother to Canterbury stakes winners Pyc Jess Bite Mydust and Dickey Bob, is looking for his fourth win in a row tonight in the 400-yard Derby. He’s never missed the exacta in Canterbury in five lifetime starts with his only loss was by a head in last year’s Gopher State Futurity. Trainer Jason Olmstead named Edwin Escobedo to ride the latest stakes winning homebred from Lunderborg LLC. Jess captured the North Star Derby here on July 14.
Jess Rocket Man is no lock, however, and wasn’t the fastest qualifier in the trials either. That honor goes to Streakinlilwagon, winner of the $115,000 Alex Picov Futurity in 2020 at Ajax Downs, the Jason Pascoe trained filly quaified with a 19.79 on July 28. That earned her a 90 speed index. She’ll get the talented veteran Stormy Smith in the irons.
The only other competitor in the race that cracked 20 seconds in the trials was Canterbury Park Hall of Fame trainer Ed Ross Hardy’s trainee, B Boujee. Another quick filly, she only finished a neck behind Streakinlilwagon and was steadily gaining on her, only to finish just short of victory.
This year’s Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity carries a purse of 137,100 and drew a competitive field of ten.
The 3-1 morning line favorite is Tres Elegance. Trained by Hardy, the bay son of Tres Seis has won two of four lifetime starts, breaking his maiden at Remington Park and taking his trial by a length and a quarter in 18.18.
True, surprise 11-1 winner of his trial – also in 18.18 – has drawn the two post for the Futurity with Ramiro Garcia aboard. Hipolito Michel-Valverde is the owner and trainer of True. The fast closing colt will be a factor late in the race.
In addition to Streakinlilwagon, trainer Jason Pasco has Eye Live for Candy in the Futurity. Like Tres Elegance, the filly had a visually impressive trial from gate to wire, breaking sharply and extending her lead, winning by a length and a quarter.
The $25,000 Mystic Lake Northlands Juvenile for two-year olds that ran in the trials but didn’t qualify for the for the Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity, will kick off the stakes action in race 8. Seven thoroughbred races precede the Quarter Horse stakes with first post at 5:10 PM
