SHAKOPEE, MN – The most nationally significant card on the Canterbury Park racing calendar begins tonight at 5:07 as the track hosts the Northern Stars Turf Festival. The night will have six stakes, five over the turf, worth $450,000.
National trainers Mike Maker, Brad Cox and Jonathan Thomas will all be shipping up horses for the night. The night will also mark the return of Canterbury fan favorite, jockey Jareth Loveberry. Loveberry will ride all five turf stakes, three for trainer Mike Maker and two for Chris Block. He is no stranger to Canterbury as Loveberry was leading rider in 2017 and has regularly shipped in for and won stakes races since leaving the local colony in 2020. He is currently riding in Kentucky. Loveberry finished second in the 2023 Kentucky Derby aboard Two Phils, a colt that he rode to victory here in the 2022 Shakopee Juvenile.
First up will be the Brooks Fields Mile, $75,000 over the turf course. There may only be six entered, but the field is competitive. The 8/5 morning line favorite is Max K.O., a 7-year old from the barn of Michael Maker. Max K.O. ships in from Churchill Downs and will have Loveberry aboard. Last out the horse was a fast-closing winner of the Mr. Steele at Gulfstream Park.
However, in a field full of closers, Drama Chorus, a Florida home bred by Minnesotan Pete Mattson and trained by Tim Padilla, could be lone speed where he’s run his best races. A winner two back, gate to wire, in the Tampa Bay Turf Classic, he followed that up with a win in a $100,000 optional claiming race before taking a break and shipping north. Drama Chorus was second in this event last year. Alonso Quinonez gets the call.
Jonathan Thomas’ Fuerteventura is graded stakes placed (Gr 3 Saranac) and receives the services of Florent Geroux while Lothenabch Stables’ homebred, Minnesotan Stagecoach Boys, is three for five over this turf course.
After a palate cleanser, 3-year-old fillies will load for the $75,000 Curtis Sampson Oaks, another one mile contest over the turf. Trainer Brad Cox sends up Flashy Gem (Geroux) who was installed as the 8/5 favorite coming in off the Bourbonette Oaks and Grade 3 Edgewood. Her better surface, though, may be the synthetic and she’ll definitely have challengers if that ends up being the case.
Mac Robertson sends pout Xtreme Racing Stables’ Cupids Crush who did just that in her last, blitzing an open allowance field by 8 ¼ and having won three of five in her career. This will be her first go over the turf.
Another first over the turf comes out of the barn of trainer Coty Rosin with Royal Laughter. A maiden breaker last out, she dominated a field, pulling away strongly in the lane. With solid turf breeding, she could be very dangerous at a generous 15-1 if she takes to the grass.
The $75,000 Lady Canterbury, also a mile over the turf, kicks off an all stakes pick four to close the card. Lothenbach Stables has the race surrounded with three of the top contenders in the race.
Defending champion, She Can’t Sing, is back for trainer Chris Block and Jareth Loveberry. In the intervening period she was able to notch a graded stakes victory in the Grace 3 Chilukki and was third in the Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic, though both affairs were on the main track.
2022 Horse of the Meet at Canterbury, Midnight Current, comes in off a second place finish in $35,000 optional race for trainer Joel Berndt. She was undefeated at home last year, going five for five over this turf course and winning a pair of state bred stakes. She should improve off the season opener and could get a dangerous stalking trip for Harry Hernandez.
She’ll have to outfinish Let’s Skedaddle, who got the measure of her in that optional claiming race to start the season. Second to her stablemate in the Princess Elaine and the Minnesota Turf Distaff last year, she’ll look to avenge those losses as well as hold off the classy shippers including stakes debuter, Regal Realm (Thomas/Geroux).
The $75,000 Dark Star Turf Sprint will be run at five furlongs and includes the second and third place finishers from last year’s race, Plane Talk (Robertson/Roman) and Mark of the Z (Rodriguez/Baird).
Mark of the Z is shipping in from Kentucky where he was second in a $115,000 allowance at Keeneland and a fifth, only beaten three lengths, in the Grade 2 Shakertown. Plane Talk will be making his seasonal debut.
Graded stakes placed Artemus Citylimits was installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite. After finishing 11th, appearing very worked up beforehand, in the Shakertown, he finished fourth last out in the roughly run Pimlico Turf Sprint. Loveberry rides the 5th place finisher of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (Grade 1) for Maker.
High Front, another Thomas shipper that will carry Geroux, has had two solid starts in Kentucky before shipping north, just missing in a Keeneland allowance in his seasonal bow before winning a Churchill allowance. He should be able to sit right off the speed and will most likely get first run at the leaders. Those early front runners should include multiple stakes winner and Minnesotan, Thealligatorhunter (Padilla/Quinonez).
Thealligatorhunter finished first twice in both grass attempts at Canterbury last season but was disqualified from the Ralph Strangis after an eventful stretch run. On his best days, he fits in this group but should be under pressure from Plane Talk and Minister of Soul.
The highlight of the card is the $100,000 Canterbury Derby, to be run at one mile over the turf course.
Trainer Esteban Martinez sends out the red hot, One in Vermillion, winner of the Laz Berrera at Santa Anita before coming to the Midwest and holding off the very game Minnesotan (and next out winner), Xavey Dave in an allowance. This will be his first turf try and, should he take to it, is the most likely winner on the card.
The evening wraps up with the $50,000 Minnesota Thoroughbred Association Stallion Auction Stakes. The race will be run at 6 ½ furlongs over the main track.
Early speed will be featured by Sir Sterling and Checkcashingconnie, a pair of Minnesota breds both coming off wins in state bred allowance races. Fellow Minnesotan, Thunders Rocknroll, second in the Northern Lights Debutante, finished behind ‘Connie last out. One of four fillies in the eight-horse field, Thunders Rocknroll will need more late kick if she’s going to turn the tables.
First post is at 5:07 PM and video analysis from the Canterbury Park “Steam Team” can be found here: https://www.canterburypark.com/the-steam-team-caps-northern-stars-turf-festival/
Enjoyed watching the races and betting on the Turf Festival card last night. I always look at the result charts on Equibase. Couldn’t help but notice the huge drop in handle, almost half of last year’s total. I guess even an optimist would call that result sobering. Being a realist, I think alarming is more accurate. I fear this is a harbinger of the rest of the season and who knows what after that.
Bob