SHAKOPEE, MN – The terrific summer at Canterbury Park that Quarter Horse trainer Mallory Norton is having got exponentially bigger after sweeping both major stakes on Wednesday night.
Jesst for Speed ($7.80) won the 35th running of the Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby and Alotta Oh La La ($4.40) won the 35th edition of the Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity.
“This has been a great summer,” said a beaming Norton after winning the Derby. “We’re centralized here this summer and it’s kept us organized. We enter so far in advance; we are able to find the right spots for the horses and get them ready.”
In the feature event, the 350-yard, $105,100 Futurity, Norton sent out favored Alotta Oh La La, a two-year-old sorrel filly owned and bred by Leon Glasser of North Dakota. There was a never a doubt. She broke on top and outlasted Charlies Politician ($4.40) to win by half a length in 17.732, a new stakes record under Stormy Smith.
“She has a lot of heart,” said Norton. “And the try and speed to match.”
Long shot Waymakerr ($7.00) was third.
In the $68,175 Derby, Norton’s Jesst for Speed ($7.80) ran virtually the identical race as his stablemate in the subsequent Futurity: broke quickly and prevailed by a ½ length.
“I really just held on to him,” said rider Gonzalo Guttierez.
Jesst for Speed was trailed by a pair of longshots, a pair of Hes Relentless geldings, Relentless Courage ($8.00) and Relentless Legacy ($9.60).
After nine years of training, Norton finally hired some staff last year, but still does many of the barn chores herself.
“The grooms do their job, but I like to bathe them, clean their stalls and just get my hands on them every day,” she said. “It lets me stay close to them.”
That dedication and continued emphasis on the little things that have given her 12 winners at the meet so far this season. While she trails leader Jason Olmstead who has 22, she also has had half as many starters.
Earlier on the card, the $20,000 Mystic Lake Northlands Juvenile, for horses that didn’t qualify for the Northlands final, was won by Olmstead trainee Nunothat. Jorge Torres rode and the winner is owned by the duo of Tom Maher and Paul Luedemann.
