SHAKOPEE, MN – The favorites did not disappoint in the Skip Zimmerman or the inaugural North Star State Futurity last night at Canterbury Park.

In the 350-yard $28,500 Zimmerman, Juice is Loose broke beautifully to take a half length lead on the field and maintained that margin throughout the race, crossing under the wire in 17.662 for trainer Jason Olmstead and owners Tom Maher and Stephen Williams under jockey Edwin Escobedo.

“I had heard that the inside was a little heavy,” said Escobedo, “so I tried to keep him a little outside of that and then get him going.”

Juice is Loose paid $5.60 for the win, while Heza Blues Man ($3.20) was second and Justafamilytradition ($5.00) was third.

In the first running of the $28,000 North Star State Futurity, the public settled on Relentless Courage and Relentless Babe as the two top choices, respectively, and they were absolutely correct.

Babe got the jump on her stablemate and managed to keep him at bay for about 100 yards until Courage steadily ate into her lead and got by to win by a comfortable ½ length under Luis Valenzuela for trainer Olmstead.

“She definitely outbroke him,” said co-owner (with Tom Maher) Paul Luedemann “but he’s fast and kept coming.”

Both gelding and filly were foaled out on Luedemann’s farm near Buffalo, MN.

“My daughter was having a birthday party,” he laughed, relating the story of the best birthday entertainment ever, “so we asked the girls ‘have you ever seen a horse being born?’  We all went out to the barn and in a few minutes the mare gave birth and they all stood there with big eyes.”

Relentless Courage paid $4.20 to win, stopping the clock at 15.756 for 300-yards.  Relentless Babe ($2.80) was second and Jjs Full Moon ($3.60) was third.

The Quarter Horse stakes action continues tonight as the finals of the $20,000 Mystic Lake Juvenile, the $83,000 Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby and $137,100 Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity.  Racing begins at 5:10 PM with the stakes finishing up the card in races 8 – 10.