SHAKOPEE, MN – Hall of Fame weekend continues tonight at Canterbury Park. Five Stakes races for Minnesota breds plus a race in memory of legendary Hall of Famer, Heliskier are on tap including the traditional prep races for the Minnesota Derby (Vic Meyers) and Minnesota Oaks (Frances Genter).
While the Genter and Myers will , the be contested over the main track at six furlongs, the Distaff and the Strangis will both be over the turf course at 7 ½ furlongs while the Mr. Dale will be a turf sprint at five furlongs. All races will be run under handicap conditions and carry a purse of $40,000.
The six-furlong Vic Myers is the second race on the card and has been the traditional springboard to the Minnesota Derby.
Street Warrior, bred and owned by Suzanne Stables, looks to be the one to beat as he simply decimated his foes in his career debut, taking a Maiden Special Weight by 14 ¼ lengths in a romp. Street warrior is trained by Joel Berndt and will be ridden by Eduardo Gallardo.
The Minnesota Turf Distaff will kick off the 10% takeout late Pick 5 which has a carryover of $17,584 and features two-time defending champion, Midnight Current.
Conditioned by Joel Berndt, ridden by Eduardo Gallardo, the six-year-old mare was purchased out of Canterbury Hall of Famer Bob Lothenbach’s dispersal sale in April by Runnymoore Racing LLC for $210,000.
She has won ten of nineteen career races and only missed the exacta twice. Her last season’s speed figures tower over the field in terms of both number and consistency. While she lost her seasonal debut to stablemate Scent of Success, one can’t help but think that this was the target and not the debut.
As noted, Scent of Success beat her rival on June 1 and came back to finish third in the Lady Canterbury. Let’s Skedaddle is another purchased out of the Lothenbach consignment who is making her seasonal debut in the Distaff. Second in a pair of races last year, including this one, she could not get by Midnight Current in either.
All three top contenders are trained by Mac Robertson.
In the France Genter, you can scratch the three, Northern Angel, who was entered to run on Sunday. That will leave a field of five to contend the Minnesota Oaks prep.
Xtreme Diva, owned by Xtreme Racing, trained by Roberston and, once again, Gallardo on board, is the even money favorite. While she was impressive last year winning the Northern Lights Futurity, she managed to pick up win in the $150,000 Dixie Belle stakes at Oaklawn Park. Taking down an Oaklawn stake is never easy and for a Minnesota bred to do it is quite the accomplishment. Her figures are head and shoulders over the field but has been off since a fifth place finish in another Oaklawn Stake on March 16.
A filly who has been on a roll recently is Honorable Mischief. Owned by Cliff Racing and trained by the red hot Coty Rosin (39% winning percentage thus far this meet), the filly will be ridden by leading rider Luis Fuentes who has been on board in each of her back to back wins to start the Canterbury season. She was bred by last night’s Canterbury Hall of Fame inductees Cheryl Sprick and Richard Bremer.
In the Ralph Strangis Memorial, Eye on Ry looks to be coming in hot from Chicago. A gate to wire allowance winner last out the four-year-old gelding has never missed the exacta in five career starts. Another Lothenbach dispersal purchase, Eye on Ry is no trained by Chris B lock and will be ridden by Jose Felix who looks to be making the trip up from Hawthorne with his mount.
Xavey Dave, bred by the late Warren Bush, breeder of last night’s Hall of Fame Inductee, Hot Shot Kid, had an even journey last out and Serafin Carmona gets the ride for trainer Mac Robertson. Xavey Dave won this race last year.
Another Sprick and Bremer bred, Jose Patio (owned by fellow Hall of Famers Barry and Joni Butzow) really woke up on the grass having won three of four starts over the surface.
Thealligatorhunter, with his brilliant early speed, is rarely ever out of contention and will have a say in the outcome of the race.
The final turf stake on the card is the Mr. Dale Filly and Mare Sprint, named for Canterbury Park co-founder and Hall of Famer, Dale Schenian.
Thunders Rocknroll will look to bounce back from a fifth-place finish in an optional claiming race after a pair of stakes victories in the Lady Slipper and the Lady Canterbury. She’s one for two over this surface with her loss coming at a mile and a sixteen. The Mr. Dale is contested at five furlongs. The Bob Lindgren homebred is trained by Jon Arnett and will be piloted by Alonso Quinonez.
Pepper Mill is 3: 1-2 over the turf and won the Coady Memorial stakes at Turf Paradise over the winter. Her two latest efforts were over the dirt and she finished second both times. Guillermo Rodriguez continues aboard the Esteban Martine trainee.
The card will open with a race named in honor of Heliskier, the Canterbury Park Hall of Famer who died this past year. Owner/breeder Marlene Colvin will be on hand for the race and she’s brought along thirty five folks to help her celebrate ‘Skiers life.
First post is at 5:10 and the 10% takeout Pick Five with the $17,000+ carryover begins in race four.
