SHAKOPEE, MN – Friday night the Canterbury Park family got together to celebrate the enshrining of the Hall of Fame class of 2024: Thoroughbred Hot Shot Kid and outstanding breeders Rick Bremer and Cheryl Sprick.
Linda Bush and trainer Mac Robertson accepted the honor on behalf of Hot Shot Kid.
Bred by the late Warren Bush, The Kid was the leading money earner at Canterbury Park and the all-time purse record holder for a Minnesota bred ($708,816). He had a miracle season in 2019 when he won five stakes on the way to the horse of the meet title. He captured the 10,000 Lakes, the Minnesota Turf, Blair’s Cove, Wally’s Choice Classic and the Tom Metzen HBPA Sprint. He won sprinting, routing, on the turf and over the main track. It was one of the most, if not THE most, impressive summers in Shakopee by any horse.
“Warren loved racing here,” said his widow, Linda. “The people were always so great and welcoming.”
“It was amazing watching Hot Shot Kid run and I am so thrilled that he has a great second career with Dr. Jennifer Selvig Van Vranken,” she continued. “I may even go to Kentucky in the fall to watch him compete.
Mac Robertson trained Hot Shot Kid and was able to keep the gelding running for seven season and allowed him to emerge from his racing career to start taking on jumping with Van Vranken.
“Warren and Linda were so patient with their horses,” said Robertson. “Hot Shot had some knee issues as two year old, but Warren was patient, gave him time off and he came back to have a great career.”
Van Vranken and her star pupil will be competing in the Thoroughbred Makeover in October. The event bills itself as the “The largest Thoroughbred retraining competition in the world for recently retired ex-racehorses” and has become a showcase of what ex-racehorses can do when given a chance.
Sprick and Bremer started racing accidently in 1989 when they decided to buy a racehorse at a sale in Motley, MN. They were so unprepared for what was to come that they didn’t even bring a trailer to the sale and had to arrange transportation to their Lake City Farm. From that humble beginning they developed in champion breeders and owners.
Over the years they have bred, sold and even campaigned many Minnesota Champions including: Bet Your Boots; Badge of Glory; Jose Patio; Ice Rocket; Shipmate and Firstmate. Badge of Glory was one of only four fillies to win the Northern Lights Futurity (2012) as well as the Francis Genter and the Minnesota Oaks (2013). No filly has done it since.
As they outlined throughout their comments, their career in racing was interwoven with many in attendance and celebrated the closeness of Minnesota racing.
“We want to thank everyone here and those that helped us along the way,” said Bremer. “Without the help and support of so many people we wouldn’t be here today.”
“We’ve learned so much from all our trainers and riders,” added Sprick.
Sprick put the moment in perspective.
“As I was driving today, I heard Billy Joel on the radio,” she said. “’These are the times to remember, ‘cause they will not last forever.’ That sums it up: the ups in this business outweigh the downs and we just want to appreciate every good moment.”
