SHAKOPEE, MN – The rain came down steady all day at Canterbury Park and while racing was a bit delayed, none of the stakes winners had their spirits dampened by the sloppy conditions.
In the opener, the $34,150 Gopher State Derby, trainer Jason Olmstead had half of the 10 horse field and they didn’t disappoint. First of 15 broke sharply and held sway throughout the race, lengthening her lead steadily throughout the 400 yards, setting a new stakes record in 19.75.
“It could go either way,” Olmstead said when asked about how the delay affected his horses. “They handled it just fine though.
“They finished about the way I expected them to,” continued Olmstead. “Though she beat her by more than I thought she would.”
First of 15 paid $6.20 for the win, 2 1/2 lengths ahead of another Olmstead trainee, Painted Dynasty ($4.40). Vic Hanson trained Marfilmio ($3.40) was third.
Lady Slipper champion PinUp Girl was scheduled to make her turf debut Saturday in the $50,000 Minnesota Turf Distaff but the constant rain bogged the turf course and the race was moved to the sealed sloppy main track. It made no matter to trainer Sandra Sweere.
“I was not concerned at all with the move to the main track,” Sweere said. “We want to get her on the turf, I think she’ll handle it just fine, but this worked out fine, too. She’ll run on anything.”
PinUp Girl lingered toward the back of the pack in the early stages of the mile race, Santiago Gonzalez content to let Double Bee Sting do all the work on the front end. With a quart of a mile to go, Gonzalez loosened the reins and she started to unwind, picking off competitors one at a time until she came eyeball to eyeball with Double Bee Sting in the stretch. Though hanging on stubbornly, Double Bee Sting was worn down late with PinUp Girl ($4.80) prevailing by a neck at the wire in 1:39.03. Double Bee Sting ($4.80) was second with Ta Kela Warning ($3.00) another length and three quarters back in third.
Co-owner Gary Bergsrud was quick to credit Sweere and Gonzalez for the victory.
“We’re fortunate to have a great trainer with a great team and a great rider on the race track,” said Bergsrud.
PinUp Girl will take aim at the turf again in the Princess Elaine Stakes on July 3.
Hot Shot Kid’s only experience over the turf was pretty tough spot for the Minnesotan – the 2017 $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby. The Kid finished a respectable fifth before taking the winter off. In his return to Canterbury Park he was clearly 2nd best in the 10,000 Lakes behind 3-year old phenom Mr. Jagermeister over the main track.
In the off-the-turf running of the $50,000 Minnesota Turf, there were no graded sakes horses and no phenoms, just a solid bunch of Minnesota bred stakes horses and The Kid was more than up for the challenge.
Breaking well, jockey Dean Butler had Hot Shot Kid up with the leaders through the first turn, skimming the rail and saving ground. When he realized that longshots Chaska and Star Spangled were setting a quick early pace, Butler was content to let them go.
“He was outrun early last out,” said Butler. “and it was hard to make up ground against Valorie’s (Lund) horse (Mr. Jagermeister). We wanted to get out this time and he broke well so I used him a little to get position but I let the speed go.”
Butler tracked the two down the backstretch and then attacked heading into the far turn.He took command as the bent for home and never looked back and was never threatened all the way down the lane.
“When you ask him and he gets the stick left handed,” he said. “he really goes.”
Hot Shot Kid covered the mile in 1:38.20 and was 6 1/4 lengths clear at the wire. He returned $3.00 as the odds on favorite. Longshot Plenty of Sun ($8.40) was second and Teddy Time third ($3.40)
