SHAKOPEE, MN –Like the fireworks at Canterbury Park, trainer Mac Robertson followed up his stakes sweeps on July 3rd with an encore performance on the 4th, taking both $50,000 stakes on the card: the $50,000 Frances Genter Stakes and the $50,000 Vic Myers stakes. Both stakes are restricted to Minnesota bred 3-year olds and are the traditional preps for the Minnesota Oaks and Derby to be run on August 10.
Not only did Robertson sweep the stakes on the Independence Day card, he also won three others on the day, one short of tying the record of six training wins on a card set by another Canterbury Park Hall of Fame conditioner, Bernell Rhone.
In the Genter, trainer Mac Robertson won his 3rd consecutive stake of the weekend with Ready to Runaway, a horse he claimed for owner John Mentz for $25,000 last out.
The expected speed in the race, Java Candy failed to break and jockey Jareth Loveberry took full advantage.
“Right out of the gate I thought that the one [Java Candy] would go,” said Loveberry. “She seemed to slip so I just let my filly go and take control.”
Ready to Runaway did just that, battling for the lead with Dangerous Wave and Grand Prize and then steadily pulling away from the latter two, winning by 4 ¼ lengths in 1:10.61, paying $4.20. Grand Prize ($2.60) was second, 6 ¼ lengths ahead of Dangerous Wave ($2.40).
“This was just an awesome claim,” said Mentz. “And we got super lucky.”
The Myers looked to be a two horse race on paper between Dame Plata and Mister Banjoman. The two had met before in the 2018 Northern Lights Futurity with Dame Plata holding sway over his rival by ¾ of a length. Mister Banjoman was able to turn the tables in the Myers.
Mister Banjoman broke sharply and never looked back, maintaining a two length lead over the six furlongs all the way to the wire. Astronaut Oscar tried to go with him but was unable, settling for third after being passed by Dame Plata through the turn. Jareth Loveberry did all he could aboard Dame Plata to close the gap but Mister Banjoman ($6.20) was too strong under steady urging from Orlando Mojica.
Mister Banjoman stopped the timer at 1:10.21. Dame Plata ($2.40) was second and Astronaut Oscar ($3.80) was third.
Joe Novogratz, owner of Mister Banjoman was naturally excited after the win and gave the lion’s share of the credit to Robertson.
“Mac means and awful lot to our operation,” said Bush. “This is a pretty tough business and he really seems to get the best out of his horses.”
As he was leaving the winners’ circle someone asked Robertson if he as going to be training any of the quarter horses on Sunday in any of the seven stakes. He stopped, chuckled to himself and said, “No. No quarter horses.”
As hot is the Robertson barn is right now, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him send our champion wiener dogs at the end of the month.
