SHAKOPEE, MN – Canterbury Park’s 2019 season will come to a close this afternoon with 14 races featuring full fields and a pair of closing day stakes, the $60,000 MTA Stallion Auction Stakes and the $75,000 Shakopee Juvenile.
The MTA Stallion Auction Stakes is for 3-year olds that are progeny of stallions sold in the 2015 Minnesota Thoroughbred Association Stallion Auction. The race is run at 6.5 furlongs over the main track.
Though he faltered in the sloppy Minnesota Derby, Astronaut Oscar looks to be the clear favorite in the race. Astronaut Oscar was third in the Vic Myers and romped in an allowance in his fast track tries this season. His only two poor efforts this season were over off tracks and his dry track Beyer Speed Figures tower over the rest of the field.
Should the track turn up sloppy, attention should turn to Mas Takela, a maiden breaker at this distance last out over a good track.
The $75,000 Shakopee Juvenile is the 9th race on the card and features a field of six two year olds going six furlongs over the main track.
Five of the six entries are last out winners with the outside pair, Happy Hour Cowboy and Richard Ronald, coming out of stakes wins.
The Minnesota bred Cowboy took the $100,000 Northern Lights Futurity on Festival Day two weeks ago as the even money favorite, stalking early before battling late to win, much like his maiden breaker. Cowboy is looking for three in a row.
Richard Ronald followed up his cruising maiden victory here with a grinding win in the $65,000 Prairie Gold Juvenile at Prairie Meadows. Both tend to enjoy being on or near the lead but are not the only two contenders.
Sassy Seneca debuted beautifully on August 25, going gate to wire drawing off to win by 6.5 being hand ridden by Dean Butler. The lone filly in the field also notched a field best Beyer without ever being pushed.
Heading into the final day of racing, Novogratz Racing and Empire Racing are tied at the top of the owner’s standing with 29 wins apiece. Francisco Arrieta looks to have the riding title sewn up (4 up on Orlando Mojica) while, after splitting 10 wins on the Friday night card, Mac Robertson still leads Robertino Diodoro by three in the trainers race, 70-67.
Post time for the 14 race extravaganza is 12:45 PM. Divisional champions will be announced shortly after the end of racing.
