SHAKOPEE, MN – When Canterbury Park made the decision to move the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby date, combine it with a pair of $100,000 stakes, the Mystic Lake Mile and Lady Canterbury, and $50,000 stakes to form the Northern Stars Racing Festival, and move the post time to Saturday evening, there was some apprehension on how it would be received by owners, trainers and the betting public.

The crowd of 10,318 that turned out was clearly pleased to spend the gorgeous evening at the races.

Trainer Mike Maker answered that question emphatically, winning not only the feature event but also the Lady Canterbury stakes with jockey Tyler Gaffalione.

He tacked up Ken and Sarah Ramsey homebred Sniper Kitten for the one mile Mystic Lake Derby.

“We were targeting the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington,” said Maker. “This race on the calendar looked to set him up better for that than running on Arlington preview day.”

And Sniper Kitten came in ready to roll.  Gaffalione settled him outside into the short run into the first turn and let him track the early leader, Minnesota bred Mr. Jagermeister.  Mr. Jagermeister looked to be having a hard time relaxing early in the race for Leandro Goncalves but managed to settle on the lead heading down the backstretch.

Gaffalione was unconcerned and kept Sniper Kitten mid-pack.

“My horse has shown tactical speed,” said Gaffalione. “I wasn’t really concerned.  He handled things really well.”

As the field turned for home, Gaffalione had his mount angled out and a clear line at new leader, 42-1 shot Nobrag Justfact and finished very strongly to win by a length in 1:34.66.

“We have always been high on this horse,” said Maker after the Kitten’s Joy colt notched his first stakes win.  “It was time to see what we had.

The colt paid $9.40 for the win while Nobrag Justfact returned $30.20 to show.  Favorite Captivating Moon ($3.00) was third.

Earlier in the card, Maker and Gaffalione made their first visit to the winners’ circle after the Lady Canterbury with I’m Betty G.

Gaffalione settled off the pace set by Burma Road early through the first half of the mile race.

“I just let her gallop down the backside,” said Gaffalione.

She wrested control at the half mile mark and extended that lead to three lengths in the lane.  Favored Sirenusa, previously undefeated and locally owner by Barry and Joni Butzow, tried to cut into her lead but she was held off in relative ease.

“When we first got her we really didn’t like her,” said Maker of the filly who broke her maiden in a $30,000 claiming event. “And then we tried her on the turf.  We took a shot and she’s done well.”

In eleven turf starts, the Into Mischief filly has four wins and has hit the board all but once.

I’m Betty G covered the mile in 1:35.44 and paid $7.60 as the second choice.  Sirenusa ($3.60) was second and Sailor’s Valentine ($4.60) was third.

Although Maker and Gaffalione went postward together in the Mystic Lake Mile with Conquest Windy City, capturing the pick three was not in the cards.

In a stirring finish, last year’s champion, Hay Dakota, made a bold run down the lane through traffic under a well guided ride by Denny Velazquez and looked to be a repeat winner, but My Bariley under Hugo Sanchez gamely outfinished the defending champ to win by a half length in 1:34.36.

“I tried to save some ground and make one run at the end,” said Sanchez.  “Breaking from the rail really wasn’t an issue.  We just followed the plan: save some ground and make one good run.”

“It was tough having it right there and then losing it right at the end,” said trainer Joel Berndt of Hay Dakota.  “Denny [Velasquez] did everything right but we were just outfinished.  The horse ran a great race, I can’t be too disappointed.”

My Bariley paid $35.00 for the win while Hay Dakota returned $13.00.  The two long shots triggered a $196.80 exacta for a dollar.  Majestic Pride ($4.20) was third.

Creative Art under James Graham for trainer Shawn Davis was the longshot winner ($26.00) of the 6 1/2 furlong Dark Star Cup while Puntsville was a gate to wire winner of the Hoist Her Flag as the second choice ($5.20) for trainer Michele Boyce and jockey Carlos Marquez, Jr.

Total handle for the ten race card was a non-claiming day record of $2,068.216 which answered the final question – how would the bettors respond.

The previous record of $1,468,238 was set at the end of last season on September 15 over 13 races.  The Northern Stars event carded ten races.

Canterbury also hosted the annual Jockeys and Jeans fundraiser for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund Saturday evening.  There was a banquet, live and silent auctions, a jockeys all-star challenge race – won by Hall of Fame rider Edgar Prado – as well as a golf tournament on Sunday morning.   Jockeys and Jeans gave an early estimate of over $260,000 raised Saturday through the generosity of the fans and horsemen.

Committee Member Barry Pearl posted the following on the Jockeys and Jeans Facebook page:

“People have been asking me, did you break the million dollar mark? How much did Jockeys and Jeans make for the PDJF. Well these are only preliminary numbers but I think it is save to say we did over $260,000 and broke the million dollar mark. I have to thank the committee of Jockeys and Jeans who worked tirelessly , our host Canterbury Park who can do a whole seminar on compassion and giving. Our national sponsors who gave without reserve, our local Canterbury Sponsors who led the pack in generosity. The good folks who donated great and valuable items for our auction and the fans, who came out to meet our Fallen Riders, our Hall of Fame Jockeys and who purchased our Hats, posters and made donations to our cause. I am truly humbled. Thank you, Barry.”

Below are some pictures of the evening’s festivities including at the banquet, the autograph signing and the jockeys challenge race.