SHAKOPEE, MN – While Memorial Day was windy, wet and cold, there were warm celebrations after the three stakes races run over the sloppy Canterbury Park racing surface. Particularly hot were the duo of trainer David Van Winkle and jockey Jareth Loveberry who swept the pair of thoroughbred stakes on the card.
Kicking off the card was the $25,000 North Star State Stakes for Minnesota bred quarter horses going 300 yards.
Brothers Dickey Bob and Pyc Jess Bite Mydust looked to be the big punch in the race for Lunderborg LLC and trainer Jason Olmstead and they didn’t fail to deliver. Lilttle brother again beat up on big brother with odds on favorite Dickey Bob ($5.20) winning by a length over Pyc Jess Bite Mydust ($2.40) in 15.278 with Julian Serrano aboard. He earned a speed index of 108 and now owns the Canterbury track record for the distance, eclipsing the 15.314 set by Bp Painted Valentine in 2017.
Once again, Pyc Jess Bite Mydust had issues getting out of the gate and spotted his rival several lengths, breaking sixth. His tremendous turn of foot made up ground but not enough to catch his elite brother. Curious James ($2.80) was third.
The rain continued unabated during the card and pulled the thoroughbred stakes, the Northbound Pride Oaks and the Honor the Hero, off the turf. That made little difference to Van Winkle and Loveberry.
In the $50,000 Northbound Pride Oaks, Loveberry, aboard 6-1 shot Beach Getaway let the speedy O’Keefe lead the way through the first half of the mile race over the sloppy oval. While Eddie Martin Jr. appeared to have O’Keefe on an easy lead through the turn for home, Loveberry swung to the outside, taking the lead at six furlongs and stormed home in 1:39.41 to win by two lengths. Beach Getaway paid $15.20 for the win. O’Keefe ($3.00) stayed up for second with favored Support ($2.10) two lengths back for third.
“She sat for me,” Loveberry said. “I thought she might show speed coming off those sprints but she relaxed.”
Beach Getaway (Run and Hide-Seaside Magic-Hard Spun) is owned by James Thares of Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Van Winkle and Loveberry weren’t done yet, however. Heading into the five furlong $50,000 Honor the Hero Stakes, Pete Mattson’s Minnesota homebred Fireman Oscar was a 25-1 outsider. Minnesota’s best hope to knock off the favored defending champion, Wings Locked Up, was thought to be Shakopee Juvenile winner Mister Banjoman (3-1), but as the race unfolded, Fireman Oscar rose up to take on the mantle of Minnesota’s champion.
Longshot speedster JP Rocker led the ten horses down the backstretch and into the turn, giving way to Big League and Santiago Gonzalez. Big League even managed to get in front straightening for home but at that point Oscar was on the move, saving ground throughout. When the rail opened up, Loveberry asked and Fireman Oscar splashed through and took command and drew off to win by an authoritative four lengths in 57.59 paying $52.40 for the win. Creative Art ($8.80), who spotted the field a good six to eight lengths, was able to not only get back into the race but finish an impressive second. Majestic Price ($3.60) was third.
“I told Jareth that if he had a chance to get inside, to take it,” Van Winkle said. “This worked out very well.”
