SHAKOPEE, MN – A pair of sales this weekend in Shakopee will be an opportunity for horsepeople throughout the region to pick up a racehorse as well as tack and other equipment.
MINNESOTA THOROUGHBRED ASSOCIATION YEARLING SALE
Sunday, August 29 will be 2021 MTA yearling sale will be held at the Expo Center at Canterbury Park. Thirty-seven Minnesota bred yearlings, and one Kentucky yearling, will head into the sales ring, a dip from the 52 through the ring the past two years.
“Although lower on numbers we are pleased with the quality,” said MTA President Cameron Mahlum. “We have, and not limited to, a nice mix of proven sires, such as Bodemeister, Cross Traffic, Flat Out, Goldencents, and Midshipmen. And some young ones with great promise, such as Brody’s Cause, Lea, Practical Joke and Protonico as well as locally standing stakes producers Eye of the Leopard and Westover Wildcat.
“I am impressed that roughly 40% of the yearlings are out of stakes mares or stakes producing mares,” continued Mahlum.
Buyers will be able to preview the sale horses from 5 PM to 8PM on Saturday, August 28 with the sale commencing at 6 PM on Sunday. A buyer’s reception will be held at 5 PM in the Expo Center. You can check out the catalogue here: MTA 2021 Yearling Sale Catalog – Minnesota Thoroughbred Association (minnesotabred.com)
RUSS RHONE SALE
Prior to the MTA sale preview, an era in Minnesota racing comes to an end on Saturday, August 28 when Dailey Auction House conducts a sale for Russ Rhone, proprietor of the one of the last full service breaking and training facilities in Minnesota open to the public, shuts down.
The land Rhone has leased for over 30 years was sold recently to the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community by the Malkerson Family necessitating that Rhone and his partner, Kelly Thorne, vacate the land prior to November 30. The last horses will have left the facility this week as the final sales preparation wraps up.
Rhone is not sure what his next step will be yet and will be weighing opportunities before deciding his next step. His famously gruff exterior has always been a bit of shield, covering a generous and funny man who has forgotten more about horses than most of us will ever know. He’s trained champions starting their careers, laid up cripples and worked with Doctor Richard Bowman to shuttle off the track horses to second homes and safety – many times at his own expense. Wherever Rhone decides to settle, the horses – and humans – whose lives he will be a part of will be better for him being there; and the Canterbury community poorer for the loss of his experience and presence.
Horsepeople will be able to find a wide range of equipment and supplies from tack to training aids, lawn maintenance to household furnishings at the sale.
Some of the horse training and care materials up for sale include: Horse walker, 2 horse starting gate, two 2-1/2 ton grain bins, saddles, blankets, misc. tack and more.
There will also be a 2000 Dodge Neon for sale as well as a washer, dryer, leather sofa and recliner, dressers, antique steamer trunk, refrigerator, chest freezer, electric stove, as well as a Sony flat screen television.
A more complete listing of items plus the terms and conditions for the sale can be found here: https://www.auctionzip.com/Listings/3593490.html. The sale will be held in the indoor arena of the property at 12360 Chestnut Blvd., Shakopee, MN.
The sale begins Saturday at 11:30 AM which will dovetail nicely into the public preview for the MTA sale. It should be a good weekend for horsepeople throughout the region to pick up a horse or two as well as tack and equipment.
