SHAKOPEE, MN – The Minnesota Thoroughbred Association will hold their annual yearling sale on Sunday, August 30 at Canterbury Park. Many aspects of the sale will look familiar, but there have been some conditions added because of the ongoing pandemic and guidelines issued by state authorities for public gatherings.
“We will be following every protocol and precaution that have been established by Canterbury Park, the Minnesota Racing Commission, the Minnesota Department of Health and the State of Minnesota,” said MTA Executive Director Kay King. “We’re fortunate to have live racing, be able to attend, even in smaller numbers, visit the backside and hold a yearling sale and we do not want to jeopardize any of that at the sale.”
While a rumor was widely circulated that there was to be no live auction this year, that is not the case. Phillip Pierceall with Swing City Auction Company from Plano, Texas, will be calling the auction. Brian Arrigoni, Canterbury’s Paddock Analyst, will be reading pedigrees. The auction will begin at 3:00 PM on Sunday in the Canterbury Park event center.
Reservations are required to attend the auction and the preview the evening before. Below are the links to make reservations. The MTA and consignors are asking that you only make reservations if you intend to bid on horses. With limited space available, it is important that buyers be able to attend the sale and not get shut out by on-lookers. A separate reservation must be made for each day.
Sale Preview:
https://v2.waitwhile.com/welcome/mtasalepreview
Sale:
https://v2.waitwhile.com/welcome/mtasale
Registrants will enter near the Expo Center, go through the Canterbury Park COVID-19 health screening process and receive a wristband. Masks are required and hand sanitizer will be available.
For those that would like to watch the action but will not be active participants, the auction will be streamed live on Facebook on the MTA page. There will not be phone or on-line bidding.
If you are unable to attend, but would like to bid, you will need to complete an Authorized Agent Form, available via the MTA, and return it to their office. This will allow your trainer or someone in attendance to act as your agent and bid on your behalf.
The consignment this year is 51 horses, up slightly from 2019. In the midst of uncertain times, there is some trepidation about the possible sale results. However there is a brighter outlook than there was when the meet was delayed in May and any kind of sale looked doubtful.
“We are a little concerned, as all sales and consignors are,” said MTA President Cameron Mahlum. “However, with Canterbury running a modified yet successful meet, all things considered, we are more confident than we were 3 months ago. We are cautiously optimistic we will be close to the 3 year average.”
The sale is Sunday, August 30, at the Canterbury Park Event Center at 3 PM with the preview the evening before from 6 – 9 PM and the day of the sale from 10 AM – 3 PM. Again, reservations are required though the links above.
Sales catalogue: https://minnesotabred.com/2020-2020-yearling-sale/
