Shakopee, MN – The beginning of Stakes Week at Canterbury Park belonged to the Quarter Horses and they did not disappoint. There were photo finishes, stakes records, track records, an upset and the passing of the baton between generations.
Action started on Wednesday night with the Minnesota Quarter Horse Racing Association Stallion Auction Futurity. The odds on, undefeated favorite, Beep Beep Rev Rev had an absolutely terrible break and Alotta Oh La La took full advantage scoring under Stormy Smith for trainer Mallory Norton.
Alotta Oh La La was bred and is owned by Leon Glasser and paid $16.40 to win.
The win capped a big week for rider Stormy Smith who started last weekend with induction into the Prairie Meadows Hall of Fame.
“Even though she’s a maiden, she’s been training really well and getting better with each start,” said Smith.
After about 30 yards into the 350-yard race, Smith was using his peripheral vision to check for Beep Beep Rev Rev.
“He’s such a good horse – they’re all good horses – and you just know he’s going to be around somewhere,” said Smith.
But he was not to be seen as long shot My Candys Relentless finished second ($20.60) and Relentless Okie ($3.20) was third.
Alotta Oh La La set the stakes record, covering the distance in 17.65 seconds.
On Thursday night, four stakes were on tap, two of them Grade III events.
A pair of world class 6-year-olds showed the young guns that there was still a spring in their legs as both Danjer and Lynnder 16 won their graded stakes and set stakes records in the process.
In the Bank of America Canterbury Park Championship Challenge, Danjer, trained and bred by Dean Frey, broke quickly from the gate and put a length and a half on his four foes before drawing off to win effortlessly by 2 1/2 lengths in track record time of 21.070 seconds for 440 yards. Danjer has now won 17 of 29 career starts.
“Anytime you get to ride him it’s a thrill,” winning jockey Cody Smith said. “Basically, it was just a work for him. I just let him cruise down through there.”
Danjer, who has now earned $1,691,813, is owned by Frey and Downtime Enterprises, LLC. He paid $2.10 to win.
Lynnder 16 won the $38,615 Grade 3 Canterbury Park Distaff Challenge for the third consecutive time, setting a track record by covering 400 yards in 19.560 seconds and boosting her career earnings to $792,988. With jockey Edwin Escobedo aboard, 6-year-old mare Lynnder 16 won by a neck over stablemate Apollitical Mogul. Both graded stakes wining mares are trained by Jason Olmstead. Lynnder 16 is owned by Tom Maher and Richard L. Tobin.
“We entered both the mares a couple times trying to get a race in them and never could,” Olmstead said. “So I brought them out here and let them work together and we let them rip and it got the race experience out of them. But they’re class. I mean these two mares haven’t made what they’ve made by accident.” Lynnder 16 paid $4.80 to win.
Cold Brewster won the 870-yard $25,432 Canterbury Park Distance Challenge by a length as the betting favorite. Cold Brewster, ridden by Gonzalo Gutierrez and trained by Durk Peery, paid $3.80 to win. He is owned by Austin Watterson.
Four-year-old Minnesota bred Jess Rocket Man defeated his 7-year-old full brother Dickey Bob by a nose in the $38,600 Bob Morehouse Stakes. The final time of 17.353 seconds for 350 yards was the third track record of the night. Both horses are owned and bred by Lunderborg LLC and are trained by Olmstead. Luis Valenzuela was aboard the winning brother who paid $4.20.
