SHAKOPEE, MN – The 27th Minnesota Festival of Champions Day kicks off tonight at Canterbury Park.  Normally one of the largest draws of the year, this year’s Festival will be contested with limited fans in attendance.  With stars like Ready to Runaway and Hot Shot Kid plus a full slate of twelve state bred races including eight Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse stakes worth $737,600, the evening should still be one of the best of the season.

All six Thoroughbred stakes will be worth $100,000 with the Minnesota Quarter Horse Futurity carrying a purse of $70,350 and the Minnesota Quarter Horse Derby will be worth $67,250.

“We thought it important to leave the Festival purses consistent with last year,” Vice President of Racing Andrew Offerman said. “It rewards those that have supported racing and breeding in the state and encourages further participation. We have done our best throughout the summer to limit the economic impact of COVID-19 and we are excited to celebrate the crowning of our state-bred Champions during the 2020 Festival. ”

Race 5 – $100,000 Bella Notte Minnesota Distaff Sprint

The smallest field on the card features the superstar Ready to Runaway.  The 4-year old filly owned by John Mentz and trained by Mac Robertson has won three of four at Canterbury this season with her only loss coming by a neck in the Minnesota Turf Distaff going long over an unfamiliar surface.

Back over the dirt and sprinting, it is hard to see how she loses this race, though the races aren’t run on paper and with plenty of speed in the race, if she should falter, the race could set up for closing veteran, Pinup Girl.  Ari Gia, Rush Hour Traffic and Defend the Rose will also try and take down Ready to Runaway along with Diva de Kela.

Race 6 – $100,000 Blair’s Cove Minnesota Turf

The Blair’s Cove features another superstar out of the Robertson barn, the Warren Bush homebred, Hot Shot Kid.  The Kid will be taking to the turf for only the fifth time in his career in the Blair’s Cove.  He won this race last year but it was taken off the turf.  Given the forecast today, it is possible that could happen again.

In his last effort, the mile and a sixteenth Wally’s Choice, the Kid was beaten on the square by Drop of Golden Sun who took the field gate to wire.  He should have some company on the front end from the surging El Tizar who has woken up over the turf course for trainer Bernell Rhone and Suzanne Stables.  He’s reeled off three consecutive wins at 7.5 furlongs in state bred and open allowances.

Hot Shot Kid should be able to sit behind the two speedsters should they go at it early.  However he’ll have company late from a pair of old fan favorite closers, 9-year old A P is Loose and 7-year old Where’s Jordan.

Race 7 – $100,000 Princess Elaine Minnesota Distaff Turf

Honey’s Sox Appeal will be looking to win her fourth Festival Day race in five years, a record for a horse of any sex at Canterbury Park.  She won three consecutive Bella Notte Sprints and is returning to the mile and a sixteenth Princess Elaine as the defending champion.  The race was not part of the Festival Day line up in 2019. The 7-year old bred by Bob Lindgren and Paul Knapper and owned by Lindgren is the leading money winner among females in the history of Canterbury Park, banking $436,648 in her career.

She’ll have her work cut out for her tonight, though, with Minnesota Turf Distaff champion Firstmate looking for her second stakes win of the summer.  Additionally, Clickbait was a bridesmaid in her barn behind Ready to Runaway in the Glitter Star last out where she ran a very nice race, clear by four over the third place finisher and will be looking for her first stakes title here.

Three year old Hotasapistol is just that having just taken down the Minnesota Oaks.  She’s also beaten older state bred foes in an allowance prior to the Oaks.

Race 8 – $100,000 Northern Lights Futurity

Several 2-year old males are coming into the Northern Lights off of stellar performances that should make for an interesting battle.

Westa Wavery broke his maiden in the MTA Sales Graduate Futurity in very impressive gate to wire fashion.  Thealligatorhunter was another gate to wire winner as was Prince Rama.  Sneeky Diversion is wheeling back in eight days after an eye popping debut for leading trainer Joel Berndt and leading owner Lothenbach Stables.

Race 9 – $100,000 Northern Lights Debutante

As in the boys’ race, the Deb has several contenders coming in off of stellar maiden breaking efforts.

Hell of the North, Star of the North and Molly’s Angel all scored visually impressive maiden breaking victories. Rozey Cheeks was also a debut winner, giving owner Michael Grossman and trainer Francisco Bravo a strong pair for the Debutante along with Star of the North.

Race 10 – $100,000 Crocrock Minnesota Sprint

The final Thoroughbred stake of the evening is the Sprint and although it is only comprised of six horses, this could be the most competitive race of the evening with all six in with a shot to win.

Owner/breeder Pete Mattson has a pair of homebreds and will look to make some noise with a pair of Oscar’s – Astronaut and Fireman.  Astronaut Oscar should push the pace early while Fireman Oscar should be trying to pick up the pieces late.

Multiple stakes winner Mister Banjoman has been running well over the turf this season at Canterbury with two seconds and a third in open allowance clashes and moves back to the dirt and state bred company in the sprint.

Cinco Star captured the Strangis over the turf at 7.5 furlongs and, last out, finished behind Drop of Golden Sun and Hot Shot Kid going a route in the Wally’s Choice.  He’ll cut back in the Sprint and try and use his speed and outlast his rivals.

Weekend Ride faded badly in the Minnesota Derby and the youngster will take on older here as he cuts back in distance.  While he’s run well against his elders, he has yet to win a race against them.

A potential surprise in the small field could be Ray’s Angel.  Another speedster who easily handled open company competition – last out in a turf sprint – Ray’s Angel moves back to the dirt and in with state bred foes. The only other time this season he was in with Minnesotans he controlled the race in an allowance sprint.

Race 11 – $70,350 Minnesota Quarter Horse Futurity

Second fastest qualifier Western Reserve will be trying to kick off an Ed Ross Hardy training double in the Quarter Horse Stakes.  The Bob and Julie Peterson homebred comes in having only faltered once in four tries in an open Gopher State Derby.  She’s looking to make it three wins in a row for the Hall of Fame connections in the Futurity. A win in the Futurity would give Hardy record 21st Festival Day win and the Peterson’s their 10th – both records.

The filly breaking from the far outside, Sweet Carol Line, will expect to have a say in the outcome as well. She hasn’t lost against state bred company yet and boasts a championship pedigree as the little sister of multiple stakes winners Dicky Bob and Pyc Jess Bitemydust for owner/breeder Lunderborg LLC.  Trainer Jason Olmstead is looking for his fourth Futurity win in five years.

Race 12 – $67,250 Minnesota Quarter Horse Derby

The Derby is also shaping up as a battle between Hardy and Olmstead.  Summer Run Inc’s Beep Beep Zoom Zoom will be looking to pull off the Futurity/Derby double.  The second fastest qualifier won the Cam Casby in addition to the Futurity as a 2-year old and has started to round back into form heading into the Derby.

Standing in her way will be the Hardy trained Vos Fantastic Aira.  The fastest qualifier has been on cruise control this meet, just missing by a head in his debut and then reeling off three consecutive wins, including overtaking his chief rival late in the Derby trial.

The twelve race Festival Day card will kick off at a special post time of 4 PM. There is limited space available for fans and reservations must be made in advance at Canterbury Park’s website.