Weekend Stakes Recap

Canterbury Park, Iowa, Minnesota, Prairie Meadows, , , , ,
Native American in a devastating performance in the L'Etoile du Nord overnight stakes at Canterbury Park.
Native American in a devastating performance in the L’Etoile du Nord overnight stakes at Canterbury Park.

CANTERBURY PARK

L’Etoile du Nord

A very powerful performance by 1/5 Native American highlighted the $40,000 overnight stake on Saturday. As in her three previous career starts, the talented Mercedes Stable homebred was never headed and romped home by 7 3/4 lengths.  She covered the six furlongs in 1:11.08 and was ridden by Jorge Carreno.  Trainer Robertino Diodoro’s other entry, Freaking Amazing, was 2nd and Aggressive Beauty 3rd.

AM Milky Way powering down the lane in the Bunyan
AM Milky Way powering down the lane in the Bunyan

Paul Bunyan

AM Milky Way, cutting back from a route where he was ineffective to a sprint where he captured the Golden Circle at Prairie Meadows, made huge moved through the turn to seize the lead and drew off to win by 5 1/4 under Hugo Sanchez covering the six furlongs in 1:11.15 as the favorite.  Space Mine finished 2nd in his 2nd career start while Control Stake finished 3rd.

PRAIRIE MEADOW

Cyclones Handicap

Excessive came out of the gate as if fired our of a cannon in the $75,000 Cyclones Handicap.  He was pressured down the backstretch by favored Zeki but never really headed.  Jockey Alex Birzer waited until the turn for him before shaking the reins at Excessive and he opened up to a 3 1/4 victory.  The long shot covered the mile and a sixteenth in 1:44.71. Zeki faded to third, overtaken by Oh My Gravy who moved into second late.

Hawkeyes Handicap

Sumting Wong continued her winning ways, taking the $75,000 Hawkeyes Handicap as the 2/5 favorite.  Alex Birzer sent her to the front as the field turned down the backside and never looked back.  She turned a two length lead into a laugher by the finish, drawing off to win by 11 over Rallydownthealley and I Tour, stopping the timer at 1:44.57.  The win gave Birzer a sweep of the evening’s stakes

L’Etoile du Nord

Native American                        2.10     2.10     2.10

Freaking Amazing                                  3.40     2.40

Aggressive Beauty                                                2.40

Paul Bunyan

AM Milky Way                           5.00     3.20     2.40

Space Mine                                              5.20     4.00

Control Stake                                                       2.80

Cyclones

Excessive                                   21.60     9.00     4.60

Oh My Gravy                                           5.40     2.80

Zeki                                                                         2.40

Hawkeyes

Sumting Wong                          2.80     2.20     2.20

Rallydownthealley                                3.00     2.60

I Tour                                                                    3.00

 

Native Ameican making ready in the paddock before the L'Etoile du Nord
Native Ameican making ready in the paddock before the L’Etoile du Nord
Native American's trainer Robertino Diodoro after the L'Etoile du Nord in which he also trained the 2nd place finisher, Freaking Awesome.
Native American’s trainer Robertino Diodoro after the L’Etoile du Nord in which he also trained the 2nd place finisher, Freaking Awesome.
Winners' Circle of the Bunyan with the comemrative axe presented to trainer Time Padilla and jockey Hugo Sanchez by Canterbury employee Jon Mikkelson (center, in Bunyan flannel). Mikkelson won the "Name the Stake" contest for track employees.
Winners’ Circle of the Bunyan with the commemorative axe presented to the connections of AM Milky Way by Canterbury employee Jon Mikkelson (center, in Bunyan flannel). Mikkelson won the “Name the Stake” contest for track employees. [EDITOR’s NOTE: The axe may be the coolest trophy in horse racing]

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