SHAKOPEE, MN – On Saturday, for the first time in Minnesota history, the Minnesota Oaks and Derby will be worth $100,000 each. Run at a mile and 70 yards over the Canterbury Park main track, the races are for Minnesota bred three year olds. The Derby feature Minnesota bred phenom Mr. Jagermeister while the Oaks features Simran, a filly that will be shooting for her fourth consecutive win.
Minnesota Derby
The Minnesota Derby centers around Mr. Jagermeister. A proven brilliant sprinter, the Valorie Lund trainee (she also is a co-owner with her sisters, breeder Kristin Boice and Leslie Cummings) has had some issues stretching out but against vastly superior competition in the Grade 2 San Vincente and the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby over the Canterbury turf. Against state breds, Mr. Jagermeister has been untouchable so the question becomes: can Minnesota breds reach him on a stretch out?
“This is a very exciting race for us,” said Lund. “This is going to be a real test for him stretching out to the mile and seventy. We’ve been specifically training him to run the route. He’s worked two miles with a three eighths work at the end. He’s been very strong at the end of those works. I can tell you Leandro Goncalves has been just thrilled with how relaxed he is and how well he’s been training for this mile seventy race.”
The race looks to be reminiscent of the 2014 Minnesota Oaks when heavily favored Sky and Sea, a stellar sprinter, stretched out against state breds, finished tired but still 3 1/4 lengths ahead of the field.
If there is an upsetter in this group, it looks to be confirmed router Twoko Bay out of the Gary Scherer barn for Winchester Place Thoroughbreds. Two for two lifetime over at a mile or better, he’s never been challenged late and should anyone press Mr. Jagermeister enough early, Twoko Bay is more than talented enough to finish strongly.
Minnesota Oaks
In the $100,000 Minnesota Oaks, Gaitri Rampadarat’s Simran will be looking for her fourth consecutive win and third consecutive stake, going three for four so far for the meet with her most recent wins coming in the Frances Genter and the Minnesota Made Distaff. Simran is trained by her husband, Roopishwar Rampadarat.
An interesting battle appears to be shaping up in the Oaks with the stalk and pounce style of Simran against the swift early speed of Rock that Jewel. Rock that Jewel has won two in a row, a maiden breaker and allowance, but those have both been on the turf. She wasn’t a mess over the dirt though, with a pair of second place finishes in maiden special weights.
A bit more wide open than the Derby, the Oaks also features Barry and Joni Butzow’s Firstmate who broke her maiden in the 2017 Northern Lights Debutante. This season she debuted with a win in an allowance against older fillies and mare but was beaten last out by Simran in the Genter.
Another casualty of Simran in the Genter was Cabloosie Bay, though she bounced back in a $12,000 optional claimer on August 2nd.
Earlier on the card is the Minnesota Thoroughbred Association Sales Graduate Futurity featuring $160,000 OBS April sale purchase Notte Oscura, pinhooked out of the 2017 MTA Yearling Sale where he was the sale topper, and Dame Plata an impressive first out winner on July 13.
The Minnesota Oaks and Derby are the sixth and seventh races on the card. First race post time is 12:50 PM.
