SHAKOPEE, MN – With record cold temperatures around the corner and over a half of foot of snow on the ground, Canterbury Park today gave patrons and horsemen a reason to look forward to the warm weather: Canterbury’s 2019 Stakes schedule was released.

For the second year in a row, the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby will headline the very successful Northern Stars Racing Festival on Saturday, June 22.  The undercard will include $300,000 in stakes: a pair of $50,000 dirt sprints, the Dark Star and the Hoist Her Flag and two $100,000 turf miles, the Lady Canterbury and the Mystic Lake Mile.  The day will feature a special post time of 5:00 PM.

Minnesota Festival of Champions Day, September 1, will feature an increase in purses with every stakes race to be worth $100,000.

“Minnesota Festival of Champions will offer a record single-day purse payout for Canterbury Park with the total purse distribution approaching $850,000,” senior director of racing Andrew Offerman said. Minnesota Festival is dedicated to horses bred in Minnesota. “When purses increased in 2012, owners and breeders really stepped up the quality of Minnesota-breds, and they continue to be rewarded with rich stakes as the industry continues to improve.”

This year will also feature a Festival prep day.  August 10 will be Minnesota-Made Day with five state bred stakes totaling $350,000 in purses.  The Minnesota Derby and Oaks will both carry $100,000 purses with the Blairs’ Cove, Princess Elaine and the MTA Sales Graduate Stakes will carry $50,000 purses.

A complete list of stakes can be found here: http://www.canterburypark.com/thoroughbred-stakes-schedule/

Condition Book 1 can be found here: Condition-Book-1-Book-Races-Pages-25-50

Stall applications are due by March 18 and can be found here: 2019-Stall-Application