SHAKOPEE, MN – It was a glorious day in Shakopee Tuesday which should have featured hundreds of horses, some of whom would be making their first Canterbury start on Friday evening, working over the main track, youngsters schooling in the paddock and horses breaking from the gate trying to earn the all-important gate certification. Instead, a handful of jogging horses greeted the first day of training over the training track while the main track stood by, closed up and idle.
“I think the plan is that we will submit for race dates this week,” said Sr. Media Relations Manager Jeff Maday. “Perhaps as early as tomorrow.”
This year’s date request, like everything else in the COVID-19 era, is no longer straight-forward.
“We have to submit an operation plan as well as race dates,” said Maday, in order to assure the Minnesota Racing Commission and the state that effective safety protocols are in place.
There are no spectators planned for at least the start of racing and may continue for the duration of the meet.
Currently only trainers, backside workers and essential employees are allowed on the backside. Media is admitted via appointment and are limited to certain areas of the backside, not including the barn areas.
When you get to the stable gate, your name is checked on a list and your temperature is taken. You must also wear a face mask throughout your time in the common areas. While thorough, the procedures were not particularly onerous and the issuance of wristbands, marking your complete screening for backside access, took less than three minutes.
While the date request could be submitted as early as tomorrow, by statute the MRC cannot accept or reject the plan for a minimum of 25 days (“The commission shall conduct a public hearing on the request no sooner than 25 nor later than 45 days after an application is filed.”). This provision was initially put in place to protect horsemen from being pushed into decisions by giving them time to respond to any requests for changes by the tracks. This ensures that official approval won’t come from the MRC until June 7 at the earliest. While normally not an issue since the track, HBPA and MRC make sure they are on the same page before dates are submitted for approval, gubernatorial approval is hoped for but not assured and may not come for a few weeks. Once the approvals are lined up, the track could theoretically begin racing the week of June 8, but dates will not be known until the submission.
Track officials are working on the details of racing days as well as dates. There may be some tinkering with Canterbury’s traditional racing days (Thursday – Sunday) to try and take advantage of different spots on the racing calendar to maximize handle.
The first condition book is not expected for another week while track officials and other stakeholders try and craft a solid racing program. While the track won’t run 65 days, they will look to run more than 50. Purse levels are unknown and there are negotiations ongoing with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community on some form of purse contribution this year. The 2012 agreement between the track and the Nation mandates 65 racing days for the purse enhancement money to be transferred. There most likely will also be a reduction in open stakes races in order to maximize the daily purses for horsemen and state bred stakes. None of these details will be known until the release of the revised first condition book.
It is hoped that once the dates request is submitted, plans can start to be made on opening the main track for training.
“At this point, we are still working on completing a racing schedule and determining the appropriate means to submit and receive approval,” said Canterbury VP of Racing Andrew Offerman. “At such time as that is determined, I hope to be able to provide a better timetable as to when we anticipate the main track might be opening for training, gate hours, etc. At present, we have only been approved by the Governor for a limited opening of the stable area pursuant to his executive order so it is likely premature to set anything definitively.”
As one of the few tracks in the Midwest receiving horses, Canterbury stall applications continue to come in. With no dates set for Arlington Park and Prairie Meadows vague on the reopening of their backside, horsemen from all over the region are looking at Canterbury as an option for the summer.
“We are getting an influx of applications from trainers that we usually don’t get apps from,” said stall superintendent Andrew Vold. “I think it comes down to a lot of trainers looking for a place to go. I think once we get the green light to race, if we do, there will be a real influx in applications then with all the uncertainty in the racing industry.”
Of course, there is the concern that once stalls are allocated and other venues begin to open up that horses could leave and leave the track in a bind.
“Naturally you can’t hold people here,” Vold said. “But we tell them that we’ll give you stalls but we expect you to participate in our racing program through the end of the meet. If we give you stalls we expect you to stay here. That’s the most difficult part of this equation. You can’t fit three backsides into one.”
Internal discussions are still ongoing on providing a way to allow local patrons access to wagering on Canterbury races via drive thru areas in the parking lot since there is currently no legal way for Minnesota residents to bet on Canterbury races from home (see link in “NOTES” below for details). There are logistical details to be worked out but if they can, there would at least be some on track handle to speak of and some local patron involvement in the product.
The next two weeks should provide a lot more clarity for the local racing scene as dates are announced, the purse structure is revealed, the stakes schedule is refined and the condition book released.
NOTES: HF 4597 (TABKE – DFL, Shakopee) passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee unanimously. It is expected on the House floor for debate on Friday. The measure has received wide bi-partisan support and is expected to pass the House easily.
