SHAKOPEE, MN – State breds took the stakes stage last night at Canterbury Park and the nearly 10,000 fans in attendance got their money’s worth as the betting favorites were able to reward their backers on a warm summer night in Shakopee.

In the $50,000 Lady Slipper for state bred females, Thunders Rocknroll, was challenged early by Lover Girl who latched on to her flank.  As they turned for home, however, leading rider Manny Americano shook the 1/9 favorite a bit for the drive and she found another gear. He only tapped her once to keep her attentive and hand rode her to a three-length victory.

“I just waited until the stretch to let her run,” Americano said, “and she just went.”

“I really like it here,” he continued. “There are a lot of people that come out to watch.”

Bob Lindgren, breeder and owner of Thunders Rocknroll, was sanguine over the result.

“We know that she’s a really good mare,” he said, “but there were a few I was concerned about. With this win, she becomes my all-time money winner.”

Lindgren has bred and owned many good horses but Thunders career earnings of $458,137 puts her at the top of his stable standings.

The winner paid $2.10 to win and finished in a time of 1:11.02 for the six furlongs. Carson Bay ($3.40) rallied for second while Lover Girl ($2.10) was third.

While on paper the $50,000 10,000 Lakes was a much more competitive affair that its sister stake, the result suggested otherwise.

Favored Street Warrior went hoof to hoof with Thealligatorhunter, surprisingly close early, for the first furlong or so but Constantino Roman let the Warrior run and he quickly put four on the field through the turn.  Heading for home it looked as if maybe Haunted Haze had a chance of getting to him but the winner was having none of it and stormed to a 3 ¾ length victory in 1:09.15 for trainer Joel Berndt and owner/breeder Suzanne Stables.

The off-season was a typical one for the multiple stakes winning son of Barbados.

“We out some long miles on him and then got him to Hawthorne to get him ready,” Berndt said. 

The win in the 10,000 Lakes is his seventh win in twelve starts and he’s only missed the board once – and that was in his only turf try – and has now gone over $200,000 in career earnings.

Street Warrior paid $2.80 to win. Haunted Haze ($3.80) was second and Distorted Pro ($2.40) was third.

Racing resumes today at 1:10 pm for Pepsi Family Day.