SHAKOPEE, MN – Saturday night brings the 32nd running of Minnesota Festival of Champions Day to Canterbury Park. The card features eleven Minnesota bred race including nine stakes races, six thoroughbred and three quarter horse.
Post time for Minnesota Festival of Campions Day is 5:10 PM.
We will preview three races a day over the next three days to gear up for Festival Day. Today we’ll start with the two-year old races: the Northern Lights Futurity, Debutante and Minnesota Quarter Horse Futurity.
Northern Lights Futurity
Seven two-year old males will go six furlongs over the main track in the $75,000 Northern Lights. Five of the seven are maidens with two being first time starters.
The winners include Sampson Racing’s, How Bout That Curt, named for the patriarch of the family and Canterbury Park co-founder Curtis Sampson. After a second in his debut, he romped professionally against open company to win for the first time last out. The Tony Rengstorf trainee will carry leading rider Harry Hernandez and was installed as the even money favorite.
The other winner in the field is Thunder Strike Racing’s, Perfect Gamble. Jockey turned trainer Nik Goodwin is having himself a fine debut year at home, winning at 24% out of 33 starters. Wife Betty Jo Williams, a winner with five of her 21 rides, gets the call.
Northern Lights Debutante
In the baby girl division, there are eleven starters that will go six furlongs for $75,000 over the dirt. Seven of the eleven are maidens but the 2-1 morning line favorite is Incredulous who won in her debut in the mud on July 23rd and earned a field best 62 Beyer Speed Figure. Eduardo Gallardo gets the ride for trainer Coty Rosin. She’s training forwardly for her stakes debut, working a morning best :46 3/5 on August 23rd.
Trainer Tim Padilla has a pair for owner/breeder Pete Mattson, one he co-owns/bred. Nancy’s Shawl (Roman) will start from the far outside and sports two seconds and a third in her three career starts. Their other starter, Summer Winner, broker her maiden at first asking and then tried a Prairie Meadow stake where she finished mid-pack. With Nancy’s Shawl pushing the pace and Summer Winner looking to challenge Incredulous late, he may have a winning team.
Minnesota Quarter Horse Futurity
The 5/2 morning line favorite is this year’s North Star QH Futurity winner, Holy Dynasty, trained by Patrick Swan and bred/owned by Dan Kjorsvik. She’ll be tackling 350 yards for the first time in the $40,000 Futurity while her chief rival, Del Cartel (Hobbs/Delgado), was 7th in his only try at the distance here at Canterbury. She was closing quickly on Holy Dynasty in the North Star before running out of ground. If she can make the distance, she could turn the tables on her rival here.
Tomorrow: Bella Notte Minnesota Distaff Sprint; Crocrock Minnesota Sprint; Minnesota Quarter Horse Derby
Festival Fun Facts:
Mac Robertson – all-time Festival thoroughbred win leader with 41
Ed Ross Hardy – all-time Festival quarter horse win leader with 22
