Shakopee, MN – The first stakes of the year are on the schedule for this evening’s Belmont Stakes Day card at Canterbury Park. Both defending champions, Sir Sterling and Thunders Rocknroll will be looking to go back-to-back in the 10,000 Lakes and Lady Slipper Stakes, respectively, though neither is the favorite to do so in the $50,000 six-furlong dash for Minnesota breds.

In the 10,000 Lakes, Sir Sterling has drawn post four with of his main rivals, the Tim Padilla trained duo of Thealligatorhunter and Doctor Oscar will be breaking from the inside. Alsonso Quinonez, the regular rider for both, opted for the ride on the good Doctor while Constantino Roman picks up the reins on Thealligatorhunter.

Doctor Oscar prepped for the 10,000 Lakes at Tampa Bay Downs where he ran a very game second in a $100,000 Optional Claiming race. He should be on or near the lead in this one with Thelligatorhunter not far behind. Sir Sterling will sit off of that pace and hope that he can outkick North Arm Bay and Distorted Pro. 

Distorted Pro is coming off a $130,000 Allowance win at Oaklawn Park for trainer Mac Robertson and will have the services of leading rider Harry Hernandez.

The Lady Slipper is also a small but mighty group of Minnesota breds led by defending champion Thunders Rocknroll. The Bob Lindgren homebred fizzled a bit toward the end of an aggressive 2024 campaign which saw her take not only the Lady Slipper but also the Lady Canterbury stakes. Off since October, she’s been training forwardly for new trainer Wade Rarick who has been scoring at 20% for first timers in the barn and off a long layoff. Alonso Quinonez rides.

Mac Robertson sends out a formidable duo for Xtreme Racing, multiple stakes winners Xtreme Diva and Cupids Crush.  

Cupids Crush comes in off a brief freshener while already stakes placed in her 2025 campaign, finishing second in the Kranz Memorial at the Fairgounds, though that effort, as well as most of recent tries, was going long and she’ll be cutting back to six furlongs here.

Xtreme Diva is coming off the bench and installed as the 6-5 favorite. More of a natural sprinter than her barn mate, she’s never missed the board in a sprint over the Canterbury main track.

Retired Kathy, trained by David Van Winkle, has run all but six races in her stellar career thus far on the grass, where she has found the most success, but returned to the main track to defeat Xtreme Diva and others in the Minnesota Oaks. She may be at her best going long and will be looking to get her first dirt sprint win.

All the action starts at 4PM, an hour earlier than usual.