SHAKOPEE, MN – It’s part two of the Minnesota festival of Champions Night at Canterbury Park. Tonight’s stakes: Bella Notte Minnesota Distaff Sprint; Crocrock Minnesota Sprint; Minnesota Quarter Horse Derby
$50,000 Bella Notte Distaff Sprint
The Bella Notte Has a small field of six but the matchup is a bit intriguing. Quick out of the gate should be Pepper N Mint and three-year-old Minnesota Oaks winner Carson Bay.
Pepper N Mint is looking to win her fourth in a row in the Notte while Carson Bay is cutting back to six furlongs for the race. They may have company on the front end with perennially underrated Retired Kathy. Jockey Chad Lindsay has won with her gate to wire as well as from off the pace, most notably in her Lady Slipper victory.
Whoever is on the engine is going to be feeling the heat from Thunders Rocknroll. One of the best – if no the best – sprinters of her generation, the Bob Lindgren homebred owns some of the best Beyer Speed Figures in the group, though her best efforts lately have been over the turf. This gal has won on the dirt, turf, short and long so she’s a threat everywhere but the last time she sprinted over the dirt, she was caught late by Retired Kathy.
$50,000 Crocrock Sprint
The boys sprint division features a pair of Pete Mattson homebreds (one he shares with trainer Tim Padilla) taking on Suzanne Stable’s homebred, Street Warrior, a speedster that earned a 90 Beyer in his first dirt start of the season.
While both Padilla trainees like to be on or close to the lead, Thealligatorhunter has more natural speed the Doctor Oscar and should be the one pushing Street Warrior early with the good Doctor lying in wait and trying to scoop all the marbles. The ‘Gator, however, has been known to carry all that speed clear through to the wire, giving Mattson and Padilla a tough 1-2 punch.
A possible threat to the field that could be a price is leading Festival Day trainer Mac Robertson’s Distorted Pro. He kicked off his 2025 season at glitzy Oaklawn Park dead heating for the win in a $130,000 allowance and earning an 85 Beyer. He didn’t race again for a little over three months when he was second to the ‘Gator in the 10,000 Lakes. A repeat of that Oaklawn performance could give Robertson another Festival Day win.
$40,000 Minnesota QH Derby
North Star Derby winner L Conejo leads a tough group of quarter milers in the Quarter Horse Derby. He has proven to be able to win at the distance and has reeled off three straight Speed Indexes of over 80, equaled in the field only by filly Da Lie Lah, who finished well behind the former in the North Star.
Eos Keep Dreamin finished behind both of the above contenders in the North Star but gave them a bit of a head start after breaking slowly. He still was able to come running and ended up third, beaten less than a length. With a clean break, she may be able to end up on top.
Not to be underestimated is filly Jjs Sweet and Sassy who led every step of the North Star except the very last when she was headed by L Conejo for the win.
Festival Day Fun Facts
Richest horse: Thealligatorhunter with lifetime earnings of $532,775
Jockey Alonzo Quinonez won three Festival races in 2024. He has mounts in four Saturday
Post time for Minnesota Festival of Campions Day is 5:10 PM.
Tomorrow: Cash Caravan, Princess Elaine Distaff Turf and the Blairs Cove Turf
