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Goodwin Seeks First Northlands Futurity Victory

Jockey Nik Goodwin has accomplished much during his quarter horse racing career at Canterbury Park. The native of Bemidji, Minn. is the all-time leader in wins, 140, and in purse earnings, $1.59 million, in the history of Canterbury Park and Downs. Goodwin was late to the party this year, not arriving until the end of July. He rode the entire 12-race quarter horse card on July 28 and won four times, including the first three races, hitting the board in three more and quickly reminding racing fans that might have forgotten that he indeed is the quarter horse king of Shakopee.

“It was nice to get back to riding and to win right away,” Goodwin said that evening. “It was a nice return back to Canterbury and my home state.”

Goodwin has won many stakes on both thoroughbreds and quarter horses but one missing from his resume is the Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity, tonight’s sixth race. He will ride A Fabulos Painting, the second fastest qualifier for the meet’s richest quarter horse race trained by the track’s top conditioner Jason Olmstead who has six of the 10 horses in the final. Olmstead fancies A Fabulos Painting and said that if the 2-year-old, who may finally be putting things together, remains composed “he can outrun them all.” Olmstead knows a little about winning this Futurity. He has done so four of the past five years.

A Fabulos Painting got his first win that night with Goodwin up. He had missed the board in three prior starts. One of the speedy gelding’s owners, track announcer Paul Allen, is thrilled. “I love it. To have the winningest rider in the history of the track and the only one in four starts to get this horse to win is fantastic.”

Goodwin likes his chances and will try to deliver for the connections and notch his belt with a first Northlands Futurity victory. “He broke well last time,” Goodwin said. “He drew a good post for this race. He can win.”