Sheza a Sugar Momma drew away to win the $29,500 North Star State Futurity by two lengths under 16-year-old Ryder Olmstead, son of winning trainer Jason Olmstead. The younger Olmstead recorded his first career win June 8 at Prairie Meadows and his first stake win tonight at Canterbury Park. Sheza a Sugar Momma was bred by Summer Run Inc and is owned by Tom Maher and Paul Ludemann. She entered the Futurity with one start, a second in a maiden race at Remington Park on May 22.
“She did everything right her first start other than win,” Jason Olmstead said. “Got outrun by a horse that had more experience. We were pleased with her first out and thought if she could run that same race or improve just a little bit that she’d be double tough here and it worked out.”
Sheza a Sugar Momma broke alertly and quickly put a length and a half on the field as the proud father looked on.
“Pretty cool feeling,” he said. “It’s as fun as when I got to ride ‘em so I’m glad he’s getting to do what he wants to do.”
Ryder was a bit less loquacious. “I don’t even know what to say. It was fun,” he said.
The victorious filly was favored in the field of nine 2-year-old Minnesota breds and paid $2.80 to win with a final time of 15.997 seconds for 350 yards. Haley Hobbs trained the second and third place finishers Dead Game Zoomie and Superona ridden by Gonzalo Gutierrez.
Hobbs and Gutierrez teamed up in the next race to win the $29,000 North Star State Derby with Del Cartel. Restricted to state bred 3-year-olds, the Derby attracted a field of eight including second place finisher Cyber Security who could only get within a neck of the winner at the wire. Third was Sophey with Ryder Olmstead again riding for his father.
Del Cartel, owned and bred by Cesar Albino Martinez, paid $24.00, covering 400 yards in 20.685 seconds.
“We ran him 400 yards at Remington, trying to set him up for this race,” Hobbs said. “It was a little but far against the open breds but I think it helped him tonight against the state breds. I try to run all my [Minnesota] breds at Remington and try to get them ready for here and some times they do good over there we come here and we’re better.”