by Annise Montplaisir
Wagering
Try as we might to forget the horrendous hair days of the 80’s, the retro style is not yet dead. The public came out in droves for 80’s night at Canterbury Park on August 9th. Fan attire varied from sweat bands, colorful leggings, to the underappreciated yet very useful fanny packs. And it appeared as though those fanny packs came loaded with cash, as Canterbury saw its 3rd largest handle total in one evening for the 2014 season- $835,000 (on track and import). July 3rd and 4th still hold the top wagering records for the year, with $1,100,000 and $954,000 bet on each day, respectively.
Salute to MN Oaks winning trainer & jockey
Sky and Sea’s impressive performance in yesterday’s $75,000 Minnesota Oaks was enough to make any trainer-jockey pair beam with pride. But Dean Butler and Bernell Rhone had yet another reason to smile, as it was their fourth time winning the MN Oaks. Butler captured the Oaks in 2007 aboard Run With Joy, 2009 on Chick Fight, and in 2011 with Bert’slittlesister. Rhone’s list of winners dates as far back as 1992 when he captured the race with Stolen Glance. His other winners were Anisha in 1997 and Badge of Glory in 2013. With that being said, 2014 was the first year Butler and Rhone paired to win the race. And with their history of success, it only makes sense that they would make a dynamic duo. Sky and Sea entered the race as the odds-on favorite, coming off a short layoff after her win in the Frances Genter Stakes on July 4th at Canterbury. Entering the stretch Sky and Sea drew away from the pack to win by 3 1/4 lengths.
Overheard
On another note related to Sky and Sea, sources suggest that the fine filly just may return to sprinting on Festival Day. With a record of success running anywhere from five and a half furlongs to a mile and 70 yards, it seems this versatile filly can do what she pleases. Keep an ear tuned for further deets.
Nod to MN-breds at Arlington
Minnesota may be identified by our freezing winters and distinct Norwegian accents, but the state is also becoming known for producing successful racehorses. Two Minnesota bred thoroughbreds, Command the Land and Happy Hour Honey are making a name for themselves at Arlington Park. Happy Hour Honey- a 5-year-old mare trained by Hugh Robertson- dominated a claiming race for fillies and mares going five furlongs on the turf on August 9th. Command the Land, a 4-year-old gelding trained by Tammy Domenosky took a $16,000 claiming race on August 10th, paying $8.20 to win. A warm salute to these Canterbury natives.
Majestic Affair
The 2-year-old Jim Wells wrote of yesterday, Majestic Affair, finished eighth in the 10-horse Saratoga Special. He was bet down to 5 to 1 odds, pressed the early pace, but did not offer much in the stretch.
Eddie Martin, Jr.
Finally, to close out the week of racing jockey Eddie Martin, Jr won five races on the Sunday program.
