Nine-year old mare Beach Flower, who had won the Minnesota HBPA Distaff two times in four prior starts, made it three wins in the $50,000 stake when she was victorious again Wednesday at Canterbury Park. Under jockey Roimes Chirinos, Beach Flower sat off the early pace in the one mile race run over a muddy track. She tracked pace setter Rush Hour Traffic before beginning to advance into the far turn, passing the leader inside the sixteenth pole and pulling away to win by a length and a quarter.
“When she came around the turn it looked like she had a little bit of a kick,” said John Mentz who co-owns Beach Flower with Hugh Robertson and Jeff Larson. “For a good old 9-year-old mare to have that is just awesome. She’s been a good horse.”
Beach Flower, who paid $6.00 to win, is trained by Mac Robertson. Rush Hour Traffic held second while favored Niceno finished third. Rain forced the HBPA Distaff as well as the Brooks Fields and Honor the Hero Stakes to be moved from the turf course.
Jockey Alex Canchari led gate to wire aboard Plane Talk dominating the $50,000 Honor the Hero Stakes by 6 1/2 lengths in 56.49 seconds for five furlongs. “He’s a fast horse and I was just a passenger on him today,” Canchari said. The victory was the 999th for the jockey who grew up in Shakopee as part of a racing family. Plane Talk is trained by Robertson for owner Novogratz Racing Stables. He paid $10.80 to win.
Canchari, who is riding regularly at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa, tallied career win 1,000 when he rode Tonka Warrior to victory for Robertson in the final race. “I grew up here. I got my first job here in the concession stand when I was a kid,” Canchari said. “I just love it here. I love all the fans and all the people because without them I’d be nothing.”
Jockey Harry Hernandez, new to the Canterbury jockey colony, won the $50,000 Brooks Fields Stakes aboard prohibitive favorite Tut’s Revenge. He paid $3.20. Tut’s Revenge, who won the one mile race by 2 1/4 lengths, is trained by Clinton Stuart for owners Claim To Fame Stable.
Handle for the nine-race program totaled $1,730,324. Racing resumes Thursday at 5 p.m.
