Thursday night is renowned as buck night, an evening at the races when you can get an admission ticket, a hot dog, a soft drink and various other concessions for a single one-dollar bill.
Next Thursday, Aug. 14, is special.
Buck night could be worth fifty thousand bucks to someone able to find the right pick six combination, something that has eluded the Canterbury Park faithful since Claiming Crown day.
A carryover of $36,092 is likely to become $50,000 or more by the time the pick six gets under way on Buck Night.
The carryover was assured after Ry Eikleberry brought in two consecutive longshots on Sunday’s card.
A number of pick six players were eliminated even earlier when Minnesota Mafia, ridden by Juan Rivera, won the fourth race at 9-1.
Buzz the Tower, with Eikleberry up, won the sixth race, a mile run on the turf, at 5-1 odds for owner/trainer Doug Oliver. Eikleberry came right back with Positive Cash Flow, owned and trained by Jim Warvell, in a 7 ½ furlong run on the turf to assure the carryover. Positive Cash Flow was sent off at 18-1.
Eikleberry made four consecutive trips to the winner’s circle, riding both winners in the quarter horse races: Expressive Sign for trainer Jerry Livingston in the eighth race, a 350-yard quarter horse sprint, and Disco Dillan for trainer Ralph Haglund in the card finale.
RUFF RECOVERING NICELY
Clerk of scales Jerry Simmons said paddock judge/stakes coordinator Steve Ruff was doing well after suffering a mild heart attack on Friday. Simmons visited Ruff Saturday night and said he expects him to be released from the hospital as early as today (Sunday).
Simmons said that Ruff received two stents to open an artery. Ruff was not feeling well and drove himself to the hospital, and the attack occurred after he had been admitted. Simmons said it is quite possible Ruff will be back at work in a few days.
A BUSY DAY FOR CAM
It was one of those days for Cam Casby of Shakopee on Sunday. Horses bred or owned by Casby were racing all over the place. That kept her hopping from the winner’s circle at Canterbury Park to the simulcast screens throughout the grandstand.
Cordilleran Ice was entered in a race at a mile and 1`/16 on the turf at Saratoga, a race moved to the dirt at a mile and 1/8th. Cordilleran had never run in the mud or a mile and 1/8 but finished third nonetheless.
French Song was entered in a $35,000 claimer at Saratoga and won easily. Zembezi Warrior finished second in a maiden special weight on the dirt at Monmouth, and Minnesota Mafia won at 9-1 in the fourth race at Canterbury.
A DAY FOR COWBOYS
Keith Davis was unseated from his mount in the third race, Storm Pocket, during the stretch run and took off his remaining mounts on Sunday’s card. Davis had mounts in three additional races after riding in the the first and third races on the card.
Kaos Kid created a little chaos of his own by stumbling badly out of the gate and unseating Eikleberry in the fifth race. Eikleberry sort of rolled off the horse as it went down and was up quickly, more irritated than anything
“I thought I might need another rider (for the sixth race),” said trainer Doug Oliver. Eikleberry was in the paddock none the worse for the wear and rode Oliver’s horse, Buzz the Tower, to the winner’s circle in the final turf race of the week. At 5-1, Buzz the Tower returned $13.20 to win.
