Most of the attention Sunday in the $20,000-added Cash Caravan Stakes was on defending champion Streak N Hot, Bob Morehouse winner Western Fun and a well-rested Naketa, making her first start in 13 months.
That’s the fun of a 440-yard quarter horse dash, as Explosive Guns demonstrated with an explosive burst under Jorge Torres, enabling him to put the tip of his nose in front of Tres My Tracks and Ry Eikleberry in the final jump
“He broke a little slowly,” said Torres, the leading quarter horse rider at Canterbury. “I gave him a little smack and he picked it up from there.”
Explosive Guns was a 6-1 choice in the six-horse field, behind Western Fun at 2-1, Tres My Tracks at 5-2 and Streak N Hot at 7-2. Western Fun was third under Stormy Smith and Naketa, 5-1, next with Mark Luark up.
The winner, timed in 22:09, is owned by Fred Pelzer of Royalton.
In the winner’s circle was Doug Hoseck of Hector, the owner of Beauty’s Prince, the No. 6 horse in the race and also the owner of Cash Caravan, who raced three seasons during the Canterbury Downs era.
Fourstardave Brings Back Fond Memories
Remember Fourstardave, the winner of the third St. Paul Derby and second New York-bred to win the most prestigious race in Canterbury Downs history?
Well, the folks in New York certainly do. Known as the Sultan of Saratoga, Fourstardave is one of three horses buried in Claire Court at Saratoga, honored thusly because he won at least one race at the Spa from 1987 to 1994.
Fourstar finished his career with a 21-18-16 record from 99 starts and earnings of $1.636 million.
He was preceded as a St. Paul Derby winner by another New York-bred named Cheapskate, who won the inaugural race in 1986 as a 72-1 longshot.
All of that is a long way of saying that $500,000 Grade II Fourstardave Handicap was run at Saratoga on Saturday. Earlier run as the Daryl’s Joy Handicap, Fourstardave won the race himself. It was renamed in his honor for the first time in 1996.
The winner on Saturday was the current horse of the year, Wise Dan, who took charge in midstretch to win easily by a length over King Kreese despite carrying 129 pounds, 12 more than the second place horse.
CANTERBURY MAIDEN-BREAKER TACKLES SARATOGA
The 97th running of the $200,000 Grade II Adirondack drew special attention from a number of folks at Canterbury Park on Sunday. The race included a two-year-old filly named Designer Legs (pictured above) who broke her maiden in Shakopee on June 28 with Denny Velazquez up.
Trained at that point by Gary Scherer, Designer Legs is owned by John and Sally Valene, long-time participants in Minnesota’s thoroughbred industry. The two-year-old daughter of Graeme Hall from Elegant Designer is currently trained by Dallas Stewart.
The Valenes watched the race at Canterbury Park and were delighted with the win, which required a stewards’ inquiry to alter the outcome.
Designer Legs finished maybe a long nose behind Who’s In Town. However, that one was involved in a significant bumping incident with the heavy favorite Fiftyshadesofgold. The stewards determined that Who’s In Town caused Fiftyshadesofgold a chance at a better placing and a defeat by a nose for Designer Legs became a victory via disqualification.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0DmpWcZiV0]
Velazquez was asked about the horse shortly before Sunday’s race. After breaking her maiden in Shakopee she won for a second time at Prairie Meadows.
“She’s a very nice filly. A fast filly,” he said.
He had a chance to ride her at Prairie Meadows as well.
“Yeah, you liked her so well you stayed here to ride an ostrich,” Scott Stevens joshed the young rider.
Small consolation, but Velazquez did win the ostrich race on extreme day.
Paddock analyst Angela Hermann was on the right horse on the right day, however. She was on Designer Legs like a Wall Street broker on an inside tip.
This blog was written by Canterbury Staff Writer Jim Wells. Wells was a longtime sportswriter at the Pioneer Press and is a member of the Canterbury Park Hall of Fame.
