Bon voyage to 2018 Canterbury Park Horse of the Meet Mr. Jagermeister who ships Wednesday morning from Shakopee to Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia for the $100,000 Chesapeake Stakes at six furlongs on the main track. Accompanying the 4-year-old Minnesota-bred colt on the 1,250 journey will be trainer Valorie Lund and two other horses entered elsewhere on the card: Ship It Red and Fiftyshadedofgrayce.
Mr. Jagermeister has not run since late April when he won an allowance race at Oaklawn Park. He was entered in the 10,000 Lakes Stakes but scratched due to a wet track and had a minor physical setback that laid him up. He has had five timed workouts since July 13, three of them bullets.
“This is the last chance to run him before Minnesota Festival of Champions,” Lund said over the weekend as she was considering this option and communicating with the Colonial racing secretary to make sure the stake would fill. “He needs a race. He is kicking the stall down.” The Festival, which offers both a state-bred sprint and a route, each with a $100,000 purse, to choose from is Sunday, Sept. 1. In 2018, Mr. Jagermeister won the 1 and 1 /16 mile Wally’s Choice Minnesota Classic Championship on Festival Day.
The Chesapeake attracted a field of six and will be the fifth race on a 10-race program. Regular rider Leandro Goncalves has been named on Mr. Jagermeister. Post time is 5:52 p.m. central. Colonial Downs races are simulcast in the Canterbury Park Race Book.
Ship It Red runs in race eight. He won at Oaklawn in April and has since run four consecutive thirds at Canterbury this summer. Fiftyshadesofgrayce has a win here this summer and most recently raced at Arlington Park. She is entered in race six, an allowance optional claiming turf sprint with a $70,000 purse. Goncalves has those mounts as well.
