Canterbury Park’s stable area officially opened today. Horses by the trailer and van load will be arriving over the next several weeks to ready for opening day, Friday, May 5. The main track opens for morning activity Thursday at 6:00 a.m. The training track will open April 25.
Stall superintendent Andrew Vold expects the 33 barns to be at capacity this summer, with several new trainers committing to race in Shakopee.
New track superintendent Ken Brown has been working the main track relentlessly and Sunday’s morning rain has greened up the turf course which should see its first use mid-May.
Minnesota breds prepping elsewhere
Both Hold for More and Pensador, owned by Dale Schenian and trained by Francisco Bravo, are entered in the ninth race Tuesday at Will Rogers Downs in a one mile allowance race. Neither has raced since September at Canterbury.
Pensador was the winner of the Minnesota Derby last season and Hold for More, who is 7 for 14 lifetime, won the Crocrock Minnesota Sprint Championship.
The first Minnesota bred stakes take place Saturday, May 20 with the 10,000 Lakes Stakes for colts and geldings and the Lady Slipper Stakes for fillies and mares. Both are six furlong sprints with $50,000 purses. Hold for More was second in the 2016 rendition of the 10,000 Lakes.
This past Saturday, the final race day of the Oaklawn meet, Minnesota bred colt Hot Shot Kid was victorious in an $80,000 maiden route. Alex Canchari was aboard the 3-year-old who is owned and bred by Warren Bush of Carroll, Iowa. Canterbury Hall of Famer Mac Robertson is the trainer.
