Sabre Wrangler – First Quarter Horse Winner at Canterbury
The date was September 3, 1986. What was then Canterbury Downs, in its second year of existence, carded its first American Quarter Horse race, the distance 400 yards. The winner was Pennsylvania-bred Sabre Wrangler, ridden by Roger Ward, trained by Mark Sellers for owner James H. Olson, in a final time of 21.44 seconds. Olson […]
Prep In Her Step
By Noah Joseph In the early years of racing in Minnesota, few horses received more attention and praise than Hoist Her Flag. There was a good reason for such attention, for she was a constant winner on the track. An 11-time stakes winner, she often beat the best horses at Canterbury. During that time, she […]
-Canterbury Firsts –
by Noah Joseph While Canterbury Park takes a break from live racing due to hosting the Twin Cities Summer Jam concert festival, let’s take a look at something a little bit different than usual. Here are some interesting facts about some of the first occurrences in Canterbury history. The first horse on Canterbury stable grounds […]
Strangis Operated At Racing’s Helm
By Jim Wells Ralph Strangis typically impressed newly-made acquaintances the same way: ” What a nice guy,” they would say. As they got to know him, those impressions expanded: “Never met anyone like him, so gracious, understanding and knowledgeable.” Those who really knew him understood even more: “So smart, what a businessman, what a head […]
Races Of The Past, and A New One For The Present
By Noah Joseph This Saturday, Canterbury Park is introducing a new stakes race, the $100,000 Mystic Lake Turf Express. The race is five furlongs on the turf and has attracted a competitive field nine. Since Canterbury opened in 1985, many big stakes have been held at the Shakopee, Minn. racetrack. Let’s take a look at […]
A Race Is A Race
By Noah Joseph This Saturday, two of the richest races for Minnesota bred thoroughbreds are being run at Canterbury Park. The Minnesota Oaks for fillies, and the Minnesota Derby for colts and geldings, are both being held for the 30th time, both with a record purse of $100,000. These races, restricted to three year old […]
A Tale of Two Deans
By Noah Joseph Over the years, many jockeys who rode regularly at Canterbury became fan favorites and etched their names into history. Jockeys like Derek Bell, Paul Nolan, Scott Stevens, Ronnie Allen Jr., Donna Barton, and Chris Valovich all became Minnesota racing legends. However, two that really stand out were two jockeys with the same […]
Making the Grade
By Noah Joseph In the history of horse racing and breeding, only four horses bred in the state of Minnesota have ever won a graded stakes race. A graded stakes race is a stakes race of the highest quality in both prize money and strength of the competition. The highest level is Grade 1, followed […]
Canterbury Park’s Leading Ladies
By Noah Joseph One of the most inspiring parts of horse racing is inclusiveness. Since the beginning of the 20th century, horse racing has had many prominent female owners, trainers, and breeders. In the 1960s, females were allowed to compete as professional riders. Since the early days of racing in Minnesota, female jockeys have played […]
Hoist Her Flag- Silks Of Red, White, and Blue
By Noah Joseph It would be somewhat crazy not to write about a horse with a patriotic name with the Fourth of July coming up this Tuesday. One horse that raced at Canterbury had one of the most patriotic names, and was and still is one of the greatest to race in Minnesota; that […]
