Time trials for the Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity and the Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby will be held at Canterbury Park Wednesday evening. Due to an expected high heat index, racing will begin at 8:05 p.m. The card originally included five thoroughbred races beginning at 5:00 p.m. but those have been cancelled and the program, run as races 6 through 12, will be quarter horse trials only.
The 350 yard Northlands trials attracted 34 two-year-olds spread over races six through nine. Just five of those entered has a victory. Leading trainer Jason Olmstead, who has won the Northlands four times, has entered 10 including the race 6 favorite Chloes Magic and race 8 favorite Maudest Maven. Leading jockey Edwin Escobedo rides both.
The Quarter Horse Derby has 21 runners, seven in each of the final three races. Olmstead is well represented in the 400 yard trials as well, saddling five three-year-olds including 9/5 favorite and recent winner of the North Star State Derby Jess Rocket Man in race 11. Missing from Olmstead’s mantel is a Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby trophy, representing one of the few stakes that the six-time champion trainer has not captured at Canterbury.
The finals for both the Futurity and Derby, each being run for the 34th time, will be Aug. 11. The Futurity purse is estimated at $125,000 and the Quarter Horse Derby at $100,000.
A Pick 4 will begin in the sixth and ninth races and a 10% takeout 50 cent Pick 5 will begin in the eighth race.
