Canterbury Park’s most popular handicapping contest returns for 2026!
Follow the top 3-year-olds on the Road to the 152nd Kentucky Derby.
Prize money awarded in each of 16 contests held Saturdays, January 17 through Derby Day, May 2.
Overall prize money awarded for the best cumulative scores.
Enter every Saturday!
Friday entry also allowed: Available during Club Level Mutuels hours.
Each week the entire card from a feature track will be used for the contest. Bonus races will be Derby Prep races. Players select one horse in each contest race and earn points based on a mythical $20 WPS wager. Bonus races are double points and the Kentucky Derby is triple points.
Weekly Prizes
1st= $200 + grand prize entry
2nd= $150 + grand prize entry
3rd= $100 + grand prize entry
4th=$50
5th= $25
Results are official at noon on the Friday following each contest. Any scoring disputes can be emailed to tpoppler@canterburypark.com .
DATE | FEATURE TRACK | BONUS RACES | WINNERS |
January 17 | FAIR GROUNDS | Lecomte - FG | Adam Meyer 1613 $200 + Contest Entry Matt Muenchow 1510 $150 + Contest Entry Matt Wiebke 1487 $100 + Contest Entry Roger Jones 1450 $50 Jerry Lane 1432 $25 |
January 24 | GULFSTREAM PARK | No Bonus Race | Al Rivers 2068 $200 + Contest Entry Tim Neis 2006 $150 + Contest Entry John Selsvold 1874 $100 + Contest Entry Greg Dunning 1842 $5 Barry Butzow 1772 $25 |
January 31 | GULFSTREAM PARK | Holy Bull - GP Southwest - OP Withers-AQU | Jon Smith 1398 $200 + Contest Entry Brian Haack 1366 $150 + Contest Entry Velma Ahlgrim 1326 $10.00 + Contest Entry Fred Williams 1322 $50 Barry Butzow 1204 $25 |
February 7 | TAMPA BAY DOWNS | Sam F. Davis - TAM Robert Lewis - SA | Carl McCullough 1397 $200 + Contest Entry Gregory Bark 1367 $150 + Contest Entry Rita Molnar 1298 $100 + Contest Entry Timothy Johnson 1282 $50 Ron Lemke 1279 $25 |
February 14 | FAIR GROUNDS | Risen Star - FG | Mike Proudfoot 1302 $20.00 + Contest Entry Greg Budnik 1143 $15.00 + Contest Entry Jymme Bark 1110 $100 + Contest Entry Norm Bittner 1082 $50 Dennis Weller 1067 $25 |
February 21 | TURFWAY PARK | Battaglia Memorial- TP | Al Rivers 1912.4 $200 + Contest Entry Keith Carpenter 1899.4$150 + Contest Entry Carl McCullough 1856.8 $100 + Contest Entry Richard Mejia 1815.6 $50 Jeri Munsterman 1716 $25 |
February 28 | GULFSTREAM PARK | Fountain of Youth – GP Gotham – AQU | |
March 7 | TAMPA BAY DOWNS | Tampa Bay Derby-TAM San Felipe - SA | |
March 14 | COLONIAL DOWNS | Virginia Derby - CNL | |
March 21 | FAIR GROUNDS | Louisiana Derby – FG | |
March 28 | GULFSTREAM | Florida Derby – GP | |
April 4 | KEENELAND | Blue Grass - KEE Santa Anita Derby – SA Wood Memorial – AQU
| |
April 11 | KEENELAND | Lexington - KEE | |
April 18 | OAKLAWN | No Bonus Race | |
April 25 | SANTA ANITA | No Bonus Race | |
May 2 | CHURCHILL DOWNS | Kentucky Derby - CD |
This contest is free to enter however minimum tracked pari-mutuel play using MVP Rewards card is required for full prize payout: $30 in pari-mutuel wagers each contest day for weekly prizes and $480 in pari-mutuel wagers for all contest days combined for overall prizes. Minimum play must be made using MVP Rewards card. Cancelled wagers are not considered valid for minimum wager determination. Should a weekly or overall winner not meet minimum wagering requirements, 10 percent of the cash prize will be awarded.
Overall Prize Schedule | Award |
1st | $1,000 + Grand Prize Entry |
2nd | $600 + Grand Prize Entry |
3rd | $500 + Grand Prize Entry |
4th | $400 + Grand Prize Entry |
5th | $350 + Grand Prize Entry |
6th | $250 + Grand Prize Entry |
7th | $200 + Grand Prize Entry |
8th | $100 + Grand Prize Entry |
9th | $75 |
10th-20th | $50 |
21st-30th | $25 |
Each player’s three lowest daily scores will be subtracted from their accumulated score to determine the final grand total that will be used to determine final standings.
Grand Prize Contest: Top two players will receive a Dog Days of Summer contest entry valued at $550. Winners determined by contest held May 30.
Entry to Grand prize Contest will be awarded ONLY to: top three players of each 16 weekly contests and the top eight players in accumulated point totals.
Grand Prize Contest rules.