Top MN bred 3-year-olds compete in MN Oaks and Derby preps
Canterbury Park’s racing office acted quickly when it became evident that scorching heat in Shakopee would cause last Sunday’s seven races to be cancelled including a pair of $51,500 3-year-old state bred stakes, the Frances Genter and the Victor S. Myers. Racing secretary Rob Junk added the cancelled races as extras that same morning and when entries closed before noon, six of them were part of this Sunday’s eight-race program with fields essentially intact.
The Genter and Myers were both redrawn with the Myers attracting the original five entries and the Genter having five of the original eight re-enter. Two of the defectors had already re-entered for this Saturday.
The two six-furlong main track stakes have historically served as prep races for Minnesota Oaks and Minnesota Derby. The rescheduling now puts the Genter and Myers 13 days prior to the richer route races.
“It’s not ideal,” Tony Rengstorf, trainer of How Bout That Curt, said. He would have preferred the extra week but is sure his horse will run well Sunday and in the Minnesota Derby. “We needed to run these races and this was the best option.”
How Bout That Curt is the 8 to 5 favorite in the Victor S. Myers. The gelding owned by Sampson Racing Stables LLC won last year’s Northern Lights Futurity. He will break from the outside post under Constantino Roman.
Navarre, trained by Troy Bethke and owned by Carin Offerman, is just inside the favorite with Alonso Quinonez in the irons. The two have met three times in the past. Navarre was well behind How Bout That Curt twice last year but in a July 5 open-company route race he finished fourth, three lengths better than the Sampson charge. The remainder of the field from the rail includes That Type Ofa Deal with leading rider Manuel Americano, Benz Lake Echo also trained by Bethke, and Perfect Gamble for Thunder Stride Racing LLC.
Three-year-old filly Summer Winner remains the morning line choice in the Frances Genter. Quinonez has the call for trainer Tim Padilla as he has in each of her seven starts. She was undefeated last season in three local races, controlling the pace from start to finish. Her natural speed may have her on the lead again Sunday.
Flatter Me Billy is likely to be chasing the leader, a tactic that has landed her in the winner’s circle twice this year however those races were on the turf. She recorded a pair of 64 Beyer Speed Figures in the grass victories, numbers better than any of the others have run save Summer Winner who last season ran a 68 winning the Shakopee Juvenile.
Roman, the rider in the most recent win, has the mount for trainer Stacey Rushton. He has been on the filly during training on the main track and is confident her form will transfer well in the race. “She moves smooth like always,” Roman said. “Some horses that do well on turf do not want to go back but she will handle it.” Flatter Me Billy broke her maiden sprinting on dirt last year.
Also entered in the Myers are Hay Y’all for Valene Farms, Heavenly Captive for leading owner John Mentz and trainer Mac Robertson who also trains Private Speaker for Xtreme Racing Stables LLC.
Sunday’s races begin at 1:10 p.m. CT with the Myers as race three and the Genter as five.