Upsets were sandwiched by favorites in the five stakes races run on the Made In Minnesota program Wednesday evening at Canterbury Park. The first stake, the $50,000 MTA Sales Graduate Futurity, went to 2 to 5 favorite Westa Waverly and the final stake, the $50,000 Glitter Star, to 1 to 5 winner Ready to Runaway. In between were 10 to 1 Minnesota Oaks winner Hotasapistol, 6 to 1 Minnesota Derby winner Northern Playboy and Drop of Golden Sun, 6 to 1 winner of the $50,000 Wally’s Choice. Both the Oaks and the Derby offered $100,000 purses. All five races were restricted to horses bred in Minnesota.
Hotasapistol, a 3-year-old filly owned and bred by Gary and Brenda Bergsrud, is trained by
Clinton Stuart and was ridden by Alonso Quinonez. She covered the 1 mile and 70 yards of the Minnesota Oaks in 1:44.57, using a rail trip to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Hotasapistol paid $22.60 for a $2 win wager.
The Minnesota Derby winner Northern Playboy was bred and is owned by Dale Schenian and his trainer Francisco Bravo. Leading rider Ry Eikleberry was aboard the 3-year-old gelding that paid $14.20. Northern Playboy tracked favorite Weekend Ride and Public Safety in the early stages. Eikleberry waited for room to get by. “I wasn’t even sure if I could get through,” he said. But when Weekend Ride drifted out the eventual winner shot through and pulled away for a 4 3/4 lengths victory. “I was on much the best,” Eikleberry said. “We’re really proud of him.”
Drop of Golden Sun went gate to wire in the Wally’s Choice defeating all-time Minnesota bred money earner Hot Shot Kid by 3 1/4 lengths. He is owned and trained by Tony Rengstorf and was ridden by Francisco Arrieta. Drop of Golden Sun paid $15.00 to win.
Westa Waverly set the pace in the MTA Sales Graduate Futurity, fended off a challenge from Well Pro in the stretch, and then drew off to win by 4 lengths under Quinonez. The 2-year-old gelding, trained by Coty Rosin and owned by Jeff Ryan and Gary Starkson, returned $2.80. Final time for the 5 furlongs was 58.08 seconds.
Ready to Runaway continued her Canterbury main track dominance with an easy win in the Glitter Star Stakes. Jockey Roimes Chirinos sent the 4-year-old filly to the lead in the 1 1/16 mile race and was never challenged. She was under wraps at the wire, clear of second-place finisher Clickbait by 8 1/2 lengths. Ready to Runaway, $2.40, is trained by Mac Robertson for owner John Mentz. She has now won eight of 10 main track races.
