A pair of $50,000 Minnesota-bred stakes sprints will be run Saturday at Canterbury Park: the 10,000 Lakes and the Lady Slipper. While the number of horses entered is small, five in the 10,000 Lakes and six in the Lady Slipper, the quality runs high with several of the best state-breds competing.
The buzz is all about Mr. Jagermeister, the 2018 Canterbury horse of the meet, who last season became the first 3-year-old to win the 10,000 Lakes. He went on to three more wins, leading the way in the Vic Myers, the Minnesota Derby, and the Minnesota Classic Championship. He is odds-on to win the six-furlong 10,000 Lakes once again.
Trainer Valorie Lund, who owns Mr. Jagermeister with Kristin Boice and Leslie Cummings, is confident her colt is ready for a top effort. He worked over the track Sunday and has settled in well after shipping from Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he won impressively at Oaklawn Park on April 25. Mr. Jagermeister defeated three of Saturday’s four opponents last year.
“I’m happy to be outside,” Lund said of post five. “With that short of a field it’s going to be a riders’ race.”
Leandro Goncalves has the mount on Mr. Jagermeister.
To his inside from the rail out are Mines Made Up; Hot Shot Kid, who has seven wins locally; A P Is Loose, the all-time leading money earner at Canterbury, and Speeding Kid.
The 10,000 Lakes is the fourth race on a nine-race program that begins at 12:45 p.m.
The fifth race of the day is the Lady Slipper Stakes. Pinup Girl, who won this race last year en route to a four-win summer, is 9 to 2 on the morning line. She came up short on May 3 in a 5 ½ furlong sprint finishing behind Honey’s Sox Appeal and Double Bee Sting. Both are entered in the Lady Slipper. The added half furlong on Saturday may play to Pinup Girl’s closing style. She is also two for two on a wet track, with rain in the forecast. Ry Eikleberry has the call for trainer Sandra Sweere.
Honey’s Sox Appeal, under the care of top trainer Mac Robertson, seeks her tenth win in Shakopee. The versatile mare is ridden by Constantino Roman. Robertson also entered Rock That Jewel. The remainder of the field includes Ari Gia and stakes winner Firstmate.
