Jason Olmstead has been the leading quarter horse trainer at Canterbury Park the past seven seasons and he fully intends to win his eighth title. Olmstead could be well on his way after the first three quarter horse races of the meet, where he trains the favorite in each, are run Wednesday night.
In the eighth race, a Minnesota bred maiden at 330 yards, 3-year-old filly Chloes Magic will be ridden by Olmstead’s go-to jockey and last season’s riding champion Edwin Escobedo. “She’s not supposed to lose this one,” said Olmstead, never lacking confidence. He insists her last effort at Remington was much better than it looks on paper.
In race nine, the $28,500 Minnesota-bred North Star State Derby, three of the seven entered come from the Olmstead barn including a winner of four races last season at Canterbury, Relentless Courage. Luis Valenzuela has the mount as he did in all four wins in 2021. Olmstead also trains Relentless Babe who spent last summer chasing but never beating Relentless Courage. Suarez Ricardo has that assigment. Relentless Legacy makes his first local start following a debut Remington win in 2021 and a most recent fifth versus allowance company at the Oklahoma racetrack. Escobedo rides for owner Tom Maher who also owns Relentless Babe outright and Relentless Courage in partnership with Paul Luedemann.
Wednesday’s tenth is the $28,000 North Star State Futurity, also restricted to state breds. Beep Beep Rev Rev, with Escobedo up, is the 8 to 5 morning line favorite in the 300-yard dash. She broke her maiden at first asking at Remington May 13. “If she breaks, she should win,” Olmstead said matter-of-factly. He also trains three others in the six-horse futurity and might be disappointed if he does not make up the trifecta.
The Olmstead stable in Minnesota and elsewhere runs deep. He plans to have 40 head in Shakopee where Chad Lynch
will be his on-site assistant, another 40 at Prairie Meadows and 25 at Ruidoso Downs where Olmstead will spend the majority of his summer. A trailer was headed toward Shakopee today carrying older horses like Lynnder 16 and Juice Is Loose. “That’s one badass trailer headed your way,” Olmstead said. He is not wrong. Lynnder 16 is a Grade 1 winning mare of $779,188. The target for her is the July 14 Canterbury Park Distaff Challenge which she has won the past two years. The trainer hopes the racing office can get an allowance to go so the 6-year-old can have a tune up. Lynnder 16 has not raced since Jan. 2 where she finished second in a Grade 1 at Los Alamitos, however her workout May 17 at Will Rogers indicates she has not lost a step.
Olmstead also trains Dickey Bob. The 7-year-old Minnesota bred has won 21 of 42 starts and $348,410, the most earnings ever by a state bred. Dickey Bob won last week at Remington beating a quality field. Olmstead plans to run him in a Prairie Meadows stake before shipping back to Canterbury. Dickey Bob’s older full brother, Pyc Jess Bite Mydust, retired after the 2020 season, earned $274,662 in 32 starts. Younger full brother Jess Rocket Man has earned $111,392. All three are owned and bred by Lunderborg, LLC. “As good as [Dickey Bob’s] win was, I’m not sure if they lined up and went 350 yards he could beat [Jess Rocket Man],” Olmstead said.
There is a chance we could find out sometime this Canterbury season.
