American Quarter Horse racing continues to be an important component of the Canterbury Park racing season. The 2020 mixed-meet format will offer more than 100 races offered exclusively for America’s fastest athlete, the quarter horse. Total purses should near $1.8 million. While the first quarter horse condition book won’t be available until mid-May, owners and trainers can be assured that the same races, distances and conditions that have become commonplace at the Shakopee, Minn. racetrack will again be offered. Overnight races will have a bottom level purse of $7,500 for $5,000 Maiden Claimers and an Open Maiden Special Weight purse of $11,500 ($13,500 for Minnesota-bred restricted). Quarter horse overnight purses max out with a no-condition allowance race purse worth $18,000.
Amber Fontenot, who has served as Canterbury’s assistant racing secretary, has been named Quarter Horse Racing Secretary. “I am excited for the opportunity to work closely with the quarter horse trainers and owners and develop great working relationships so that we can all be successful,” Fontenot said.
The previously released 2020 quarter horse stakes schedule, with $800,000 in purse money, 
includes the track’s signature quarter horse race, the $150,000 estimated Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity, being run for the 33rd time, on Sunday, Aug. 9. Also that day is the Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby with an estimated purse of $75,000.
July 5 will feature only quarter horse racing. The race day, dubbed the Fastest Day in Minnesota Sports, will offer six stakes including the Canterbury Park Championship Challenge which was designated a Grade 3 race by the AQHA Graded Stakes Committee. The Gopher State Futurity and Gopher State Derby are also on July 5 along with the Distaff Challenge and Distance Challenge.
“Canterbury Park will offer a strong quarter horse program and I expect that we will see some very talented horses racing this summer, horses that can compete anywhere in the country,” Fontenot said. “There is a tradition of quality here that we will maintain.”
Nomination deadline for the 2020 Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity, Canterbury Quarter Horse Derby, Gopher State Futurity, Gopher State Derby, Minnesota Futurity and Minnesota Derby is Monday, March 2. Nomination forms and info can be found here.
Stall Applications and other 2020 Live Meet Information can be found at canterburypark.com/horsemen/
