The date was September 3, 1986. What was then Canterbury Downs, in its second year of existence, carded its first American Quarter Horse race, the distance 400 yards. The winner was Pennsylvania-bred Sabre Wrangler, ridden by Roger Ward, trained by Mark Sellers for owner James H. Olson, in a final time of 21.44 seconds. Olson continued to race quarter horses at Canterbury into the 2020s. 
The 3-year-old was previously winless in eight career starts the prior year running at tracks such as Garfield Downs and Ross Meadows in Oklahoma and Pit Run Park in Illinois.
Following that historic Canterbury win, Sabre Wrangler ran third a week later and then second three days after that.
Later that fall he competed at Suffolk Meadows in New York, making three starts in nine days. He returned to Shakopee the following spring winning his first start off the layoff on April 26. His career lasted until 1991. Sabre Wrangler also raced at Blue Ribbon Downs in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, Prairie Meadows in Iowa and Queen City Downs in Nebraska.
