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Season’s Richest Quarter Horse Stakes Wednesday at Canterbury Park

$105,100 Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity headlines 10-race program

Canterbury Park’s 10-race program Wednesday is co-headlined by the $68,175 Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby and the $105,100 Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity. The 350-yard Northlands, being conducted for the 35th time, offers the largest quarter horse purse of the season at the Shakopee, Minn. racetrack. Alotta Oh La La, the fastest qualifier in trials held July 27, is the 5/2 morning line favorite. The 2-year-old filly is trained by Mallory Norton for owner Leon Glasser of Mandan, North Dakota. She will be ridden by Stormy Smith who was also aboard when Alotta Oh La La won the $61,220 MQHRA Stallion Auction Futurity on July 13 and for the July 27 trial.

Alotta Oh La La began her career in April at Remington Park in Oklahoma City and showed enough talent in two starts to impress Norton. “She’d always kind of break a little silly and then come running at the end,” Norton said. “As she mentally and physically matures she’s just been improving every race.”

Leading trainer Jason Olmstead, who saddles four in the Northlands, also has six of the 10 qualifiers for the Canterbury Park Derby including morning line favorite and fastest qualifier Apolitical Sass. Olmstead’s go-to rider Edwin Escobedo has the riding assignment on the 3-year-old filly who is owned by Thomas Scheckel of Bellevue, Iowa.

Also on the program is the $20,000 Northlands Juvenile with 2-year-olds that raced in the trials for the Northlands Futurity but did not earn a qualifying time. Olmstead has five of the 10 entered.

Wednesday begins a four-day race week that continues Thursday with the 11 races and the $25,000 Skip Zimmerman Memorial Stakes for quarter horses. Saturday, dubbed Made In Minnesota Night, includes the $100,000 Minnesota Oaks, $100,000 Minnesota Derby, $50,000 Glitter Star Stakes and $50,000 Wally’s Choice Stakes as part of a nine-race card. Sunday offers 10 races beginning at 1 p.m. Racing on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday starts at 5 p.m.