Chasing The Dream
By Mari Ballinger They’re the five best friends that anyone could have. Lee Hesselroth, Don Grossbach, Jerry Moser, Gary Jennenke, and Tony Ebert all met through friends of friends, and have since formed a partnership to own horses. Some of the friendships are new, while others have known each other since youth. In fact, Hesselroth […]
Let’s Talk About Success
By Mari Ballinger One week. Two racetracks. 24 races. 11 wins. Those kind of statistics can only belong to one jockey, and that is Orlando Mojica. On August 4, 2019 Mojica raced at Canterbury Park, finishing first aboard Unfailing in a claiming race. Hours later, he was on a flight to Canada to race at […]
It’s a Family Thing
By Mari Ballinger Canchari is a popular name around Canterbury Park. That’s because brothers, Alex and Patrick, as well as their dad, Luis Canchari, all rode or are currently riding here. Alex Canchari had his professional riding debut on December 26, 2011 at Hawthorne Racecourse just days before his eighteenth birthday. But, life at the […]
Mr. Jagermeister Ships East To Race Saturday
Bon voyage to 2018 Canterbury Park Horse of the Meet Mr. Jagermeister who ships Wednesday morning from Shakopee to Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia for the $100,000 Chesapeake Stakes at six furlongs on the main track. Accompanying the 4-year-old Minnesota-bred colt on the 1,250 journey will be trainer Valorie Lund and two other […]
Bev and Dan Mjolsness – Canterbury Classics
By Mari Ballinger Does the name Hoist Her Flag ring a bell? Well it should, because she was the winningest mare in Canterbury history. Hoist Her Flag was named Horse of the Year in 1987, with two stakes wins: Mighty Miss Handicap and Eden Prairie Stakes races, and again in 1989, this time with four […]
Royal Cash Flash Cashes In
BY JIM WELLS Occasionally all you need to know about a race is the history of the right horse, its past performances naturally, but also heritage and most importantly the intuition of the owner. A conversation with Canterbury’s champion quarter horse owner Brenda Reiswig would have revealed everything necessary before Sunday’s $72,300 Gopher State Futurity. […]
Strangis Operated At Racing’s Helm
By Jim Wells Ralph Strangis typically impressed newly-made acquaintances the same way: ” What a nice guy,” they would say. As they got to know him, those impressions expanded: “Never met anyone like him, so gracious, understanding and knowledgeable.” Those who really knew him understood even more: “So smart, what a businessman, what a head […]
Robertson, Mojica Shine On A Cloudy Day
BY JIM WELLS There is a new way, other than cloud seeding, to open the heavens and guarantee that rains will follow. Canterbury Park simply needs to plan something special. This could become an added revenue source for the Shakopee track. Nearby farmers need their crops watered ? Canterbury can guarantee it by simply planning […]
Sunday’s Gopher State Futurity Offers $72,300 Purse
Sunday’s feature race is the $72,300 Gopher State Futurity. The 10 fastest 2-year-olds from trials held July 28 race 350 yards in the third of 11 races on a card that also includes The 1889 Futurity with a $15,000 purse and the $25,000 Skip Zimmerman Memorial. The two fastest qualifiers to the Gopher State, Royal […]
Y2 Claim
By Noah Joseph 1999: a year in pop culture that soon led to reality. From the song by Prince 17 years before the event itself to the Y2K bug scare leading up to it, 1999 was a year thought about before it happened. The year was also a banner one for thoroughbred racing. From the […]