Stakes in Festival of Champions Honor Four Exceptional MN-Breds
by Dave Valento Canterbury Park’s Festival of Champions has always been one of the most popular racing days on the calendar at the Shakopee oval. It brings together the top Minnesota-breds in highly anticipated match-ups at various surfaces and distances. The 2021 version is scheduled for Wednesday, September 8th. Four of the stakes races on […]
Minnesota Festival of Champions
by Jim Wells [Canterbury Park Hall of Famer and historian Jim Wells passed away last fall. He wrote countless stories about racing for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and later for CanterburyLive. This story by Jim, published a decade ago, recounts the efforts of those that were determined to keep horse racing alive in Minnesota.] […]
Ray’s Angel Earns A Place In The Stakes
This spring Cameron Mahlum, managing partner for North Star Stable, breeders and owners of Ray’s Angel, did not see their homebred 5-year-old by the sire Kela as an entrant in Wednesday’s $100,000 Crocrock Minnesota Sprint Championship, one of eight stakes in the annual Minnesota Festival of Champions. “No. Not when you’re in the same foal […]
27th Minnesota Festival Of Champions Wednesday At Canterbury Park
Richest night of the meet with $737,600 in stakes purses begins at 4:10 p.m. What began in 1992 as a show of strength and final act of defiance, the Minnesota Festival of Champions, with its 27th running Wednesday evening, remains a staple on the Canterbury Park schedule and a continuing reminder that horse racing in […]
Festival A Family Affair
By Jim Wells The Festival of Champions has a family air about it, and always has. After all, it is about Minnesota horses, the farms they represent and the people who breed, own and train them. In many respects is has become the perfect sidekick to the Minnesota State Fair. The 26th running of the […]
Minnesota Festival of Champions
The 26th Minnesota Festival of Champions takes place tomorrow at Canterbury Park. The special event debuted in 1992 to pay tribute to the Minnesota horse breeding industry, and acts as the unofficial celebration of the Canterbury Park live racing season. “Festival day is like the Championship game of the season,” said trainer Bernell Rhone, winner […]
Bell Still the Leading Festival Rider
By Jim Wells Nobody has ridden more Festival of Champions winners than Derek Bell, the Canterbury Park Hall of Fame rider who has been to the winner’s circle 24 times on this annual day of tribute to Minnesota horses. That total is six more than Dean Butler and 13 in front of Scott Stevens. Bell […]
26th Minnesota Festival of Champions September 1
The origin of the Minnesota Festival of Champions, which will be celebrated for the 26th time next Sunday, dates back to 1992, the end of the Downs era, the year that owner Ladbroke Corporation lost interest in live racing. Minnesota owners and breeders banded together to send a message to Ladbroke that there was indeed […]
Canterbury Park 2019 Stakes Schedule Features Record MN Festival of Champions Purses
Canterbury Park’s 2019 thoroughbred stakes schedule includes 31 races worth $2.235 million and will again cluster many of the most popular and lucrative races on single days. The Shakopee, Minn., horse track’s richest race, the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby on Saturday, June 22, will be the highlight of the Northern Stars Racing Festival along with […]
Mr. Jagermeister Wins $75k Minnesota Classic Championship
Dame Plata remains undefeated with victory in$100k Northern Lights Futurity Mr. Jagermeister easily won the $75,000 Wally’s Choice Minnesota Classic Championship Sunday at Canterbury Park. The 3-year-old colt took command of the 1 1/16 mile race from the start, cruising to a 4 1/4 length win over True West. Mr. Jagermeister, who has won three […]
