Paychecks Being Decided by Inches… and Photos
It’s a game of inches (and photo finishes) this summer for the riders in Shakopee where increased purses have expanded the jockey colony and spread out available horses. Sunday, for instance, there was a different rider in the winner’s circle after each race. Competition is the name of the game, for mounts of any kind […]
Video: The Life of a Jockey
Jockeys may be the strongest athletes pound-for-pound in the world. Their task is certainly not easy as they’re required to control a one thousand pound horse running at full speed in the tightest of situations. Rider Ry Eikleberry and his valet talk about what it’s like in the day of a life of a rider […]
Race of the Week – Iowa Oaks & Derby
I realize that there are grade one events that we could focus on around the country on Saturday but a face we know is making an appearance this weekend at Prairie Meadows, so let’s see how he looks… Iowa Derby Kale’s Courage is the aforementioned familiar horse, and he’s taking a BIG step up into […]
Lessons Learned…
The adjectives are endless for sizing up the race meet at Canterbury Park this spring/summer/fall/winter. The biggest question has been how to accurately characterize this strangest of seasons. “I can’t remember a meet with weather this crappy ever, anyplace I’ve been,” said jockey room custodian Jerry Simmons. That covers a bit of ground. Simmons has […]
Buck Night is Back
Buck hot dogs, soft drinks, admission and programs returned Thursday night and so, too, did good weather and the fans. For that matter, so did a horse named Supreme Ghost. The first buck night of the meet by almost any measuring stick was a rousing success. Let’s start with the turnout. A crowd of 7,196 […]
Yeah, You Know…
It was the kind of day Dark Star would have approved of without qualification. It was all about him. From the large gathering in the President’s suite, assembled In his honor, to the absurdly large congregation in the winner’s circle after the race named in his honor, which was preceded by countless stories about him and […]
Jockey Race Tight Early
Lori Keith bounded out of the tunnel leading to the paddock Sunday afternoon and right past the No. 1 spot for her horse, Oughterson. “Hey, Lori, over here,” someone called. “I was distracted. He distracted me,” Keith said, pointing to a nearby interloper while gathering her wits. Keith is as focused as she’s ever been this spring, […]
Main Track Training Begins
Now that the snow has finally melted, the track crew has been feverishly pepping the main oval for use on Friday. The training track opened Wednesday mid-morning and traffic has been steady. Roughly 140 horses are on site now with major loads expected to arrive this weekend. Hawthorne wraps up their spring meet Sunday and […]
Quarter Horse Racing Set to Begin
Quarter Horse racing officially kicks off at Canterbury this weekend! Trials for the Minnesota Stallion Breeders’ and NCQHRA Derby will be held on Sunday, and Monday’s race card features the $15,000 Added Skip Zimmerman Memorial Stakes. Monday, May 28th: Skip Zimmerman Memorial Stakes, Race 9 Leading Trainer: Ed Ross Hardy, 4 wins Leading Jockey: Ry […]
2012 Jockey Rumor Mill Begins
You know the live race meet is near when the Canterbury stable begins coming to life. Trainers are now sending in their advance teams to prepare barns for the imminent arrival of horses this week. Lay down the mats, hang the tubs, bed the stalls, sharpen the pitch forks. The main track will open for […]