Guldemann: A Founding Father
Mike Guldemann was a person many people recognized but few really knew…”Oh,’ yeah, Mike, sure. Saw him all the time.” He was an unimposing fixture at Canterbury Downs and then Canterbury Park, seldom seen on the frontside but ubiquitously present in the barns and racing office, often with a string of watches on one forearm, […]
Bringing Things into Focus
Misconceptions and mistaken assumptions continue to cloud understanding of the agreement between Mystic Lake and Canterbury Park and increased purses. Some horsemen had trouble understanding during a recent meeting that there are now two purse funds, and that the one funded by Canterbury is overpaid despite the recent infusion of money from the agreement. “They […]
A Derby by Any Other Name is Just as Sweet
The sportscasts percolated with the details that evening and banner headlines blared the news the next morning. A longshot – 72-1 mind you – had won the inaugural running of the $300,000 St. Paul Derby, a race that became at first asking the crown jewel of Minnesota horse racing. The year was 1986 and the […]
Boneafide Cat Does it Again
Boneafide Cat stamped herself as the most likely favorite for the Claiming Series Championship winning her second qualifying race in Thursday night’s opener at Canterbury Park. Adolfo Morales was aboard for the victory for Larry Donlin and owners Metzen, Kaplan & Strangis. The victory marked Boneafide Cat’s third consecutive victory at Canterbury Park this meet. She […]
Patriate Does it Again!
The Colt & Gelding Division of Canterbury’s 2012 Claiming Series continued last night with the second of three qualifying races. Patriate and jockey Patricia Trimble didn’t figure to get as easy of a lead this time around but it turns out they had little trouble jumping on the field and putting them away taking them […]
The New Deal Brings Optimism
Many horsemen are convinced that the deal between Canterbury Park and Mystic Lake announced this week will turn out better than the casino gaming chased for so long by Minnesota’s only racetrack for thoroughbreds and quarter horses. The agreement will pump $75 million into Canterbury’s purse fund over the next 10 years, a deal with […]