The 7-year-old Chickster has won eight times from 10 starts in 2008 and has more wins this year than any other thoroughbred on the continent. Chickster is owned by S
E J Stables and is trained by Justin Evans. Pictured to the right is Chickster with Evans and his crew.
Evans won with this speedy horse once in 2006. Justin claimed him again in 2008, won again but lost him via the claiming box. Two starts and two wins later he was back in Evans’ barn and on his way to Shakopee where he has won four consecutive races. “I’ve won with him six times,” Evans said.
Chickster is entered in Friday’s seventh race, a $17,000 N1X allowance race. Other than a $5,000 starter allowance win here on June 15, all of Chickster’s wins, and he has 17 total, have come in claiming sprints. This is a big jump up the class ladder but his early speed should be an advantage. “He is used to going 21 and change,” Evans said this morning. “The others aren’t. But this will be a difficult race.” Chickster drew the rail for the 5 ½ furlong race, will be ridden by Dean Butler, and is the 2-1 morning line favorite.
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Bob Johnson One Win Away From 1,000
Quarter Horse trainer Bob Johnson has 999 career victories. Johnson, a fixture at Canterbury for several years, is sixth in all-time wins at Canterbury and fifth in earnings.
New Trainers on the Grounds
With the Prairie Meadows thoroughbred meet concluded and options limited there during the mixed meet, a few trainers have shipped strings to Shakopee. Lynn Chleborad, Hector Magana, Roger Brueggemann, and Bobby McMeans each have between eight and fifteen horses stabled here. Also arriving from Indiana is Jim Warvell, a favorite with the horseplayers as he is usually good for a few long priced winners each season.
