Beep Beep Rev Rev favored in $48,000 Minnesota Derby
Wednesday at Canterbury Park could be named Minnesota Festival of Champions: The Quarter Horse Edition. The Minnesota Quarter Horse Derby and Minnesota Quarter Futurity were moved from their traditional placement in the state-bred festival held last Saturday with only thoroughbred stakes run and moved to Wednesday to avoid conflict with Prairie Meadows. The Iowa track was conducting trial races that would have occupied many of the riders needed for the Minnesota bred quarter horse stakes.
Wednesday’s program begins at 4:00 p.m. CT with 10 thoroughbred races and concludes with the $22,000 Cash Caravan Stakes, the $48,000 Minnesota Quarter Horse Futurity and the $48,000 Minnesota Quarter Horse Derby. Leading trainer Jason Olmstead has 10 horses entered across the three stakes and the morning line favorite in each.
Olmstead will saddle Relentless Legacy, the 6 to 5 favorite, in the Cash Caravan, the only 440 yard race to be run this season. The 4-year-old will be ridden by top jockey Edwin Escobedo and is owned by leading owner Tom Maher. Olmstead also has Relentless Babe entered for Maher. Olmstead has won the Cash Caravan each of the past five years.
Trainer Briannah McDaniel is trying to follow in her father Asher Murray’s footsteps as he won the Cash Caravan three consecutive years from 2000 to 2002 with Cracklin Cash. McDaniel has entered Michael B, a 4-year-old gelding owned and bred by Cynthia Besser.
“He’s huge, he really can run,” McDaniel said. “Once he hits 350 [yards] he just keeps on going.”
Michael B finished second to Relentless Legacy last season in the 400-yard North Star State Derby, closing ground late to lose by one-half length.
The 350-yard Minnesota Futurity features six Olmstead 2-year-olds. Jorge Torres rides 5 to 2 morning line favorite Relentless Minnie while Escobedo will ride Sugar Rushh, winner of the June 7 North Star State Futurity. Both geldings are owned by Summer Run Inc.
The 400-yard Minnesota Derby favorite is Beep Beep Rev Rev for Olmstead and Summer Run Inc. Escobedo will be aboard the filly. Beep Beep Rev Rev won the Minnesota Futurity last year and could become the fifth 3-year-old to complete the Minnesota Futurity/Derby sweep. Olmstead accomplished the feat last year with Relentless Courage and in 2018 with Dickey Bob. CS Night Light won both for Ed Ross Hardy in 2004-2005. Cracklin Cash was the first when he won the 2000 Minnesota Derby.
Beep Beep Rev Rev lost to the Hardy-trained Eos Whiskey Girl, who she will meet again Wednesday, by 2 1/4 lengths in the North Star State Derby in June. She has since won a $17,000 allowance at Prairie Meadows and the $60,000 Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby. Eos Whiskey Girl has run just once since that June 7 win, facing older horses in the Bob Morehouse Stakes July 23, finishing fourth.
Canterbury Park’s 53-day season concludes Saturday with a 13-race card beginning at 4:00 p.m. CT.
