Trainer Mac Robertson won both $60,000 Minnesota-bred turf stakes, the Blair’s Cove and the Princess Elaine, Sunday night at Canterbury Park as a record crowd of 21,453 looked on. Dear Fay won the Princess Elaine for the second time in three years and A P Is Loose won the Blair’s Cove for the second consecutive year.
“That’s a good day,” Robertson said.
Dear Fay tracked the pace early in the 1 1/16 mile stake, making a bold move to the lead on the far turn with Eric McNeil aboard, a move that Paul Allen described as passing the leader Shaboom “like she was tied to a post.” Dear Fay opened up by as many as six lengths in the stretch holding off Fiona Cat to win by 3 1/2 lengths. The 7-year-old mare was bred and is owned by Bo Vujovich of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., who just Saturday was released from the hospital following hip replacement surgery.
Although Bo needed to make her way around the crowded grandstand in a wheelchair and into the winners’ circle following the race with the use of a cane, there was no chance she was not going to view the Princess Elaine in person. “I wasn’t going to miss this,” Bo said.
Dear Fay returned $10.00 to win.
“She’s maybe just a little better than the others right now,” the Canterbury Hall of Fame trainer said. “She likes a hard turf course. She had it her way today,” Robertson said. Dear Fay won the Princess Elaine in 2014 and was second last year.
A P Is Loose dominated the Blair’s Cove by racing to a commanding lead at the mid-way point, dictating the pace, and holding off a late charge by Two Chance to win by 2 1/4 lengths. The wagering favorite, who also won this race in 2015, paid $4.00 to win. He is owned and bred by Joel Zamzow of Duluth and was ridden by Geovanni Franco.
On track handle was $464,763. A total of $1,237,795 was wagered on the 11-race program, the second most in Park history outside of Claiming Crown days.
