“Canterbury Park’s Claiming Crown a Huge Success.”

In an era when the sport of horse racing really only survives economically in its original hotbeds of Kentucky and the major coast circuits of New York, California, and Florida Canterbury Park took the 2009 Claiming Crown to new heights this year.

I have attended the event the past few seasons it has been held at Canterbury Park and it really has not had the blockbuster horses and jockeys to make it the spectacular it could be within the industry. Without any graded stakes acclimations for the six races with purses totaling $600,000 it has been difficult to draw national attention it needs. This season they successfully drew the best bunch of claiming horses in the nine years they have hosted the event. Some of the best horse racing circles in the country sent their equines to Shakopee, Minnesota for the races on July 25th. Leading money earning jockey Julien Leparoux was entered in four of the races. Additionally, he picked up a mount in the $100,000 Lady Canterbury. Rider of “2008 Horse of the Year - Curlin” Robby Albarado also made the trip to Canterbury for six mounts. The all-time wins leader for a North American jockey, Russell Baze was probably the biggest surprise to be added to the superstar jockey line-up assembled. Other notables included, Jamie Theriot, Frankie Torres, Rosemary Homeister Jr., Inez Karlsson, E.T. Baird, Jeremy Rose, M.Clifton Berry, Perry Compton, Josue Arce, Jeremy Collier, Berkley Packer, and Israel Ocampo.

The crowd was very big, loud, and very appreciative of the talent they witnessed at the track Saturday. The Claiming Crown Iron Horse was won by ‘Bright Hall’, ridden by Jamie Theriot and trained by legendary trainer Cody Autrey. The horse set the pace on the front end and the crowd roused him home in the first of the six great races.

The Youbet.com Claiming Crown Tiara, an eight and a half furlong race on Canterbury Park’s turf course was a head bobber right to the wire. ‘Love to Tell’ ridden by Francisco Torres and ‘Mizzcan’tbewrong’ ridden by Robby Albarado were neck and neck just about the entire stretch home. In the end the second betting choice ‘Mizzcan’tbewrong’ had the longer nose at the finish line.

The TVG Claming Crown Rapid Transit was the first sprint race in the event. All of the money came in on speedster ‘Grand Traverse’, trained by Tim Glyshaw and ridden by Jamie Theriot. After the start it appeared Theriot would be securing a double in lickity-split fashion, but “Russell the Muscle” thought otherwise. Slightly up from the 6-1 morning line, Russell Baze had ‘You’re My Boy Blue’ in a perfect spot sitting off the blistering fractions and proved to be much the best at a nice price ($16.20).

The Claiming Crown Express was a highly contested race on paper with no really standout on the morning lines or in the Daily Racing Form. Sitting slightly off the pace ‘Norjac’ one of Jeremy Rose’s mounts on the card looked like he had cleared the challengers, but the top connections of Julien Leparoux and Michael Maker for Ken and Sarah Ramsey bowled down the rest of field in the final furlong to make what was probably the most impressive closing move of the day.

The DRF Claiming Crown Glass Slipper was another sprint race eligible to horses who had started at a mid-level claming price since the beginning of 2008. I find this race one of the most interesting because the claiming prices that these horses run at is where you found probably the biggest diamonds in the rough. On paper it looked all about all-time leader in Claiming Crown wins for a trainer, Scott Lake’s mare ‘Met A Miner’. The horse looked to have the best speed of the group, but the California Connections of Baze and Mason struck lightning again. At big odds of 11-1 Russell Baze timed the front runner ‘Thunder and Belle’ perfectly. He blew by all competition and set the table for the biggest mutuel return of the meet. The $1 Superfecta exceeded $100,000.

The Bremer Banks Claiming Crown Emerald was probably the most intriguing race of the card. With thirteen entrants after a scratch it offered some of the most value for your money in Claiming Crown history. ‘Drivingmaxandmitzi’ winner of five straight turf races went off at over 6-1, G-1 Stakes winners were going off at 20-1+ and the most value in the race lied a Scott Lake entrant going off at an astonishing 17-1. However, none of them ran as fast as Gran Estreno (ARG) coming in from Chicago for stakes specialist Michael Stidham. E.T. Baird had the horse sitting just off the pace and in a field full of value, amazingly enough, the favorite won at 7-2.

The finale of the Claiming Crown was the Jewel. 2008 Claiming Horse of the Year, ‘Antrim County’ was entered after winning the Iron Horse event last year. He opened up as the 3rd choice off the morning line and offered plenty of value. All of the money came in on Furthest Land who had tackled Einstein, a notorius turf monster recently. He went off at a meeger 4-5 on the dollar and disappoint backers. He was completely empty entering the far turn as something went a miss. That left the rail open for Jeremy Rose and ‘Fancy Runner”. She got even with ‘Antrim County’ with about 50 yards to the finish line but was beaten in a very close photo.

The import jockeys from around the country picked up mounts in the $100,000 Lady Canterbury Breeders’ Cup Stakes. With the possibility of running on the last weekend of October this year against the best in the business at Santa Anita, seven horses tackled the one mile task on the turf. All of the money came in on ‘Euphony’ a horse coming off six straight wins and some serious Beyer figures. Everything on paper pointed to this one being the best horse in the race and she may have been. The problem was other horses had prepped themselves into top shape to take care of business. ‘Happiness Is’, a Tom Proctor filly ridden by Rosemary Homeister Jr. was clear heading for home. Euphony moved forward and gave her all she could handle but that extra energy saved by Homeister Jr. on the first turn made the difference. She capped off a glorious race card with a nice 4-1 upset after taking a lot of late money.

Listening to each post race interview with the top jockey’s in America commenting on what it’s like to ride in Minnesota was exhilarating and awesome for salivating racing fans locally. We never get to see this kind of racing up close. We rarely get to see superior talent making their mark on our track. Typically, I have seen a lot of Minnesota-breds and/or connections get at least one win on the Claiming Crown card. Today there was not a single one. For the first time in my personal Claiming Crown history I felt Minnesotans got their money’s worth for the talent they saw. Impressive rides, perfect starts to every race, and legendary talent rode the horses.

It’s amazing what the Sampson family has done for a sport that was dead in Minnesota. The original owners of Canterbury Downs struggled within the state establishing an industry to compete with others. With the Card Club and hopefully a Racino in the future mix for Canterbury Park there is only room for more growth,

Maybe one day we will be able to shrink down our meet to one or two months like the major Summer Meets. Raising purse money, adding graded stakes races, and most of all attracting top talent.

If the State of Minnesota decides to give Canterbury and the citizens of this country the chance to be witness to one of the most underrated forms of entertainment there is to offer, we will really be in for a treat.

Wouldn’t it be nice to see this type of talent on a weekly basis? Wouldn’t it be nice to one day see a Minnesota bred compete in the Triple Crown? The only way to make this possible is to support Canterbury and urge your local officials to support a state operated Racino at Canterbury Park.

Saturday, July 25th, 2009 will go down in my horse racing diary as one of my favorite days of racing that I have been witness to. At my hometown track, there is nothing better than what went down in Shakopee this beautiful afternoon.

It’s true, LIVE A LITTLE FASTER at Canterbury Park.

Claiming Crown

Canterbury Park's biggest day of racing in 2009 will be held July 25th. Top jockey's from around the country including Julien Leparoux, Robby Albarado, and Russell Baze will be riding for over $750,000 in purse money.

Thoroughbred racing in Minnesota has continually grown over the past decade since the Sampson family inherited a track that drowned it debt when it intially opened. They have revived a sport and an American pasttime in Shakopee, Minnesota and the fact that we are witness to top racing this day is a miracle in itself. With other tracks throughout the country struggling to survive the support of other forms of gaming are the lifeblood to the industry in just about every state.

Canterbury Park's Card Club offers all of the traditional poker games including: Texas Hold'em, Omaha, and Seven-Card Stud. They have a Casino Games Room with Blackjack, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, Fortune Pai-Gow and more. What they really need are the support of slot machines. The Sampson family has put their time and effort into the industry in Minnesota. They have rebuilt a multi-million dollar indsutry in this state and until the economic downfall last Summer had been in the black just about every season. They have continued and continued to give back to the people of Minnesota who spend a lot of time and money at their racetrack and deserve the option of having slot machines. Many tracks have changed legislation over the past few years allowing slot machines for purse support. Iowa's thoroughbred track Prairie Meadows survives with slot machines and takes away a lot of the quality horses that Canterbury deserves.

With the addition of Running Aces Harness Park in Columbus, Minnesota it will most likely be even tougher on Canterbury moving forward in the next few years. The racing industry was barely surviving with a lone track and now with two times are going to get tougher. Although, they may race different breeds, they are still competing for business.

It is tough realizing that a Company now owned by completely by a financial group (MTR Gaming is out, Southwest Casino Corp of Bloomington is out) can help an industry grow like Canterbury Park has. The Minnesota Racing Commission will most likely approve slot machines for both tracks when and if the state decides to change its gaming laws. The only problem I see coming out of this would be the fact that Running Aces has not helped the economy of Minnesota and without local owners I don't know if it could ever benefit the state beyond another form of entertainment.

Put simply, I would like to formally thank the Sampson family for bringing my favorite sport and racetrack into the limelight one day out of the year. Without any help for our state officials it is going to be tough making it last. For Canterbury Park the Claiming Crown probably does not generate a ton of money, but it sure does satisfy all of the local horse racing fans who want to see top racing back in Minnesota.

I really hope the people of Minnesota and the state officials one day give you a chance to compete flourish.

NOTES:

1. Wouldn't it be awesome to see CPHC buy out North Metro Harness Intiative, LLC and make it a single company entity in the state of Minnesota. They could alternate seasons and wouldn't have to fight each other for business. If the state would approve slot machines wouldn't it be nice to see both places owned by a local company. SUPPORT IT, URGE IT, LETS MAKE IT HAPPEN