By Noah Joseph
Well, it’s that time of the year again. Summer is coming to an end. There’s a chill in the air, the sun is setting earlier, and nature’s leaves begin to turn red and gold. Autumn is on its way, and with its arrival is the departure of live racing at Canterbury Park. This Friday and Saturday are the final days of racing for the year, and this year certainly was a good one.
Many moments made the 2018 season so enjoyable. The dog races were once again a smash, with basset hounds making their racing debut. The camels, ostriches, and zebras thrilled fans both young and old on Extreme Day, and the Indian Horse Relays were once again a hit. Other events included the Inaugural Mystic Lake Northern Stars Racing Festival, and for the first time, Canterbury hosted Jockeys and Jeans, a fundraiser for disabled jockeys, which reaped great benefits for PDJF.
As for the racing itself, this season will go down as the year of power. Several horses made their presence felt at Canterbury. Sirenusa shipped in for the local connections of owners Barry and Joni Butzow and trainer Joe Sharp and won powerfully. Jockey Adam Beschizza, who came in to ride Sirenusa, put on a display like none other. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione and trainer Michael Maker, two of the best in the business, teamed up to win two stakes during the Northern Stars Festival, winning the Lady Canterbury with I’m Betty G and the Mystic Lake Derby with Sniper Kitten. Jockey Edgar Prado rode Superstar Bea to win the Jockeys and Jeans All-Star race, and Mr. Jagermeister continued his dominance at Canterbury in winning four of five starts, all four victories coming in stakes races, cementing him as one of the greatest Minnesota breds of all time.
And so once again, we come to a close, but the memories will remain. To all the management, horsemen, owners, trainers, jockeys, employees, fans, and to all who read the blog posts, thank you for another amazing year!
Friday’s program begins at 5:00 p.m. and Saturday’s at 12:45 p.m. General admission is $7 for adults. Children 17 and younger are admitted free. Additional information is available at www.canterburypark.com .
