The annual Wiener Dog Wars will be held on Monday, Sept. 5. A total of seven races, six trials and a final, will be interspersed between horse races. The eight-race equine card begins at 12:45 and concludes with the $55,000 MTA Stallion Auction Stakes, a 6.5 furlong sprint for 3-year-olds which are progeny of stallions whose service was sold at the 2011 MTA Stallion Auction. More on that race later.
First for the dogs – 72 wieners in all are slated to compete Monday with the two fastest from each of the six trial heats advancing to the Canterbury Park Wiener Dog Championship of the Universe. They come from all over for a chance to wear the crown.
The MTA Stallion Auction Stakes is a mixed bag of six runners, five geldings and a filly, four of which are Minnesota-breds and two were foaled in Iowa.
Pensador leads the way for the homebreds. He won the Minnesota Derby in July and then was a non-factor in the Minnesota Classic Championship on Festival of Champions Day. Pensador is a solid sprinter with a pace-pressing style but enough speed to take the front if allowed. Best of the Bleu’s is a maiden that has been routing this year, mostly on the grass. He has hit the board three times and might enjoy less ground. King George is a cut below the main contenders in the speed figure department but is versatile and fresh.
The lone filly is La Petite Cheri, winner of the Northern Lights Debutante last year. She started the summer with an impressive win in early June but since then has lost her identity, finishing sixth in three consecutive races, losing by a combined 47 lengths. She would really need to improve to deliver on the promise she showed last summer.
One Fine Dream, from the Kelly Von Hemel barn, has won four consecutive Iowa-bred stakes and has career earnings of more than $260,000 He has shown talent both sprinting and routing and likely sits just off the lead under Alex Canchari. The other from Iowa is No Holds Barred. He has not been able to get the best of One Fine Dream but has earned $107,000 in 10 career starts.
Racing continues tonight at 6:30 and continues through Monday. Saturday and Sunday post time is 12:45. Then the schedule for the final six days of the meet becomes Thursday through Saturday.
