Entries close Friday for the final three stakes of the 67-day meet that ends Sept. 16. The $50,000 John Bullit will be run Sept. 15 while the $50,000 Tom Metzen HBPA Sprint and the $75,000 Shakopee Juvenile Stakes will be held on closing day.
The purse of the six-furlong Shakopee Stakes, restricted to 2-year-olds, was boosted by $25,000 last week. Racing officials also added an additional $25,000 for Minnesota breds making it worth $100,000 for those foaled in state. The hope is to attract all of the fast juveniles that are stabled at Canterbury this summer. Amy’s Challenge earned the largest Beyer Speed Figure, 91, of 2-year-olds to have raced in North America when she cruised to a 16 1/2 length victory here Aug. 6. Robertson has indicated the fill would run in the Shakopee. Soul of Discretion was another powerful maiden winner that earned an 85 Beyer Speed Figure when he won by many in his debut. He however is entered on Saturday in the $75,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity where he has been made the morning line favorite. The certainty that he races in Chicago however is low.
The Shakopee would be a logical spot for Mr. Jagermeister to land. The Minnesota bred is unbeaten in two starts at Canterbury and finished second when shipped to Prairie Meadows for a stake race. His 81 Beyer Speed Figure from the maiden win and effortless gallop in the Northern Lights Futurity make him a legitimate contender. Entries for the final two days of the meet will be taken this Sunday.
Handicapping Contests this Weekend
The Dog Days of Summer Handicapping Tournament, now in its 21st year making it America’s longest-running and first live-bankroll contest, takes place this Saturday and Sunday. The winner receives a $10,000 entry to the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge and a National Horseplayer Championship entry plus cash. Second place is an NHC entry and cash. Complete rules can be found HERE.
On Friday night is the Ultimate NHC Qualifier, another live-bankroll event, that calls for players to wager half of their existing bankroll on each of six Canterbury races. The two players with the largest bankrolls at contest end receive NHC seats. Rules and information can be found online.
Meet Stats With Four Days To Go
Racing resumes Friday at 6:30pm. Jockey Jareth Loveberry went on a win-binge last week scoring 13 victories and distancing himself by eight wins from Orlando Mojica in the standings. Loveberry actually had 14 wins but was disqualified from one last Friday when his mount Why Frank crossed over and dropped rider Katlin Bedford. Loveberry received a seven-day suspension that begins Sept. 8. Bedford suffered a broken ankle that will require surgery. She is returning to Oklahoma for the procedure and will recuperate there. Mac Robertson has 61 wins this meet and has been in control since June. He will win his 11th training title at Canterbury. The thoroughbred owner leaderboard is currently headed by Curtis Sampson who has a two win lead over Joe Novogratz. Sampson has four more wins than Lothenbach Stables who leads in what may be the most important category, purse money earned. From 50 starts, Lothenbach runners have earned $379,670.
