Claiming horses form the blue-collar workforce of the racing industry, but the annual Claiming Crown treats them like stars for a day. The event is the richest day of racing on the Canterbury Park calendar and typically draws one of the biggest crowds and wagering handles of the season.
Where: Canterbury Park, Shakopee
When: Saturday, first post 1:30 p.m.
The Claiming Crown: Six races, with total purses of $500,000, for claiming horses. This year's 12th running marks the 10th time the event has been held at Canterbury Park. The races are the $50,000 Iron Horse (11/16 miles); the $50,000 Express (six furlongs); the $75,000 Glass Slipper (six furlongs, fillies and mares); the $75,000 Rapid Transit (six furlongs); the $100,000 Emerald (11/8 miles, turf) and the $150,000 Jewel (11/8 miles).
The card: 11 races, with the Claiming Crown running from the fourth through the ninth race. The $100,000 Lady Canterbury Breeders' Cup Stakes is race 10. Two other stakes races also are on the program: the $25,000 HBPA Sprint Stakes and an $18,360 stake for quarter horses.
What is a claiming horse? Most racehorses in the United States run in claiming races, which represent the lower rungs of the competitive ladder. In a claiming race, any horse can be purchased for a set price. The Claiming Crown gives these unheralded horses a chance to run for much bigger purses than usual on a day that celebrates their contributions to racing.
