FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS
As the Canterbury Park season winds down, the Shakopee track will host one of the biggest events on its calendar: the Festival of Champions. Saturday's 29th edition of the festival, an annual celebration of Minnesota-bred thoroughbreds and quarter horses, offers $855,000 in total purses for a 12-race card.
When: Saturday, first post 4 p.m.
Admission: $8 adults, $3 ages 6-17 if purchased online in advance; $10 and $5 at the entrance. Advance tickets are available at www.canterburypark.com.
The card: Each of the six thoroughbred stakes offers a purse of $100,000. The state's top 2-year-olds will compete in the Northern Lights Futurity for colts and geldings and the Northern Lights Debutante for fillies. Older horses will vie in the Crocrock Minnesota Sprint Championship and the Blair's Cove Minnesota Turf Championship, along with the Bella Notte Distaff Sprint and the Princess Elaine Distaff Turf.
The card concludes with a pair of $70,000 stakes for quarter horses, the Minnesota Quarter Horse Futurity for 2-year-olds and the Minnesota Quarter Horse Derby for 3-year-olds.
On a roll: This season's leading thoroughbred owner, Bob Lothenbach of Wayzata, already has set a Canterbury Park record with 48 victories and $1.18 million in purse earnings. His stable, overseen by trainer Joel Berndt, will send out the morning-line favorite in three races Saturday.
It's Bob's Business (7-5) headlines the Northern Lights Futurity, Cousvinnysacanuck (7-2) is favored in the Blair's Cove and Midnight Current (6-5) tops the field in the Princess Elaine. Midnight Current is undefeated this season at Canterbury, with four victories and $91,800 in earnings.
