Three overstuffed race cards and a lively competition for the jockey title will highlight the conclusion of Canterbury Park's live racing season this weekend.
The Shakopee track will run nine races Thursday and 11 on Friday, with post time at 6 p.m. both nights. The 69-day season ends Saturday with an 11-race card starting at 12:45 p.m. After many turf races were canceled this season because of rain, extra races on the grass were added this weekend, and 361 horses — an unusually large number — are entered for the final three days.
The jockey title is still up for grabs, as four-time riding champion Dean Butler holds a five-victory lead over Shakopee native Alex Canchari.
Mac Robertson, whose nine-season hold on the training title ended in 2013, has 16 more victories than Robertino Diodoro and has locked up the crown. Robertson's horses have won a Canterbury-record $1.43 million in purses this season.
RACHEL BLOUNT
Herrick falls in semis
Olivia Herrick of Roseville lost to Shannon Johnson of Norton, Mass., 1-up on Wednesday in the semifinals of the Women's Mid-Amateur Championship in Eerie, Pa.
Herrick had defeated Amanda Jacobs of Portland 3 and 1 earlier in the day in the quarterfinals.
Berry advances
Top-seeded Don Berry, the defending champion, was one of four quarterfinal winners Wednesday in the Minnesota PGA Senior Match Play Championship at Stillwater Country Club. Berry, of Edinburgh USA, defeated Jeff Otto of Olympic Hills 7 and 6.
Other quarterfinal winners were Steve Whillock of Oak Marsh, Dale Jones of Mendakota and Larry Norland of Greenhaven. Norland edged Brad Schmierer of Dakota Pines with a chip-in birdie on the 18th hole.
U second in WCHA poll
The Gophers women's hockey team, which has won back-to-back national titles, was picked to finish second in the WCHA in a preseason coaches' poll behind Wisconsin.
Minnesota returns 19 players from last season's 35-4-1 team.
• Former player Bethany Brausen was named one of the Gophers' assistant coaches. She replaces Nadine Muzerall, who was recently named women's hockey head coach at Ohio State.
High honor for setter
Senior setter Kasey Williams of Concordia (St. Paul) was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association's player of the week in Division II. She averaged 13.62 assists and 3.23 digs per set last weekend as the Golden Bears went 4-0. in the Colorado Premier Challenge.

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