Courtesy of Ted L. Grevelis (Owning Racehorses)
Opening Day crowd of 7,000+ line the
apron prior to the start of Race 3
While
the eyes of the horse racing world are turned to the Triple Crown, there are
other races to be run and less hallowed tracks than Churchill, Pimlico and
Belmont have their meets just beginning.
Here in Minnesota our racing season is short, but Canterbury Park makes
the most of that opportunity each and every year.
Last
season's opener was Derby Day and it was bright and sunny and packed to the
rafters. This year was a Friday night under the threat of rain... When I got to
the track about 30 minutes before first post, the parking lot looked like a
typical Saturday. Decent for a Friday night, but not great for a season opener.
More of the same once I got inside - a nice crowd, but nothing special. There
was a glimmer of hope from the south as there was a line of clearing that
looked like it wanted to come our way. Maybe if we could get some of that it
could help save the night a bit?
Entering
the track I went right to the paddock, located just inside the main gate to the
right, for the first race. There was certainly an air of exuberance. Friends
were greeting friends they haven't seen since last season and after an extended
off season, everyone was happy to be back racing.
Canterbury Paddock prior to the 1st
race of the season
The first race went off as scheduled and as the final horses moved into the
starting gate, the crowd started applauding and went the latch sprung and track
announcer Paul Allen began the call there was whooping and hollering from the
growing crowd - we were back in action!
They're Off!!! The gate springs open in
the first race of the 2009 season
Dean Butler piloted the first winner of the meet, the Mac
Robertson trained 3-5 favorite Mister
Merz. Merz is stablemate of Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Win Willy and carries the colors of the Jer-Mar
Stables. There was a sad note to the open festivities as Golden Prancer broke down in the turn
for home. Jockey Adolpho Morales was unseated but thankfully unhurt as was the
jockey of Erinn and Aaron, B.L.
Hollingsworth. Golden Prancer was vanned off the track. The celebration of the
first race of the season was a subdued one.
Fortunately the second race featured a great comeback by a big
favorite in a stretch run that took up every stride to the wire. Five to one Crossing Guard tried to take the field
wire to wire and built up a 10+ length lead entering the stretch. Even money
favorite, Ma Barker made
her move under Juan Rivera and started to chop into that big lead with every
stride. As the wire got closer, so did Ma Barker. The crowd was really worked
up by mid-stretch and as Crossing Guard's stride shortened, I'm sure the wire
seemed like it would never come for Dylan Williams. When they finally crossed
it looked like she had hung on...until the instant replay. Maybe Ma Barker DID
get there? After what I'm sure was an agonizingly long wait for the photo (been
there!), Ma Barker indeed got the win and the place went nuts saluting a very
game filly winning her first race since her maiden at Turf Paradise. The first
Daily Double of the season: $6!
The chalk parade continued in the third as Tahitian Queen romped keying a $15 pick
3! Wow... The upside for me in this race? Tahitian Queen was ridden by Jose
Ferrer who is picking up the mount on Fizzy Pop in Sunday. More on that in the
next post later today.
Finally, in the 4th, it was bombs away as Engaging Lover blew up the tote board
at 25-1 for Harvey Berg and jockey Luis Medina. Bernell Rhone's comebacker
Belicheck - off over a year until his start at Tampa a few weeks ago - combined
for an exacta payout of over $300. Amazingly enough, a husband was telling his
wife behind me - "I told you! I told you!" The feeling of KNOWING
regarding a 25-1 shot. Rarely happens, but when it does...
Finally my stomach started to remind the rest of my body that it
was dinner time. At Canterbury Park, choices abound. On the main level there
are two main bars - one near the top of the stretch, the other just past the
finish line. These bars bookend a snack bar, pizza and pasta and a Mexican
stand as well as a small restaurant inside the card club. The fabled Canterbury
Nut Lady also operates her stand as you head up to the Mezzanine.
The Legendary Canterbury Nut Lady
As you head up the escalator, there is a Famous Dave's BBQ
stand, another snack bar and a shout out to the "Great Minnesota Get
Together" (below) - many of you would probably call it our State Fair -
where you can get fries, foot longs and, of course, Pronto Pups (corn dogs to
the rest of the world)!
A taste of the Minnesota State Fair
Finally, upstairs in the Clubhouse (below) is
another snack bar, the Clubhouse Buffet and the Park Restaurant. Choices for
literally every taste and budget. I went for a slice of pizza which was better
than any "venue" pizza you've ever had - and plenty of pizzeria's as
well!
Clubhouse seating at
Canterbury Park
Dinner leads me in to the 'specials' that are
run at Canterbury. Each racing day, from Thursday to Sunday has a theme
attached to it. Friday nights are Minnesota's Finest Happy Hour with live music
on the apron, 1/2 price pizza, drink specials and contests. Saturdays are
Classic Saturdays with Classic Cars on display, a giveaway, other food and
drink specials and a $10,000 Pick Six pool guarantee. Sundays are Pepsi Family
Day which features pony rides, face painting, a petting zoo and a kids
"Race the Track" after the final race. When Thursday racing returns
in a few weeks it'll bring the return of buck night which is just as it
implies: $1 admission, $1 hot dogs, $1 Pepsi, $1 nachos, beer specials and a
"Who do you like today contest?" with the prize of a $20 win, place,
show wager. Solid daily promotions, good, affordable food and exciting racing
action - a definite winning recipe.
Live band grace the
Canterbury apron every Friday night
There is also something else about the crowd
at the Shakopee oval - it's young. There were plenty of twentysomethings and
thirtysomethings around as well as families. These days this is an anomaly when
you head out to the racetrack. Maybe it's because we're a summer meet? Maybe
because we run in the evenings during the week? I went ahead and asked a group
of younger folks sitting behind me what their reasons were for picking the
racetrack. The number one answer was fun! This was followed by the excitement
of wagering and, interestingly enough, the puzzle of trying to figure out a
race and the feeling you get when you nail one. They all agreed as well that it
was an inexpensive night out. Five dollars in, inexpensive food (if you stick
with the specials) and you control your wagering budget. They can all hang out
together and make a lot of noise and pit their skills against each other. It
was a mighty encouraging conversation. I don't know if we're unique in
Minnesota, but it would be nice to see this trend spread throughout the
country.
I was fortunate enough to run into old partner
Brian (of Somerset Sam and Somerset Wish fame). It was great catching up with
him and a special congratulations on his engagement to longtime girlfriend
Andrea! It was also fortunate as my choice for the 6th race, Henry the K, ran off the board. We got so caught up in
talking, I never placed the bet. So thank you, Brian!
In the finale of the evening, a Minnesota bred
Maiden Special Weight contest, partner Janet Weber (breeder of Miss Belle
Express) had a homebred running, Tahkodha
Bill. Bill had a bought with seconditis last year and was trying to
break that streak on his return. While it didn't happen (he was placed 3rd
after being interfered with in the stretch), it was great to catch up with
Janet and her entourage: Linda, John and Vickie. John and Vickie also are
partners with Janet in the filly Standing
Rock who races Sunday in the 3rd, just before Fizzy Pop's race so
we'll be there to root them on!
The final attendance figure was 7,482 which
was significantly less than the 10,000 plus in attendance last year, but a
chilly, overcast, very windy Friday night with the chance of rain and
thundershowers I'm sure kept plenty of folks away. Again, last year was Derby
Day, sunny and warm after a long cold winter and most of the Spring. It's very
difficult to make any kind of fair comparison. By comparison, day 2 - Preakness
Day and sunny (though still rather chilly) - drew another 9,000+ fans. A solid opening two days in our little corner
of racing heaven.
For more on Canterbury's opener, see Jim Wells
official Canterbury
blog.
