31st Minnesota Festival of Champions Saturday at Canterbury Park
Richest race day of the season dedicated to horses bred in state
Saturday marks the 31st running of the Minnesota Festival of Champions at Canterbury Park. The first took place in 1992 at what was then Canterbury Downs as an affirmation by horse owners, breeders and trainers that the racetrack had a future in the state even though then-owner Ladbroke Racing was intent on shutting it down. Despite a successful day, Ladbroke did just that at the end of that year.
Live racing did not return to the Shakopee, Minn. track until 1995 but this time with new ownership, a new name and a dedicated team of employees committed to horse racing. The Minnesota Festival of Champions, restricted to horses bred in the state, became the centerpiece of each season at Canterbury Park which also celebrates its 30th year of horse racing.
Saturday’s Festival will offer eight stakes races in a program that begins at 5:12 p.m. CT. The Minnesota Futurity and Minnesota Derby, both for quarter horses and each with a $48,000 purse, are the first two races followed by the $75,000 Northern Lights Futurity for 2-year-old colts and geldings. Additional stakes include the $50,000 Blair’s Cove Minnesota Turf, $75,000 Northern Lights Debutante, $50,000 Princess Elaine Distaff Turf, $50,000 Bella Notte Distaff Sprint and $50,000 Crocrock Sprint.
Mac Robertson, the all-time winningest Festival trainer with 40 wins, has entered eight horses with at least one in each thoroughbred race. Three are morning line favorites: Xave Davey at 4 to 5 in the Blair’s Cove, Mary B’s Legacy at 7 to 5 in the Northern Lights Debutante and Xtreme Diva at even money in the Bella Notte.
Trainer Matt Williams saddles Lover Girl, the Debutante winner in 2022, in the Bella Notte. In a six-furlong race filled with early speed, the trainer feels the race could set up for his filly who has a closing kick when at her best.
“It’s a tough group of fillies,” Williams said. “[Xtreme Diva] is really tough on the inside and showed she can handle being on the rail but [Lover Girl]’s run good all year, she’s had to run tough all year, so I’m looking forward to it.”
It is expected that the Princess Elaine Minnesota Turf Championship will be the final start for 6-year-old mare Midnight Current. Trained by Joel Berndt, she has won 12 of 21 career races, all at Canterbury, including the last two renditions of the Princess Elaine. Her former stablemate Let’s Skedaddle, now trained by Robertson, finished second each time and will face her nemesis again on Saturday.
Midnight Current, previously owned and bred by Bob Lothenbach who died last November, was sold for $210,000 in a dispersal auction in April. New owner Runnymoore Racing intend her to be
a broodmare but the timing allowed for one more season of racing and they immediately called upon Berndt. Midnight Current will retire as a Top 10 all-time money earner in the history of the track. Her current purse earnings are $383,300. In 2022, she won each of five starts and was named Horse of the Meet.
“Midnight Current really never disappointed,” Berndt said. “She was a model of consistency. She was always sound. She showed up every time I ran her. She always gave it her best.”
Midnight Current finished in the top three in 19 of her races and never missed the board in 15 turf starts.
Berndt was leading trainer at Canterbury in 2020 and 2023 and tied for top honors with Robertson in 2022.
Berndt has also entered Midnight Lane in the Princess Elaine and It’s Bobs Business in the Blair’s Cove. Three-year-old Street Warrior (pictured above), undefeated in three starts and winner of the Victor Myers Handicap and Minnesota Derby, will start for Berndt in the evening’s last race, the Crocrock Sprint.
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