Mr. Jagermeister likely to await Minnesota Derby

Mr. Jagermeister barely turned a hair in winning the Victor S. Myers Stakes on Wednesday at Canterbury Park by more than six lengths under Leandro Goncalves. He got a Beyer Speed Figure of 90 for what amounted to a glorified workout.

“I’d discussed with Leandro the fact he was running back on 10 days’ rest,” said trainer Valorie Lund. “I said he was going to win the race, so just use what you need to win.”

And that is what Goncalves did, keeping Mr. Jagermeister out in the middle of the track and letting him clip along of his own volition. Mr. Jagermeister showed no ill effects from his 10th-place finish June 22 in the Mystic Lake Derby and once again asserted his superiority over fellow Minnesota-breds. Lund believes Mr. Jagermeister will be an even better 4-year-old than a 3-year-old and therefore is not itching to leave Canterbury and find tougher competition. Her inclination, she said, is to take it easy with the colt and await the Minnesota Derby in mid-August.

“Even though it’s two turns and he didn’t relax doing that in the Mystic Lake Derby, it’s a far different kind of animal he’ll meet there,” Lund said.