Jockey Paul Nolan earned his 997th career victory last week and it's very likely he will earn his 1,000th career victory sometime this week. Nolan, 45, began his career as a jump rider in his native England but has earned the majority of his victories at Canterbury Park after traveling to Minnesota in 1988 to work as an exercise rider. Nolan, who began his riding career in 1990, suffered a broken neck during the 2005 Canterbury meeting. He was the leading rider at this meet last season.
* In addition to the ostrich and camel races being offered here Sunday on Extreme Race Day, the day's races will also include a 770-yard mixed breed event for Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, a 100-yard dash for Quarter Horses, a race for horses who have yet to hit the board this season, and a contest billed as the Battle of the Surfaces in which two fields will compete simultaneously as one betting race. One field will race over the turf, while another competes on the main track. The start of the 1 1/16-mile contest will be triggered by electronic remote control and will employ three photo finish cameras to determine the winner.