Allen happy at Canterbury

Paul Allen is in his 16th season as the announcer at Canterbury Park, and he says he isn't going anywhere.

Allen, a 44-year-old who lives in the Minneapolis suburb of Eden Prairie, has started a family and built a career in the Twin Cities.

Aside from working at Canterbury, he is the play-by-play man for the Minnesota Vikings Radio Network, and has his own radio program, "The Paul Allen Show," on KFAN-AM Sports Radio.

"I would not be a football play-by-play guy had I not started in horse racing," Allen said.

Allen, who has called roughly 20,000 races in his career, began his career in the early 1990s at Bay Meadows in Northern California. He joined Canterbury for its reopening in 1995.

Allen said he enjoys the energy that the fans bring to the track. Canterbury races at night on weekdays, which tends to bring a younger and louder crowd. The crowd for day racing on weekends tends to be a little more calm.

"I love calling races," Allen said. "Canterbury is by far the most fun I have ever had calling races."