Big fields for Canterbury stakes doubleheader

SHAKOPEE, Minn. – The $75 million joint marketing agreement between the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and Canterbury Park in 2012 brought expanded purses and hope for larger fields and greater interest in racing in Minnesota. With 27 horses entered for the two stakes Saturday, hope is turning into reality.

Each of the stakes, the Minnesota HBPA Distaff for fillies and mares and the Brooks Fields for either sex, is worth $75,000 and will be run at 7 1/2 furlongs on turf.

Fourteen will contest the Minnesota HBPA Distaff, led by the graded stakes-placed Every Way. Every Way is 2 for 3 in 2014, with optional-claiming wins at Sam Houston and Arlington Park sandwiched around a second-place finish in the Jersey Lilly Stakes at Sam Houston. She missed by a neck in the Jersey Lilly, with her rally falling just short. Last year, Every Way took second in the Grade 3 Pucker Up at Arlington.

Every Way’s trainer, Michael Stidham, has proven adept at shipping up to Canterbury, having taken four stakes over the last two years here.

Every Way will need to beat the streaking Wild Swava. A Mike Maker trainee, Wild Swava is riding a four-race winning streak, with the most recent score coming in a Churchill Downs $10,000 starter allowance. She steps into stakes company for the first time Saturday and looks to be the lone speed in the race.

If Wild Swava gets some company on the front end, it could be provided by Gold Medal Dancer. Her only turf start was an allowance win in front-running style at Remington Park in 2013. In her last start, however, she closed from fourth to win a $100,000 optional-claiming race at Churchill Downs.

In the Brooks Fields Stakes, the 7-2 morning-line favorite is Free World. Trained by Tom Amoss, Free World is on a five-race winning streak that dates back to March 2013. His streak includes wins in the Robert Hilton Memorial at Charles Town and the Centaur at Indiana Grand. Free World wired an optional-claiming field at Arlington in preparation for the Brooks Fields.

Gentleman’s Kitten should provide some early company for Free World. He is coming off a layoff of almost two months after a fifth-place finish behind Wise Dan in the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile at Keeneland.

Jimmy Simms, who also has speed, has won 3 of 4 to start 2014. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Jimmy Simms has taken 9 of 20 starts on turf and has a first and a second over a wet track. With rain in the forecast for Saturday, he could benefit if the Brooks Fields comes off the grass.

Minnesota-owned Jer-Mar Stable has entered the millionaire Win Willy for the main track only. The 8-year-old horse comes off his best effort of 2014, a third in a turf allowance here behind Mr. Vegas and Red Zeus, both entered in the Brooks Fields.

Slip and Drive, last year’s Brooks Fields runner-up behind the Stidham-trained Hammer’s Terror, will look to pick up the pieces after any speed duel.