Butler rides three winners on Minnesota Festival of Champions Day

SHAKOPEE, Minn. – Owner Scott Rake teamed with Canterbury Park Hall of Fame trainer Bernell Rhone and jockey Dean Butler to sweep the sprint stakes on Minnesota Festival of Champions Day on Sunday. Butler also scored a third stakes win in the Northern Lights Futurity.

Rake was ecstatic with the results of the day.

“I won’t sleep for days,” Rake said.

In the $60,000, six-furlong Distaff Sprint, Rake’s horse Sky and Sea ($5.60) had to withstand a late charge from Hall of Fame owner/breeder Cam Casby’s horse Polar Plunge to win by a neck. Happy Hour Honey was third. The time of the race was 1:10.62.

“Sky and Sea just keeps getting better and better,” said Rake.

“She’s never done anything wrong,” said Rhone. “She’s only 3 so she’s going to mature, fill out, and get stronger. And she’s sound. That’s very important. She’ll be back next year.”

In the $60,000 Sprint, another outstanding homebred, Bourbon County ($4.60) outlasted perennial Canterbury star Heliskier and Shangrila Bar, winning by 1 3/4 lengths after six furlongs in 1:10.49.

Rake said “This was a special win for us. We had a few in today, but this was the one we really wanted to win. He is such a special horse. “

“Taking both sprints on Festival Day is huge for us,” Rake added. “We’re a small operation and we are very grateful for the success we’ve had.”

The $75,000 Futurity was captured by Butler aboard odds-on favorite Hold for More ($3.40) in commanding fashion. Butler and Hold for More stalked Prayintheprairie for a half-mile before he loosened the reins and Hold for More surged to the front and steadily drew off to win by 5 1/4 lengths. Another Rake homebred, Chris Mars, a half-brother to Bourbon County, finished third.. Hold for More completed six furlongs in 1:13.06.

The $75,000 Northern Lights Debutante winner Sioux Appeal ($8.40) was one of two winners on the day for Hall of Fame trainer Mac Robertson. Sioux Appeal battled strongly in the lane and overcame the front-running Castle Queen in the final strides to prevail by a head. Silva Magna was third. The race was run in 1:13.03.

Robertson’s other winner was the third straight $60,000 Minnesota Classic championship for Coconino Slim ($3.60) in the most stirring finish of the day. Coconino Slim battled gate to wire with longshot Affirmed Cure, the two only heads apart for the last half-mile of the race with the final margin a head. A late surge from Sheer Trick fell short and he had to settle for third. The only three- time champion of the race, Coconino Slim ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.67.

Owner/breeder Cam Casby, who missed out on the Distaff Sprint by a neck, left no doubt in the Distaff Classic as her Talkin Bout ($6.80) dominated the field to win by 7 1/2 lengths. Jockey Eddie Martin Jr. made a bold move through the far turn, as his mount made up four lengths on the front-runners and never looked back. Early leader Blues Edge was second while defending champion Congrats and Roses settled for third.

“I’m so happy that Talkin Bout was able to get her first stakes win. She’s had some really bad luck,” said Casby. “She works really hard and has a bit of an edge to her, which you have to have to be a winner.”

A crowd of 13,626 gathered for Minnesota’s championship day. Racing continues on Labor Day at 12:45 p.m. Central. Racing concludes at Canterbury on Sept. 13 with the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby and the $75,000 Shakopee Juvenile Stakes.