Canterbury honors longtime employee and fan

Friends and family of the late Amelia "Milly" Otsea gathered in the Canterbury Park winner's circle after the third race on Saturday to celebrate the memory of the Mankato, Minn., native who had worked in the concessions department since the earliest days of Canterbury Downs.

Otsea was known to horseplayers and horsemen alike for her sunny countenance and her avid interest in the daily goings-on at the track. When her workday duties were completed, she could often be found at her station near the stairwell to the horsemen's section on the track apron, where she would watch the day's races. The track will place a plaque at that spot in her honor.

* Several riders in the Canterbury Park jockey colony have notched multiple-win days in the last few weeks to tighten up the standings. Dean Butler led the standings, with 21 victories from 100 starts through Wednesday. Ry Eikleberry and Paul Nolan have made steady progress in the last few weeks to be fourth and fifth with 18 and 17 wins, respectively. Eikleberry posted five winners on June 13, and Nolan won four on Sunday, including victories on the promising juvenile Bet Your Boots and the fan favorite Wally's Choice.