Canterbury Park moves $200K Mystic Lake Derby to September

SHAKOPEE, Minn. – Several major changes have been made to Canterbury Park stakes schedule for 2014.

The richest race of the meet, the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby for 3-year olds at a mile on turf, has been moved from mid-July to Sept. 13 to highlight a closing day card that will also feature the $75,000 Shakopee Juvenile Stakes.

“The Mystic Lake Derby was re-positioned to September in hopes of attracting horses that have returned to the Midwest after competing in major race meets on both coasts during the summer,” said Eric Halstrom, the vice president of racing operations at Canterbury Park.

In all, 24 stakes worth $1.8 million will be run at Canterbury in 2014. This year the track held 26 stakes worth $1.76 million.

The minimum track-funded stakes purse at Canterbury next year will be $60,000, up from $50,000. Fifteen stakes had their purses raised, including the Dark Star Cup, which went from $50,000 to $75,000.

The Minnesota Thoroughbred Association’s Stallion Auction Stakes, jointly funded by the track and the MTA, was run in two $35,000 division this year but in 2014 will be consolidated into one $55,000 race for 3-year olds.

The 2014 season will begin Friday, May 16 and will again feature 69 days of racing. The 21st Minnesota Festival of Champions, a day dedicated to horses bred in the state, will be Aug. 31.