Canterbury: Starship Princess benefits from Northbound Pride redraw

SHAKOPEE, Minn. – Sweltering weather played havoc with the holiday plans at Canterbury Park on July 4 with all activities being moved to Saturday, including the wiener dog championships, a hot dog eating contest and the $75,000 Northbound Pride Oaks.

The Northbound Pride will be contested at one mile over the turf course and has a field of six, one fewer runner than the original draw.

Wee Highland Lass, who was expected to benefit from the pressing speed of stablemate Checkoutmyman on Wednesday, was not re-entered by trainer Miguel Silva, making the Northbound Pride a bit easier for the Louis Rousell III-trained Starship Princess.

Starship Princess also moves from the outside to the middle of the starting gate, which should enable jockey Tim Thornton to get her to the rail for a ground-saving trip. Starship Princess is a winner of 3 of 4 on the turf, with wins at Calder, Gulfstream and, most recently, in a $40,000 starter allowance at Arlington Park.

Banded, on her inside, is coming on off a strong second-place showing in the Panthers Stakes at Prairie Meadows. She will likely come from off the pace, and has a win and a second in her only two turf tries, both at Fair Grounds. A $25,000 claim by trainer Richard Scherer, Banded will be looking for her first stakes win.

Southern Spice won her maiden at Lone Star over the turf and then picked up a second straight win over the Canterbury Park turf course in a $25,000 claiming race June 10. She’s been able to win on the lead and from off the pace, so it remains to be seen which strategy trainer Charles Smith and Canterbury Hall of Fame jockey Scott Stevens will employ.

Trainer Donnie Von Hemel will ship in Soonerette from Chicago after a seven-week freshening with the hope she can regain the 2-year-old form with which she won the $100,000 Happy Ticket Stakes at Louisiana Downs.

Checkoutmyman and Minnesota Thunder fill out the Northbound Pride field.