Canterbury track report

The seemingly annual deadlock over Minnesota's budget at the state capitol has resulted in a temporary shutdown of non-essential state services and has left Canterbury Park officials hopeful that the track's racino proposal will come to fruition. Leading members of the Minnesota House and Senate have been negotiating with Gov. Tim Pawlenty, but Democratic Party members, led by Sen. Dean Johnson, still oppose the racino.

Negotiations are scheduled to continue until an agreement on the budget can be reached. The track's proposal would include a $100 million fee that would be paid immediately to the state, and another $100 million in estimated tax revenue produced by the facility in its first year of operation. An equestrian center would also be constructed if the racino proposal is approved.

* Preparations continue for the seventh running of the Claiming Crown, which will be held here July 16. The event features seven races, with purses totaling $650,000 for horses who have run for a claiming tag of between $5,000 and $25,000 in the previous year.

Habaneros, who will compete in the $150,000 Claiming Crown Jewel, shipped in Tuesday after finishing fourth in the four-horse photo in last week's Grade 2 Cornhusker Handicap. He will be joined later this week by Lord of the Game, the Arlington Park-based winner of the Cornhusker.