Star of the North seeks eighth straight win on Made in Minnesota Night
Star of the North has been unbeatable for more than a year and on Wednesday night she will attempt to win her eighth consecutive race in the $100,000 Minnesota Oaks at Canterbury Park.
The race at one mile and 70 yards is one of four Minnesota-bred stakes on the card. They are worth a cumulative $300,000. The program is called Made in Minnesota Night. It also features Thealligatorhunter, a winner of three of his last four starts, in the $100,000 Minnesota Derby at a mile and 70 yards; multiple stakes winner Ready to Runaway in the $50,000 Glitter Star for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles; and defending winner Drop of Golden Sun in the $50,000 Wally’s Choice.
Star of the North, a daughter of The Hunk, was foaled on a farm about 40 miles from Canterbury. She races for her breeder, Michael Grossman, and is trained by Francisco Bravo, who has worked for Grossman since 1988.
“She knows she’s special,” Bravo said. “I think for Mike, this is the nicest filly that he’s ever had, homegrown. He deserves it. He’s put a lot of money into the business. Mike’s a really good owner, really cares about the horse.”
Star of the North is 7 for 8, with five of her wins coming in stakes. She faces six others in the Minnesota Oaks. She has previously defeated five of those rivals in various races.
Star of the North launched her career last July at Canterbury, setting the pace in a maiden special weight before finishing third.
“As a 2-year-old you have to hustle them pretty much, they run five furlongs, to get in a good position,” Bravo said. “She tried her first time out, and she kind of faded. I adjusted equipment, added a figure eight, and that helped her a lot from then on.”
Star of the North has not lost since her debut, reeling off seven wins by a combined margin of more than 33 lengths. She won a maiden special weight last August at Canterbury, and from there won stakes at Canterbury and Sam Houston Race Park.
“She’s a very competitive filly,” Bravo said.
Star of the North enters the Minnesota Oaks off a 4 3/4-length win in a local allowance prep July 29. The mile race was her first start at two turns.
“She’s so versatile,” Bravo said. “She can go short or she can go long now.”
Star of the North will break from post 3 under Ry Eikleberry.
“Ry has ridden her every time,” Bravo said. “He’s been a really good judge of her. He’s worked her every time. Nobody’s ever been on her except him and the gallop boy.”
Owen’s Pleasure, who was second in the allowance prep, will break from post 4.
Thealligatorhunter has finished first in his last four races – all at Canterbury dating back to a Minnesota-bred allowance win on May 21. He proceeded to win a first-level allowance June 9 and the $50,000 Victor S. Myers on July 14.
Thealligatorhunter then finished first in a Minnesota-bred allowance in his last start Aug. 1, but was disqualified and placed second. He will break from post 3 on Wednesday, with Alonso Quinonez aboard for trainer Tim Padilla.