Woodbine Spring Meet: Canterbury Park Welcomes Fans to 2021 Racing Season
Woodbine Spring Meet – Opening Day Announcement: Canterbury Park’s 65-day horse racing starts Tuesday, May 18, with track officials having high hopes for a more traditional season of racing and promotional activities. The Shakopee, Minnesota racetrack will welcome a capacity of 2,500 fans initially but expect to welcome 7,500 to 10,000 guests from June 1 through the summer.
The small but family-friendly track will race on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 5 PM and Sundays beginning May 30 at 1 PM through Sept. 16. In May, capacity will be 2,500 but will increase in June.
This spring, Canterbury’s marketing department released its promotional schedule and will sell admission tickets month by month as guidance from the state regarding capacity became clear. Events such as Corgi Dog races, Extreme Day, and a fireworks display, which complement a day at the horse races and attract thousands of fans, will be added to the schedule throughout the summer.
Other promotions include multiple handicapping contests, live music, Hot Tub Swim Spa Show, and happy hours. The casino boasts daily card tournaments.
“Many of our most popular race-day events were just not operationally and financially feasible without knowing how many guests would be allowed,” Vice President of Marketing John Groen said. “We can now schedule those events that bring so much enjoyment to our fans.”
Groen plans to push many of the events to the later months of summer.
The horse racing itself will be at full stride from the start if Tuesday’s opening night entries are any indication. The nine-race program drew a total of 86 horses in the body of the races and an additional nine on the also-eligible list. Racing officials expect nearly 1,500 horses to be stabled in the barn area.
Wednesday’s program features a pair of $50,000 sprint stakes, the Lady Slipper and the 10,000 Lakes Stakes for Minnesota-breds. Hot Shot Kid and Mr. Jagermeister, the all-time leaders in purse earnings by a Minnesota-bred thoroughbred, will meet again in the 10,000 Lakes.
In 2020, Hot Shot Kid defeated Mr. Jagermeister by 1 1/2 lengths. Hot Shot Kid, trained by Mac Robertson, has earned $617,961 in a 35-race career, while Mr. Jagermeister, who has started 29 times, has earned $615,434. He is trained by Valorie Lund.
More information and a complete schedule can be found at canterburypark.com. Canterbury officials are recommending that guests purchase admission tickets online for a touchless experience. A discount is offered to encourage advance purchases at: tickets.canterburypark.com.
