Racing
Canterbury Park 2023 Quarter Horse Stakes Schedule
Canterbury Park Championship Challenge elevated to Grade 2
Shakopee, Minn. — Canterbury Park’s racing department today announced that the 2023 mixed meet will include 11 quarter horse stakes races highlighted by the Northlands Futurity on Aug. 16 offering an estimated purse of $86,000. The purse for the 400-yard Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby, also Aug. 16, is estimated to reach $60,000. Both races are being run for the 36th time.
Quarter horse racing will be conducted on Wednesdays during June, July and August with Thursday races added in portions of July and August throughout the 54-day meet that begins May 27. The first quarter horse race of the season is scheduled for June 7. The schedule, including overnight purses, is favorable for owners and breeders of Minnesota-bred quarter horses with the first two stakes of the season being the June 7 North Star State Derby and Futurity, restricted to state breds.
The Canterbury Park Championship Challenge, a Bank of America Regional Challenge Race, will offer a $40,000 added purse and has been upgraded to a Grade 2 race. The Canterbury Park Championship Challenge has been won by Danjer, a multiple Grade 1 winner with $2,269,068 in earnings, each of the past three years. The 7-year-old Oklahoma bred gelding trained by Dean Frey was named 2021 AQHA World Champion Quarter Horse. Danjer went on to win the Grade 1 AQHA Challenge Championship Stakes each year after winning at Canterbury.
The Grade 3 Canterbury Park Distaff Challenge will have a $30,000 added purse. Both of the Challenge events will be conducted on July 19.
Initial nomination payments for the Northlands Futurity and Canterbury Park Derby are due March 1. The entire stakes schedule can be found at this link: https://canterburypark.egnyte.com/dl/qR2WBoahnv
2-Year-Olds
North Star Futurity – MN Bred
MQHRA Stallion Auction Futurity (eligible 2 yo)
Northlands Futurity – MN Bred
Minnesota Quarter Horse Futurity
3-Year-Olds
North Star State Derby – MN Bred
Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby
Minnesota Quarter Horse Derby – MN Bred
3-Year-Olds and Up
Bob Morehouse Stakes – MN Bred
Canterbury Park Championship Challenge (G2)
Canterbury Park Distaff Challenge (G3)
Cash Caravan Stakes – MN Bred