Canterbury Park Resumes with Handle, Field Size Up

Horse racing resumes July 27 at Canterbury Park following a nine-day break that allowed for Twin Cities Summer Jam, a three-day music festival that attracted more than 30,000 fans, to be held in the racetrack infield. Prior to the break, 35 of the 65 race dates had been conducted. Entries for Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday drew 251 horses over 31 races for an average field size of 8.1. Average field size for the first 35 days was 7.1.

"The break is beneficial to the horses. It's a reset," leading trainer Joel Berndt said. "There is also a people aspect. It refreshes the people, too." Berndt's 36 wins are two better than Mac Robertson, who has won the training title in 14 of the past 17 seasons. Berndt won his only Canterbury training title in 2020.

Horseplayers will note the lack of turf racing the first two nights. That was planned by the racing department to allow the much-used turf to be rested and restored. "The turf course was overseeded the day after racing ceased for the concert break," senior vice president of racing Andrew Offerman said. "The two days off are by design to give the course a 12-day break before the second half of the season and allow the new seed more time to fully establish itself."

Through the 35 race days, 102 races were contested over the turf course compared to 95 last year. On Saturday, three turf races will be run.

Total handle saw an increase with $55,590,385 wagered, a 10.2% increase over last season. Wagering dollars from customers attending the races at the Shakopee, Minn., facility jumped 23% to $5,450,745. Track officials are encouraged as spectators return to the races in numbers more similar to pre-pandemic seasons. On-track handle is down just 3.7% compared to 2019, the last season prior to the COVID-19 pandemic that for next two race meets demanded capacity restrictions and limited crowd-drawing events such as the Corgi Dog races scheduled for this Sunday. 

"We are pleased with business through the first 35 days and look forward to a strong second half of the season," Offerman said.

Out-of-state handle is up 9 percent compared to the same time period in 2021 but up 248% compared to 2019. Canterbury's 2020 pandemic shift to weeknight racing attracted robust national wagering. That popularity continued as Sunday racing was added last year and Saturday this season, replacing Monday and Tuesday programs.

Racing Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday begins at 5 p.m. Sunday racing begins at 1 p.m.