2012 Minnesota Festival Recap
The 12th Annual Minnesota Festival of Racing took place on Saturday Dec. 8, 2012.
The residency of Minnesota has a long history in the SIM, being one of the first to come into existence and I believe is one of the very few to continue uninterrupted since its inception. That changed on Dec. 17, 2012 – kind of! During that week, the official merge of the Minnesota residency with Test Barn will take place. The new res will be called the Minnesota Testbarn Residency and will hopefully continue for a long long time!
This past Saturday marked the 12 Annual Minnesota Festival. A tradition that we are very proud of, and one that will continue. A total of 23 stake and allowance races were run, for resident horses only. Below is a recap of all of the races this great day had to offer.
The first event was The IHM Rockets Memorial for 2 year olds at 6 F. The wide open race was won by BAD SCOOTER from the Dundey stables. Scooter won for the 4th time in a row, with a very nice SP of 100.
SHE GOT WHAT IT IS took the Young Lady, a 7.5F race for 2 year old fillies on turf. She got in done with a solid 96 sp, for Zman.
Next up was the Minnesota Mare Sprint Classic, a 6.5F dirt allowance for older mares. PLAY DEAD ER got the w, which was her 4th win in the last 5 races. From the Cothill racing stables, this mare also won the prestigious Minnesota Oaks as a 3 year old in 2010.
We had a slight upset in the 2 mile on turf Minnesota Cup, as Largo from Zman won this one in a mild surprise. This 3 year old filly got it done against older open competition, posting the best speed number of her career in her first race over 12 F. She has now won 4 of her last 5, and was 2nd by a head in last year’s 6F – IHM Rockets Memorial. That’s versatility!
The 2nd choice in the wagering, SHOT OF PETRON easily took the 14 F dirt Minnesota Distance by 5 lengths.
Another fairly easy winner was BARE FOOT GIRLZ over the favored TEN FULL in the 14F Minnesota Distaff. The 7 year old mare won for the 20th time in her 62 race career. She ran 5th in last year’s edition, but won this race in 2010 as well. The hard luck Ten Full was also 2nd in last year’s Distaff and 2nd in the MN Cup in 2010
The Mountains of Money, a 1 mile turf allowance for 3 year old colts was taken by NEW SKY CH. The Cothill trained colt won for the 6th time in 17 starts in a sharp 111. It was his first festival win, but maybe not his last!
Probably the biggest upset of the day was in 3rd Annual Minnesota Bred Championship, for local breds. The 3 year old filly, MINNY ON MY MIND bested 1/9 favorite TRUTH FEVER in a lifetime best 102 in this 1 mile dirt race. Truth Fever, just a neck back won this same race in 2011 by 3 lengths, and was 2nd as a 3YO in 2010.
The first stake race of the day, The Minnesota Matron Classic at 10F on dirt was won by MUSIC SENSE, from the Rcdlogan racing stables. She took the race by 3 ½ in a nice 108. The 4 year old filly by Street Sense was 4th in last year’s Matron.
Back to the 2 years olds for the Minnesota Future Turf Stars, an open event at 8.5F on the grass. LUMPY BRED, a filly bested 12 others in a 99 sp for Rcdlogan (Randy). It was her 3rd win to go along with 2 second place finishes in 6 lifetime starts.
The Elder Statesman, a 9F turf race for horses that are 6 years or older was won by CANADOHTA. The 6 year old mare, racing under Prebola’s colors won for the 16th time in 43 career starts. It was also her first festival win, after running 9th in the turf mile last year.
The largest mutual payoff so far was TeamCK’s CK DEAN RIVER. The CA bred got his first win in The Team CK Maiden in a very sharp 89. He returned $32.10 to win, with S, Green on board.
Next on the card was the 1 million dollar feature – The 12th Annual Minnesota Derby for 3 year olds at one mile. This race always attracts some of the best colts in training and this year was no exception as last year’s Eclipse award winning 2YO colt, Bolton Valley was placed in the entry box. Bolton has been off form for most of his 3YO season, but came back with a big run on Saturday posting a 107.9. It was only good enough for 2nd however as CK GO FOR IT beat him by an open length at the wire. It equaled his lifetime best of 109, as the colt won for the 3rd time in a row and 5th overall. He was 6th in last year’s juvy but has really improved as of late.
Another million dollar race – The Minnesota Classic was up next at 10F on dirt. Coming in, the 6YO Spanish Johnny had won the last 3 MN Classic’s, which is a feat that will be hard to top. Never really a factor, he finished 5th to LABOR IN WORKS. Trained by Cothill, LABOR IN WORKS won by 1 ½ in an sp of 114. It was his first festival win in a LT best speed, and the connections could not be happier for this 4YO son of MEDICEAN.
Dundey stable horses ran 1 -2 in the Minnesota Oaks for 3 year old fillies. But it was BARELY DRESSED getting the win in a blistering 116 over the post time favorite I’m A Veg. This was the fastest speed of the day. It was the daughter of Distorted Humor’s 5th win in 12 career starts.
The 10 F Minnesota Turf, carrying a purse of $500,000 was up next. Cothill’s ZTAG COTC took the honors in this won, running a 109 over the green stuff. It was the 5 year olds 9th lifetime win coming off a 2nd place G3 finish. He also won this same race fairly easily in 2011; 3 in a row in 2013??
In a somewhat interesting move by Randy, UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY was entered into the Minnesota Sprint at 6.5F on dirt against older, instead of the MN Derby. The strategy paid off as the colt cruised against his mostly older competition to win by a length in 113. Notching his 3rd straight win, this 3YO should be hard to beat in this event for the next few years.
The largest win payout on the day was a nice $55.20 by BIG GANG GREEN in the MN Turf Mile. Becoming a trend this year, the only 3 year old in the field took the race in an sp of 104.
Certainly not the fastest 2 year old of the day, INCIDENT took the Minnesota Juvenile with an sp of 91. The son of GHOSTZAPPER won for the 4th time in 10 lifetime races over an evenly matched field.
No slow speeds in the filly version, as FINE SPECIMEN wins the Minnesota Miss Juvenile by 3 in as sp of 99. Trained by Redhill, the filly won for just the 2nd time in 8, but has been in the money in all but her grade 2 try back in July. She looks to have a very nice future ahead.
We had another upset in the Minnesota Dirt Mile for a $250,000 purse. CHAPS AND SPURS from the Zman stables got the upset win over a who’s who of MN trained horses including past Festival winners Biochemistry, Makes Sense Em (2010 MN Derby), Luck Belongs (2010 MN Juvy and 2011 MN Derby), Wild Eddi (2009 MN Derby, 2010 Dirt Mile) and the favored Prospector’s Luck. The 6 year old equaled his lifetime best sp of 112, for his 10th career win in 63 tries.
Redhill’s PUT ON A SHOW got the big $500K score in the Dr. Fager Turf Sprint at 6.5 F. It was the first Festival win for this mare, and her 8th overall in 29 starts. She has really come into her own this season as a 5 year old.
The last race of the Festival – The Minny Miss Turf for 3 year olds and up mares, was won by ALI’ISLEI. The redhill trained entry was one of the few favorites to win on the day, getting the head score over 3 year old HIGHLY ROCK.
I interviewed a few of our long standing MN residents to get their opinions on this historic day, and maybe a feel for some of the high lights of festivals past.
Cothill stated that back in 2010, he cleaned up in the festival winning two of the biggest races. PLAY DEAD ER and MAKES SENSE EM won the Minnesota Oaks and the Minnesota Derby. These two were back again this year for another festival run. PLAY DEAD ER came through with a win in the Minnesota Mare Sprint classic and MAKES SENSE EM missed by a head to a late push by ZMAN’s underdog CHAPS AND SPURS in the Minnesota dirt mile.
He had two others going for repeats. CLEAN SWEEP ER who narrowly missed in the Minnesota Cup. But, ZTAG COTC made it two in a row in the Minnesota Turf.
He’s never had a competitive horse in the Minnesota Classic and thought that included this year. But, 9/1 LABOR IN WORKS surprised, in knocking off the 3 time reigning champion SPANISH JOHNNY. By far his biggest highlight this year.
Randy commented “in 2002 I managed 5 wins including Meet The Legend who went on to become a grade A mare, and that was really the only above avg showing I made. I won the Mn Derby once, with Wild Eddie in 2009 who also won the Dirt mile the next year and ran in every Mn Fest since. The 2011 results I don’t remember, but I did win a horse or two so it must’ve been ok Seeking The Brave won the Classic in 2006. Woodyna ran a 120spd winning the Turf mile in 2007. I won 2 Mn Oaks that I could find.
The competition in the Mn Fest has always been top notch, many champs have been game wide champs as well.”