Challenge


Danjer Returns to Win $52,360 Bank of America Canterbury Park Championship Challenge (G3)
Champion Danjer, under jockey Cody Smith, defends his title in the $52,360 Bank of America Canterbury Park Championship Challenge (G3) Tuesday night.

© Coady Photography
Danjer Returns to Win $52,360 Bank of America Canterbury Park Championship Challenge (G3)

SHAKOPOEE, MN—JULY 6, 2021—Danjer, the 2020 winner of the Bank of America Canterbury Park Championship Challenge (G3), returned for a second trip to the winner’s circle in the 2021 edition of the regional qualifier on Tuesday night.

Danjer ($2.20) won the 440-yard $52,360 Bank of America Canterbury Park Championship Challenge (G3) over a sloppy main track in :21.414 and earned a 112 speed index.

Cody Smith traveled to Canterbury to ride last year’s Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) winner in the 2021 qualifier. The pair cleared the field by over two lengths.

The 5-year-old FDD Dynasty gelding is trained by Dean Frey and races for Dean Frey, Downtime Enterprises and Billy Smith. Frey bred him in Oklahoma, out of the Take Off Jess mare Shez Jess Toxic.

The winning connections of Danjer accept the Bank of America Canterbury Park Challenge Championship stakes trophy Tuesday at Canterbury Park. © Coady Photography

In 22 starts, Danjer has 12 wins and has earned $1,093,770 in his career. He is a multiple graded stakes winner, including his most recent victory in the Debbie Schauf Remington Park Invitational Championship Stakes (G1). He broke his maiden at Canterbury in 2018.

There was no catching the winner, but Edwin Escobedo and the Juice is Loose were the next in line in the field of four. Jason Olmstead trains for owners Tom Maher and Stephen Williams.

The One Famous Eagle colt made his first start at Canterbury in the Championship qualifier. He finished second in the Adequan Will Rogers Derby Challenge and finished fifth in the Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G3) at Albuquerque last fall.

Juice is Loose was bred in Oklahoma by Sam Green, out of the FDD Dynasty mare Miss Southern DD. He is three for 17 lifetime with $99,631 earned.

Heza Blues Man and Salvador Martinez finished third for trainer Ed Hardy and owner Chelsey Badura.

Heza Blues Man is a 5-year-old gelding by Favorite Cartel. He was bred in California by Steve Burns, DVM, out of the Mr Eye Opener mare Eyesa Blues Girl. Eyesa Blues Girl is a half-sister to World Champion Blues Girl Too.

As a 2-year-old, Heza Blues Man was fifth in the Los Alamitos Winter Derby (G1). He finished second in the Iowa Double Gold Derby at Prairie Meadows and was third in the Canterbury Park Derby in 2019.

In his 4-year-old year, he competed in five graded stakes races at Canterbury, Prairie Meadows and Albuquerque, and was fifth in the Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1). He has earned $123,683 in 30 career starts.

Kowboy Jim completed the field in fourth place; Jess Make a Mark was scratched.

The all-time leading Quarter Horse rider at Canterbury Park, Nik Goodwin, had the call for trainer, owner and breeder Dean Frey.

The FDD Dynasty gelding has made $215,930 in 37 lifetime starts. He is a stakes winner and is multiple graded stakes placed, including a third-place finish in the Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) at Los Alamitos in 2018.

Kowboy Jim has proven to be especially dangerous at Canterbury Park, where he has finished in the exacta eight times in 10 starts at Canterbury, including six of his seven career wins. He won the Canterbury Park Derby in 2017 and the Bank of America Canterbury Park Championship Challenge in 2018.