Racing


Kowboy Jim Wins $81,125 Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby
Jockey Nik Goodwin pilots Kowboy Jim to an easy victory in the $81,125 Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby on Sunday.

© Coady Photography
Kowboy Jim Wins $81,125 Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby

SHAKOPEE, MN—JULY 16, 2017—Under jockey Nik Goodwin, Kowboy Jim won with authority Sunday afternoon while defeating Pyc Jess Bite Mydust by 1-¼ lengths in the $81,125 Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby at Canterbury Park. Bout Tree Fiddy finished a head back in third.

Goodwin was asked to ride Kowboy Jim Sunday morning when jockey Berkley Packer, who qualified the horse for the derby in trials held July 2, missed his flight.

"Dean asked me if I would ride," Goodwin said. "Of course I’d ride the horse! He’s a really nice horse."

Owner-trainer and breeder Dean Frey saddled Kowboy Jim to his fifth career win in nine starts The son of world champion sire FDD Dynasty completed the 400 yard in :19.788 seconds, earning a 105-speed index into a 15-mph crosswind. The $40,563 winners' purse more than doubled the gelding's bankroll to $74,232.

"He looked good last year" Frey said. "I gave him some time. His two races at Remington this year weren’t bad. I figured he’d be good at Canterbury"

The winning connections of Kowboy Jim accept the Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby stakes trophy Sunday afternoon. © Coady Photography
Frey bred Kowboy Jim in California from the Mr Jess Perry mare Counting On You. His next start is expected to come at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa in the Bank of America Challenge.

Kowboy Jim paid $3.60 to win.

Runner-up Pyc Jess Bite Mydust rallied to finish second after an awkward start under jockey Brayan Velazquez. Jason Olmstead conditions the Apollitical Jess gelding for owner/breeder Lunderborg, LLC. Winner of last year's Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity, the brown gelding picked up $16,225 to boost his career mark to $129,646. Bred in Minnesota, Pyc Jess Bit Mydust is out of the Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare Paint Or More.

Patrick Swan and Rusty Allred's multiple stakes winner Bout Tree Fiddy put in a mild bid under jockey Marcus Swiontek to finish third. Tomey Swan trains the Oklahoma-bred son of Ivory James out of Hollie Jollie by Fredricksburg. He earned $8,113.

Ms Haulin Chic, La Mos Pyc, Lithe, Favorite Moment and Shout Of Southern completed the field. Faster Than Hasta and Tinys Courage were both scratched.

Canterbury Park’s 67-day live mixed-breed meet runs May 5 through Sept. 16. The quarter horse season begins May 27 and runs through the Minnesota Festival of Champions Aug. 20. Additional information is available at canterburypark.com.