SHAKOPOEE, MN—JANUARY 16, 2020—Canterbury Park racing officials have announced an $800,000 quarter horse racing stakes schedule for the 2020 mixed-breed season that runs 65 days, May 15 through Sept. 12.

The Shakopee, Minn. racetrack’s signature quarter horse race, the $150,000 estimated Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity, being run for the 33rd time, will be Sunday, Aug. 9, a month later than usual. Also that day is the Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby with an estimated purse of $75,000.

“Quarter horse racing continues to be an important part of Canterbury Park’s racing season,” Vice President of Racing Operations Andrew Offerman said. “While the number of races and the purse structure will be similar to 2019, we needed to slightly alter our stakes schedule to fit in with other Midwest tracks and do what is best for the breed while offering owners as many opportunities as possible to race.”

In 2019, Canterbury experimented successfully with a day comprised solely of quarter horse races and will do the same on July 5 of the upcoming season. The race day will offer six stakes including the Canterbury Park Championship Challenge which was designated a Grade 3 race by the AQHA Graded Stakes Committee. The Gopher State Futurity and Gopher State Derby are also on the program along with the Distaff Challenge and Distance Challenge.

The Minnesota Quarter Horse Derby and Quarter Horse Futurity, each $55,000 added races, are again part of the Minnesota Festival of Champions on Sept. 5.

Total quarter horse purses are expected to approach $1.8 million with more than 100 races run during the course of the mixed meet.

Nomination payments for the Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity, Canterbury Park Derby, Gopher State Futurity, Gopher State Derby, Minnesota Futurity and Minnesota Derby close on March 1. Nomination forms can be found online by CLICKING HERE .

More information about Canterbury Park is available at canterburypark.com.