Ryan, first the Canterbury handicapping educational programs are very good. I have sent several friends to the programs and they have learned a great deal about basic handicapping from some great people. The physical pre-race inspection you mentioned in your comment is important but the actual past pereformance race information is critical. I've handicapped for 50 years and use "PP" data obtained from Bloodstock Research (BRISNET) and Thorograph. Other folks use popular performance data from The Daily Racing Form and Equibase. All this data is available online.

Lastly, advanced handicappers learn to not just pick winners but make "best bets". The most probable winners are not always the best horses to bet. For example, the Twins unfortunately are not the most probable winners of their division in baseball this year but if someone gave you 1000 to 1 odds, they would be a "great bet" to win the division. The odds are the key.

Jeff, I understand the possible suspension relates to what is called milkshaking. Milkshaking is a combination of bicarbonate of soda, sugar and electrolytes. The mixture is designed to reduce fatigue and enhance performance.

Becky, I train Thoroughbred Racehorses. There are several questions to ask before you decide to acquire a racehorse. You must first understand all the expenses involved. Then decide if you want to be a sole owner, or in a partnership. There are partner groups available, or you can get some friends together and form a partnership. Finding a trainer you can work well with, who will take time and show you the ropes will be essential for your first time owning a horse. The new owner seminar is a great source of information-- hope to see you There!!

Becky, the Canterbury Racing Club is great. I'd only add that there are a few things to think about before you get into racing. Some folks want immediate action. With advice, you can get liscensed, find a trainer, actually claim a horse for as little as $3,500 right out of a race running at Canterbury, and be an individuial owner in no time at all. With a club or syndicate, several people can share in the original acquisition as well as the ongoing training costs. Here's a link to The Jockey Club Owners View website that contains some videos, how to find a trainer, and basic answers to common questions new owners have:

https://www.ownerview.com/getting-started/expert-advice

Becky - the Minnesota Thoroughbred Association is offering a NEW OWNERS SEMINAR at Canterbury Park on Saturday, June 9th, starting at 11:00 a.m. It's a great opportunity for people interested in learning more about owning Throughbred racehorses to have their questions answered. We'll have a panel of speakers sharing information on legal and accounting considerations, types of ownership, methods of acquiring your first racehorse, licensing, what goes in to training your horse, veterinary care, and more! There's plenty of time allowed for questions from the audience! The seminar is free and open to the public!

Chris, the good folks at Canterbury can answer this question best but as a horseman, this bill was critical to the future development of racing in Minnesota. I would expect more horsemen will be attracted to Minnesota as a result so we could expect an increase in both the volume and quality of horses here in Minneosta over time. I am personnally delighted that a new relationship will also bring racing similcast oppotunities to Tribal casinos across the state, allowing more people in areas outlying the Twin Cities to enjoy the great sport of racing and the fascinating hobby of handicapping.

Chris - It is unlikely that regular Canterbury visitors will notice any substantial changes. The legislation will allow us to have more card tables in play, more tournaments and higher limits on our poker games. Additionally, it does give us the opportunity to simulcast with Minnesota's existing casinos. It will take some time for those opportunities to develop but we are excited as to what this legislation means for Minnesota's horse industry.

Becky, I should add that Minnesota has a good breeders fund program. This program encourages people to breed race horses right here in Minnesota. As a result, breeders in Minnesota can earn breeders fund money related to race purses. We will likely have another 15 or so horses we bred, but sold to other owners run at Canterbury this race season. We have as much fun watching those horses race as we do the ones we own.

Absolutely Mike. He heads to New York with as good of a chance as any have in the last 10-15 years to bring home the Triple Crown. He has a running style that keeps him close to the pace (a significant attribute at Belmont Park) and helps him avoid traffic. Although it is certainly a grueling test, it would not surprise me should he bring home the Triple Crown.

Mike, I certainly would love to see I'll Have Another win the triple crown. He has a great shot but these 3 races are incredibly tough on typical 3 year old horses. The Belmont usually comes down to the ability to handle a 1 &1/2 mile distance and understanding the timing for "the last kick" due to the tremendously long stretch that exists there. I'll Have Another has solid distance breeding with a his sire's average win distance of 7.2 furlongs, and the dam sire's AWD of 7.7 furlongs. (FYI for some, 8 furlongs equals 1 mile) Alpha and Dullahan also have breeding and past performances styles that could benefit from the distance/track. Though I may bet Dullahan since he took the Preakness off and has had some rest, as a 60 year old man I think about the whole generation of young people who has never yet lived through the excitement of a triple crown winner. Let's hope they see one this year.

Lisa - Great questions! Races typically start at 7pm on Thursday & Friday and 1:30pm on Saturday, Sunday and holidays. That being said, it's best to arrive about 30 minutes prior to the first race. Make your way to the track level information center where you can find a special section for first time visitors with educational materials, an educational kiosk, etc that will help you understand more about racing and what generally happens during a race day.

One of the best parts about the track is that all seating is general admission. Therefore, you can try out different seats around the facility to figure out which ones you like the best. Obviously, outside seats probably give you the most unobstructed view of the track.

The best first time bets to make are called win, place and show bets. In a win bet, your horse must finish first to win, in a place bet, your horse can finish first or second and you win and in a show bet your horse can finish first, second or third and you win.

There are diminishing returns the easier the bet gets. For example, this past weekend, Bet Your Boots won a race and paid the following for a $2 win bet, a $2 place bet and a $2 show bet: $10.80 to win, $5.80 to place and $3.80 to show. As you can see, the easier the wager, typically the lower the payoff.

Hope this helps!

Becky - Races are typically only cancelled if there is lightening. We'll run in the rain unless it's so bad that people are preparing an Ark.

Becky, I've worked with several trainers over the last 10 years. Currently, we have our horses in Gary Scherer's barn. There are some very good trainers in Minnesota. I look at earnings per start trainer data and stable procedures to determine who I now use. In 2011 Mac Robertson led the league at Canterbury with his horses earning $5,322 per start in 2011 at Canterbury. The rest of the 2011 Top Ten Canterbury trainers in earnings per start, with at least 20 starts at Canterbury, included Biehler, Oliver, Bravo, Scherer, Rhone, Brinson, Lund, Rengstorf and Arterburn. (Equibase Data)

Yes, Lisa this is rain related. We will not run races on our turf course if it is too wet. Track conditions are as follows (from best to worst):

For Dirt: Fast, Good, Muddy, Sloppy
For Turf: Firm, Good, Soft, Yielding

There are maintenance tools that can be used to help the dirt course stay dry; however, those same tools aren't available for the turf course.