(The following is a news release from Canterbury Park.)

Canterbury Park officials announced on Wednesday their plans to submit to the Minnesota Racing Commission a request to race 68 days in 2013 at the Shakopee racetrack.

A 68-day live race meet would be the longest since the 2007 season when an equal number of race days were conducted. The requested meet would begin, as it has the past four seasons, in mid-May, but would extend into the second week of September, an addition of six race days compared to 2012.

In June, Canterbury Park and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community entered into a cooperative marketing and purse enhancement agreement that will inject $75 million into the purse fund over the agreement’s 10-year span. Projected purses for the 2013 season will show a 25% increase over 2012 and a nearly 100% increase over purses offered in 2011.

“The intent of the agreement with SMSC was to revive a once prosperous equine industry in Minnesota,” Canterbury Park President Randy Sampson said. “We saw the positive effects this past racing season and anticipate seeing even more in 2013 when we offer additional racing opportunities through an extended season and more races offering higher purses. The entire state will feel the benefits as breeding operations either expand or return to Minnesota. Horse breeding, boarding and training have a tremendous impact on agri-business in this state.”

The dates request will be submitted to the MRC Thursday at the monthly commission meeting held at University of Minnesota Leatherdale Equine Center, but a vote to approve will not be taken by the commission until their November meeting.