Canterbury Park’s 31st season of horse racing begins Saturday. The Shakopee track will host 51 race days for thoroughbreds and quarter horses, with most weeks operating on a three-day racing schedule.
The field, set to fill almost all 1,100 stalls at Canterbury, will feature horses and trainers that have wintered in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska and Florida. Last season, the average daily attendance was 4,802.
The season: Saturday through Sept. 20.
The schedule: After Saturday night‘s season opener, Canterbury’s first weekend will also feature a Sunday and Memorial Day Monday slate. Beginning June 11, races will run on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Wednesdays and Saturdays feature 5 p.m. first posts, while Sunday first posts are scheduled for 1 p.m. Six Thursday cards will also be offered later in the season, along with races on Friday, July 4.
Opening night: Saturday (first post 5 p.m.) will be Canterbury’s earliest season opener since 2022. General admission is $10 for adults and $7 for youth aged 7-16; children 5 and under are admitted free. Discounts are available at tickets.canterbury.com. Parking at Canterbury Park is free for all guests.
Special events: In addition to its conventional horse racing slate, Canterbury will once again have a bevy of promotional events. These include dog races, which begin with bulldogs on May 25 and culminate with a Best in Show race of five breeds on Aug. 31. An extreme race day is also on tap for July 13, with camel, ostrich and zebra races set to unfold.
Season highlights: Canterbury’s four premier races are concentrated on Saturdays throughout the summer. These marquee races begin with the Northern Stars Turf Festival on June 21 and include Hall of Fame Night (July 12), Made in Minnesota Night (Aug. 9) and the 32nd edition of the Minnesota Festival of Champions (Sept. 6).
