Canterbury Park

Andrew Offerman, who has served Canterbury Park in Minnesota as its senior vice president of racing operations for the last five years, has been appointed to the newly created role of vice president and general manager of operations for the New York Racing Association (NYRA). Offerman, who will assume his new responsibilities beginning Nov. 11, will oversee front-side operations at Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga. "Andrew is a seasoned executive and proven leader who will bring considerable skills to the talented team we have assembled at NYRA," said Dave O'Rourke, NYRA...

With undefeated phenom Flightline (Tapit) and sophomore star Epicenter (Not This Time) headlining a respectably deep GI Breeders' Cup Classic, one oft-repeated quip is that 2022 is turning out to be "a tough year to have a good horse" aiming for a divisional championship. Yet a few rungs farther down the class ladder--more than a few, in truth--a blue-collar starter-allowance stalwart is tweaking that phrase so it better suits his grind-it-out style, proving that '22 is actually "a good year to have a tough horse." Last week at Churchill Downs,...

Randy Sampson, CEO and Chairman of Canterbury Park, has been named Jockeys and Jeans 2022 Person of the Year. Sampson is a member of the Jockeys and Jeans organizing committee and has been helpful in advising it on track relations and fundraising. Canterbury Park, the track he and his family own in Shakopee, MN, hosted the 2018 Jockeys and Jeans Fundraiser, raising $268,000. Sampson will accept the award at the eighth annual Jockeys and Jeans fundraiser July 2 at Churchill Downs. "Of course, I am truly honored," Sampson said. "But...

Illinois racing has its problems. There's no more Arlington Park, there will be only 64 days of racing this year and the circuit will shut down in the middle of the summer. But with the 2022 season about to start Saturday at Hawthorne, officials at that track are predicting that navigating through this year will be challenging but not impossible. "How are we going to do? I can tell you more Wednesday when we draw the first card," said Racing Secretary Al Plever. "But I think were going to be...

Canterbury Park has entered into a multi-year service agreement with AmTote International. Once in place, the deal will enhance the betting experience for customers by giving them access to new technologies and service, including the underlying totalisator platform and accompanying race-day control services, retail POS betting terminals, self-service betting kiosks and mobile betting applications. Keith Johnson, Chief Revenue Officer at 1/ST TECHNOLOGY commented, "We are thrilled to win Canterbury Park as a new AmTote customer, and are excited to work with their innovative and forward-looking team as they evolve their...

While racing seems to be scrambling for any piece of positive public perception it comes across, Sally Jane Mixon has a vision. She wants to save the lives of people across the country, and she wants to do it by bringing them to the backsides of racetracks to work with retired racehorses. "Mental health is a huge crisis right now everywhere you go," Mixon said. "The hope is to bring people who maybe have a bad taste in their mouth for racing and they'll come and work with off-track Thoroughbreds...

With smaller tracks gradually disappearing over time, it takes a concerted effort to build a fan customer base that can sustain your business in a non-marquee racing state. Minnesota's Canterbury Park is one of those outliers, a track whose management has put in the work to run a profitable enterprise while managing to attract novice fans and satisfy horseplayers alike, all without the buttressing revenue of slots. Wednesday morning, Canterbury's VP of Racing Operations Andrew Offerman joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland to talk about the track's blueprint...

Canterbury Park's Vice President Andrew Offerman joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss creating both a fan and a horseplayer-friendly product at their Minnesota-based racetrack.

Owner/trainer Kerri Raven, based at Tampa Bay Downs this winter with a string of 10 horses, went to the OBS Winter Mixed Sale Tuesday with the expectation of possibly buying a horse out of the auction's racing age section. The Ontario native returned to Tampa Wednesday with three horses, including the $150,000 session topper Bear Brian (Tiznow) (hip 368). "I just came up to see the horses of racing age, but I didn't really have a plan," Raven said on the road back to Tampa Wednesday afternoon. "We brought the...

Two 3-hydroxylidocaine positives detected in separate horses six days apart at Canterbury Park in August and September have resulted in a $5,000 fine and 60-day suspension for trainer Robertino Diodoro. The suspension part of the penalty has been stayed so long as Diodoro does not incur a Class 1 or 2 or Penalty Category A or B medication violation before Jan. 31, 2021. Lidocaine is classified as a Class 2, Penalty Category B substance on the Controlled Therapeutic Medication Schedule compiled by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI). For...

With $900 in fines issued last Friday alone, the Canterbury Park stewards are backing up a new Minnesota Racing Commission ultimatum warning that licensees will pay the price for not adhering to newly strengthened protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Six grooms were docked $100 each July 17 for not wearing a wristband that signifies they passed a required health screening. Three jockeys had their wallets lightened by the same amount for not properly wearing protective masks during the July 14 program: Julio Felix and Roimes Chirinos for removing...

The Week in Review, by Bill Finley There was no word Sunday from the camp of Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) regarding where their mare would run next and what the long-term goals are for the season. But we know this much: Midnight Bisou is outstanding, her connections took on males once, in the Saudi Cup, and the GI Breeders' Cup Classic is a lot bigger deal than the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. Does that add up to her starting in the Classic? Fans of this sport can only hope that...