Another summer horse race kicks out the door with the arrival of the live 'Surbred' and 'Quarter' horse racing season at Canterbury Park on Friday evening. The 63-day race reflects Canterbury's continued success with purse strings and horse counts remaining at record levels. The 2003 season also includes a $54 race-packed schedule of more than $1.8 million, including the return of the 'Claim Crown' and the ' $100,000 Lady Canterbury' stakes.

The heart of this season is the Claim Crown. In its fifth year, the Claim Crown has become a staple in the horse racing world. Attracting horses from across the country, the Claim Crown is a unique event designed to highlight the blue-collar runners who form the backbone of the industry. The Claim Crown Days in Canterbury Park attracted more than 10,000 fans vying for nearly $1 million. 슬롯사이트

The daily wallet count is a continuation of a series of increases that began in 2000 thanks to the success of the Canterbury Card Club. For 2003, the average daily wallet will be around $120,000, and this amount will increase significantly by 2004 if Canterbury succeeds in winning additional gaming rights in the current Minnesota state legislature. With Canterbury Park expecting to be able to hold 1,600 horses again, the wallet structure has proved attractive to horsemen.

On the track, defending riding champion Seth Martinez returns to defend his title against a group that includes Canterbury Hall of Famer Scott Stevens and two-time champion Derek Bell, who will return after seven years. Training champion David Van Winkle returns with JP Jet late in 2002 with an influx of new faces for the big, talented runners.