Canterbury Park facts for kids
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| Location | Shakopee, Minnesota |
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| Coordinates | 44°47′22.67″N 93°28′48.36″W / 44.7896306°N 93.4801000°W |
| Owned by | Canterbury Park Holding Corporation |
| Date opened | June 26, 1985 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred |
| Notable races | Claiming Crown |
| Traded as | NASDAQ: CPHC |
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Canterbury Park is a famous horse racing track located in Shakopee, Minnesota, United States. It's a place where you can watch exciting horse races from early May to mid-September. Races usually happen from Thursday to Sunday, with extra races on some holidays.
The track has a one-mile (about 1.6 km) oval dirt track. There's also a seven-furlong (about 1.4 km) grass track. You can sit outside to watch the races or choose from several indoor seating areas. The park also has food stands and places to buy drinks. You can even bet on races happening at other tracks.
Canterbury Park has hosted a big horse racing event called the Claiming Crown almost every year since 1999. In 2012, they held the first Mystic Lake Derby. This race offered the biggest prize money at the track since 1991. A horse named Hammers Terror won this race on the grass track.
Besides horse racing, Canterbury Park also has a card club. Here, people can play card games like poker. Every fall, they hold a two-week series of poker tournaments called the Fall Poker Classic.
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Discovering Canterbury Park's Story
Canterbury Downs, as it was first known, was started by Walter Brooks Fields, Jr., and other investors. They formed a company after people in Minnesota voted to allow betting on horse races in 1982. The track opened its doors for the first time on June 26, 1985.
Over time, new ways to gamble, like the state lottery and casinos run by Native American tribes, became popular. This meant fewer people came to Canterbury Downs. Because of this, the track was sold in 1990 to a company called Ladbroke Racing.
Changes and Reopening the Track
After being bought by Ladbroke Racing in 1990, the track was renamed New Canterbury Downs. But in December 1992, it closed down because not enough people were coming to the live races.
In late 1993, two brothers, Curtis and Randy Sampson, bought the track. They worked hard to bring Canterbury back to life. They first reopened it for "simulcasting," which means showing races from other tracks. This helped the track get out of debt. In late 1994, they kept their promise to bring live horse racing back to Minnesota. In January 1995, the track officially changed its name to Canterbury Park.
Adding Card Games and Overcoming Challenges
In 1999, the state government allowed Canterbury Park to open a card room with poker tables. This also meant that card games could be played at the state's tribal casinos.
In 2011, Canterbury Park had to close for a short time. This happened because of a government shutdown in Minnesota. The owners tried to get a court order to reopen, but it was not allowed. Luckily, Canterbury Park reopened on July 20, 2011, when the government shutdown ended.
In 2012, Canterbury Park made a big agreement with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. This group owns and runs the Mystic Lake Casino. Their agreement will add $75 million to the prize money for horse owners over ten years. This helps make the races even more exciting!
More Fun Events at the Park
Canterbury Park isn't just for thoroughbred and quarter horse races. They also host many unique and fun events! You can see Corgi Dog Races, Wiener Dog Races, and even the annual Running of the Bulldogs. These events are very popular and bring lots of smiles.
Some well-known people work at Canterbury Park. These include Paul Allen, a radio personality, and Kevin Gorg, a commentator for FOX Sports North.
In 2019, Canterbury Park was also the place where the Twin Cities Summer Jam music festival was held.
