Canterbury Park Expecting Huge Crowd To Watch California Chrome Race For Triple Crown

SHAKOPEE - Minnesota horse racing fans are getting ready for the Belmont Stakes. Saturday California Chrome will attempt to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed did it in 1978.

Canterbury Park spokesman Jeff Mayday says they're expecting 12,000 to 15,000 people to come out to the track to watch the race.

Mayday says racing enthusiasts are hungry for a Triple Crown winner.

Mayday says Canterbury will have their Belmont BBQ Bash, including watching the Belmont Stakes on big screen TVs. Post time is 5:52 p.m. our time.

California Chrome is the heavy favorite at 3-5. The Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner will break from the number 2 post.

Mayday says the horse racing industry as a whole has struggled recently, due to a lot of competition in the gambling industry. However, he says Canterbury Park is holding it's own. He says a few years ago they formed a partnership with the Mystic Lake Casino, and they are adding $75 million to the purses they pay out over the next 10 years. Mayday says two years ago only 98 foals were born in Minnesota, but now thanks to the increased purses there were over 300 foals born in the state last year.

Mayday says Canterbury Park typically draws more fans for live racing than a lot of other tracks, including Belmont Park in New York.

One of the special events coming-up on June 13th is the Canterbury College Summer School. For $15 you can learn the basics of handicapping and wagering.

The racing season at Canterbury Park runs through September 13th - 69 days of live racing. Racing starts at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and at 12:45 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.