Ruthville Wins $100,000 Lady Canterbury Stakes

On a day that featured four stakes races worth nearly a quarter of a million dollars, Ruthville stole the show in front of a crowd of 8,259 race fans, winning the $100,000 Lady Canterbury Stakes as a part of the second annual Fillies Race for Hope at .

Ruthville sat off of a suicidal pace set by local hopeful Rare Sunset, took command in mid-stretch and never looked back under jockey Dean Butler. She is trained by Michael Stidham and owned by Arthur B. Hancock, III. Ruthville completed the one mile in 1:37.45 over a turf course listed as good to win by a length over post time favorite Bryan’s Jewel who was six and three-quarter lengths ahead of third place finisher Zaphyra. Ruthville returned $15.40 to win.

The victory gave Stidham a sweep of Canterbury’s two richest races this summer. Last weekend, he shipped Hammers Terror to Shakopee and captured the inaugural running of the $161,250 Mystic Lake Derby.

Three other filly and mare stakes races were contested as a part of the 2012 Fillies Race for Hope. Tickleyourfancy won the $50,000 Princess Elaine Stakes for Minnesota-bred fillies and mares covering the one mile and one sixteenth in 1:44.26 over the good turf. This was the first of two stakes victories and the third of four total victories on the card for three-time defending champion rider Butler. Francisco Bravo trains Tickleyourfancy for owner Michael Grossman. Tickleyourfancy returned $6.80 to win.

Starlite Starbrite won the $50,000 Hoist Her Flag stakes for trainer Tom Amoss, owner Andrena Van Doren and jockey Derek Bell. The five-year-old mare broke alertly under the Canterbury Hall of Fame rider setting moderate fractions and cruising to a two and three-quarter length victory as the wagering favorite. She covered the six furlongs over a main track listed as good in 1:10.19 and returned $7.40 to win.

Huckleberry Mojito returned from her track record performance in the Canterbury Quarter Horse Derby to crush a field of overmatched fillies and mares by one and three-quarter lengths in the $25,000 Fillies Race for Hope Bonus Challenge. Nik Goodwin was aboard the 3-year-old daughter of Feature Mr Jess for ten-time leading quarter horse trainer Ed Ross Hardy and owner L M R 2011. She completed the 400-yard sprint in 20.173 seconds and earned a 94 speed index. Huckleberry Mojito was the prohibitive favorite and returned $3.40.

These four stakes races restricted to fillies and mares were part of a ten race card which consisted entirely of female runners as a part of Canterbury Park’s second annual Fillies Race for Hope. The Fillies Race for Hope was comprised of horse racing and fundraising designed to benefit Hope Chest for Breast Cancer Foundation and Pay It Forward Fund.