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 75 Horses Pre-Entered for Claiming Crown XI July 15, 2009 -- Shakopee, MN -- Pre-entries for the 11th annual Claiming Crown, which will be held Saturday, July 25, were taken today, and 75 horses have been pre-entered for the event known as Thoroughbred racing’s day for “blue-collar” runners. The Claiming Crown consists of seven races, five on dirt and two on turf, with purses totaling $600,000. Heading the roster of entrants in the $150,000 Jewel is Antrim County, the National HBPA’s Claimer of the Year for 2008, who won 10 of 15 starts last year, including the $50,000 Claiming Crown Iron Horse. He had been claimed for $7,500 shortly before the 2008 Claiming Crown and four races after that victory current owner Carl Moore claimed him for $50,000. Four of the entrants, all owned by Ed Denike of Kent, Washington, will be ridden by Russell Baze, the Northern California-based jockey who is the winningest rider of all time, with more than 10,000 career victories. Baze will be one of about a dozen top jockeys from all parts of the country who will be at Canterbury Park for Claiming Crown 2009. There were nine supplementary nominees among the 266 horses made eligible for this year’s Claiming Crown, for which final entries will be taken Wednesday, July 22. Claiming Crown Day also will feature the $100,000 Lady Canterbury Breeders’ Cup Stakes and a $15,000 stakes race for quarter horses. Founded in 1940 on the philosophy of “horsemen helping horsemen” the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) has developed into the largest organization representing horsemen's interests in North America. Over 40,000 members strong, the NHBPA protects the rights of the representative majorities of licensed racehorse owners and trainers in over 30 affiliate HBPA offices across the U.S. and Canada. TOBA, based in Lexington, Kentucky, was formed in 1961 and is a national trade organization of Thoroughbred owners and breeders. TOBA's mission is to "improve the economics, integrity and pleasure of the sport on behalf of Thoroughbred owners and breeders." Projects managed by TOBA include the American Graded Stakes Committee, The Racing Game, Sales Integrity Program and Claiming Crown. TOBA is the owner of The Blood-Horse Inc., and is represented on the Board of Directors of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association as a founding member. For additional information please contact Claiming Crown Coordinator Nat Wess at 800-340-6361 or 952-496-6411 or nwess@canterburypark.com. Click Here to Return to News Page
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