First Of 15 has been installed at 9-2 in the morning-line for Saturday's $34,150 Gopher State Derby at Canterbury Park.

© Coady Photography

SHAKOPEE, MN—JUNE 7, 2018—With five of the ten fastest qualifiers exiting the Jason Olmstead barn, the two-time winner of the Canterbury Park Quarter Horse training title has a good chance of finding the winner’s circle in the $34,150 Gopher State Derby on Saturday (Jun 9).

Leading the Olmstead barn in the Gopher State is First of 15; the third fastest qualifier and co-second choice on the morning-line won her trial, the first of three on May 26, in 20.24. Prior to that start, she finished second in the $317,000 Oklahoma Bred Derby at Remington Park in April. She is 3 for 13 lifetime with over $90,000 in career earnings for owner Dick Tobin.

First of 15 was bred in Oklahoma by James and Marilyn Helzer. The Apollitical Jess filly is out of the Corona Cartel mare Tinys Corona Queen, making her a full sister to Lynnder 16, recent winner of the $864,500 Remington Park Oklahoma Bred Futurity. Olmstead also trains Lynnder 16, and Lynnder 16’s jockey, Cristian Esqueda, will be aboard First of 15 in the Gopher State.

Fastest qualifier and lukewarm morning-line favorite Painted Dynasty will be ridden by jockey Ry Eikleberry.
© Coady Photography

Also of note is fastest qualifier and lukewarm morning-line favorite Painted Dynasty. Painted Dynasty will be ridden by Ry Eikleberry, who rode the filly in her trial on May 26. Eikleberry, who recently returned to riding at Canterbury, also impressed fans last week with five consecutive wins on a single card, and is the current leading jockey of the Thoroughbred meet.

Painted Dynasty won her trial by a neck and posted a final time of 20.18 for owner Tom Scheckel. She was bred by Michael Teel in Oklahoma, by FDD Dynasty and out of the Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare Tygers Painted Girl. Tygers Painted Girl is a half-sister to Regally Rare, dam of 2016 Bank of America Canterbury Park Championship Challenge winner AJs High.

Second-fastest qualifier Marfilmio is a familiar face from the 2017 Canterbury meet, when the Ivory James colt ran second in the $54,600 NCQHRA Futurity. Canterbury fans will also recognize High Valley Girl, daughter of multiple Canterbury Park stakes winner Huckleberry Mojito, who was disqualified in her trial but still posted a time fast enough to slip into the top ten qualifiers.

The $34,150 Gopher State Derby is Race 1 on Saturday at Canterbury Park. Estimated post time is 12:55 pm CT.

The field, by post position, with trainer, jockey and morning-line odds:

1. Painted Dynasty: Jason Olmstead, Ry Eikleberry, 3-1
2. Miniscule Monster: Allen Goodsell, Marcus Swiontek, 10-1
3. Waveing At U: Stacy Charette-Hill, Brayan Velazquez, 12-1
4. First of 15: Jason Olmstead, Cristian Esqueda, 9-2
5. Alex Fox Peabody: Jason Olmstead, Denny Velazquez, 12-1
6. High Valley Girl: Bob Johnson, Jake Samuels, 10-1
7. Itinkican Itinkican: Jasom Olmstead, Quincy Hamilton, 15-1
8. Marfilmio: Vic Hanson, Ismael Suarez Ricardo, 9-2
9. Who Rah: Stacy Charette-Hill, Jorge Torres, 6-1
10. Cr Lota Girl: Jason Olmstead, Nakia Ramirez, 8-1

Per AQHA rule 305.10, trial times for the Gopher State Derby were determined using video replay.

The 2018 Canterbury Park Quarter Horse stakes schedule includes 16 stakes races worth over $660,000.

Live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing continues through Saturday, September 15, 2018. The 70-day race meet offers racing on Thursday and Friday evenings at 6:30 pm CT and Saturday and Sunday afternoons at 12:45 pm CT. in June and July. Quarter horse racing is held at the beginning of each race card.