Polaroid Finish For Relentless Robin In The $50,075 Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby

SHAKOPEE, MN–AUGUST 15, 2024–Relentless Robin pounded away for the lead in the $50,075 Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby on Thursday evening.

Ramiro Garcia rode both Relentless Robin and fastest qualifier Shes Sumoke Stacked in the trials. He chose to return aboard Relentless Robin for the finals and piloted her to victory in 20.178 seconds, clocking an 89-speed index into a seven mph headwind. Well fancied for wagering, the 400-yard effort paid $5.80 to win on 9-5 odds.

Garcia said, "It was a hard decision to choose which horse to ride, but I felt like she (Relentless Robin) had more juice to win. Thank God I did because she got it done."

Relentless Robin defeated Relentlessly Fast and jockey Angel Ramirez by a 1/2-length, who finished 3/4-lengths ahead of Sugar Rushh and jockey Randy Vega.

When asked how he felt about her run, Garcia commented, "It was awesome, just like the trial, but this time I was on her left side, and when she felt it, she just kicked it in gear."

The post-time favorite's $22,534 payday boosted her earnings to $59,614. Relentless Robin's victory makes her third consecutive win and fourth lifetime from 12 starts for owner Tom Maher.

Maher bred Relentless Robin in Partnership with Bill Maher in Oklahoma. The daughter of Hes Relentless is out of Tritoon by Tres Seis.

Tyler Stein saddled runner-up Relentlessly Fast of owner Tom Maher. The three-time winning son of Hes Relentless won the Northland Futurity and MQHRA Stallion Auction Futurity last year and has $89,340 in earnings. He was bred by Stuart and Strebig in Oklahoma out of Logans Fast Dash by Heza Fast Dash.

Third-place finisher Sugar Rushh has a record of 2-2-2 from ten starts with $43.246 in earnings. The son of One Fabulous Eagle is owned by Summer Run, Inc. and bred by Darling Farms. The Minnesota-bred gelding is out of Candy Coated Paint by Pyc Paint Your Wagon.

Leading trainer Jason Olmstead conditioned six of the ten finalists, including Relentless Robin and Sugar Rushh.

Relentless Corona, Partylikarocstar, Shes Sumoke Stacked, Presido Pete, Peepl R Political, Averys Treasure and Interest In Ur Eyes round out the order of finish.