Olmstead’s Seven Imposing in $59,400 Northlands Futurity

Quarter Horse trainer Jason Olmstead will saddle seven 2-year-olds, including the five fastest qualifiers, in the $59,400 Northlands Futurity Thursday at Canterbury Park. The Northlands is the co-feature along with the $36,675 Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby in which Olmstead is favored with Uncle Redheads, one of his four qualifiers in the 400-yard race. Both the Northlands and the Quarter Horse Derby date back to 1986 at the Shakopee, Minn. racetrack.

“All of the horses came back in great shape out of the trials,” Olmstead said. “I like where most of them drew so as long as we don’t have any bad luck it should be a productive night of racing. I wouldn’t trade mine for anyone else.”

Why So Political was the fastest qualifier from the two trial races held for the Northlands Aug. 6. All 10 qualifiers are fillies. Gonzalo Valles Jr. has the return mount. Livin D Dream, the second fastest qualifier with Jose Lopez aboard, was a neck back followed by Sheza a Sugar Momma and Olmstead’s 16-year-old son Ryder Olmstead. Daylynn won the second trial with the fourth fastest time. Francisco Ramirez, Jr. will ride Thursday.

Olmstead has trained the winner of the Northlands the past three years. Trainers Vic Hanson, Tyler Stein and Jose Gamez account for the other three 2-year-olds. The Northlands Futurity at 350 yards will be the second race on an eight-race program that begins at 5 p.m. with a quarter horse maiden. The Canterbury Park Quarter Horse Derby will be the third race and is followed by five thoroughbred races.

Ding Dang Dulce won his Quarter Horse Derby trial recording the second fastest time. Trained by Haley Hobbs, Ding Dang Dulce won the Northlands Futurity last year and with a win Thursday would be the fifth horse to complete a Northlands / Quarter Horse Derby sweep. Oro O Toole won the Northlands in 1997 and the Derby the next year. Eyes Hungry did it in 2000 and 2001 followed by Minnesota bred First Class Smarty for trainer Ed Ross Hardy in 2006 and 2007. Relentless Rocket, trained by Olmstead, won the Quarter Horse Derby last year and the Northlands the prior season.

Ding Dang Dulce, who will be ridden by Fernando Fonseco-Soto, has won six of 13 starts and $93,292. Three wins have come at Thursday’s distance. Uncle Redheads will not be an easy out. He has won eight of 15 races including two Grade 3s and $254,487 in purses. He will be ridden by Armando Alvidrez who won the riding title the past two meets. Ryder Olmstead, who rides Terrorizer in the Derby, is currently the meet’s leading rider with eight wins while his father, winner of 11 consecutive titles, leads all trainers with 11.

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