Iowa-Bred Star Rhyme Away Headlines Minnesota Festival of Champions
An Iowa-bred filly with a strong connection to the Hawkeye State will take center stage Saturday as Canterbury Park hosts the 33rd Minnesota Festival of Champions in Shakopee, Minnesota. The eight-race program, featuring 53 horses and $475,000 in total purses, begins at 5:10 p.m. CDT, with the industry-low 10 percent takeout Pick 5 starting in the fourth race.
For Iowa racing fans, the headline name is Rhyme Away, a Minnesota-bred filly trained by Troy Bethke and owned by Carin Offerman. The 2-year-old finished second in the Iowa Stallion Futurity at Prairie Meadows on July 25, and she enters Saturday's $80,000 Northern Lights Debutante as the morning-line favorite after a dominant maiden-breaking win June 28 at Canterbury Park.
Rhyme Away won that June 28 race by 9 1/2 lengths, posting the fastest 4 1/2-furlong time of the entire Canterbury meet. Leading rider Manuel Americano has the mount on the 2025 Minnesota Yearling Sale sales topper.
Trainer Bethke: Rhyme Away 'was doing everything right'
Bethke, who won the Debutante in 1995 and 2005, said Rhyme Away has shown promise from the very beginning of her training.
Even going back to breaking her, she was smart to break. She was doing everything right, Bethke said.
Bethke emphasized what a stakes win means beyond the purse money, especially for the connections involved.
Anytime you can win a bigger race like that it's fun. It's good for the owners, you make a little money, it's a little credibility for the horse and the whole barn, everybody that's involved. There's a lot of people involved besides the trainer, he said.
Mac Robertson seeks another Festival record with seven entrants
Trainer Mac Robertson, the all-time leader in Festival of Champions wins with 43, is well represented once again. He has seven entrants across four stakes races, including two-time defending champion Cupids Crush in the $55,000 Princess Elaine Minnesota Distaff Turf.
Cupids Crush, the richest horse in the field with lifetime earnings of $519,555, is the 3-5 morning-line favorite in her bid for a third straight Princess Elaine victory. Robertson also sends out Victorious Vanda in the Blair's Cove Minnesota Turf, plus Distorted Pro, Towner Too and It's Bobs Business in the Crocrock Minnesota Sprint.
In the evening's finale, the $55,000 Bella Notte Distaff Sprint, Robertson entered Minnesota Oaks winner Heavenly Captive. She faces odds-on favorite Thunders Rocknroll, who won this race in 2025.
Northern Lights Futurity: Nine 2-year-olds stretch out to six furlongs
The $80,000 Northern Lights Futurity features a field of nine, none of whom have raced beyond 5 1/2 furlongs. Merit Badge, a son of Mitole trained by Anna Meah, makes his first local start after a maiden-breaking win at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Aug. 5.
Trainer Joel Berndt, who won the Futurity four consecutive years from 2020 to 2023, saddles Strike One More for owner Suzanne Stables. Eduardo Gallardo has the mount. Berndt welcomes the stretch to six furlongs for his colt.
I love it, Berndt said of the distance increase. I wish it was a mile and a sixteenth. He is one paced and just keeps going. He can run all day.
Quarter horse Festival winners crowned Thursday
The quarter horse portion of the Minnesota Festival of Champions was held Thursday, with trainer Jason Olmstead sweeping the top prizes. Olmstead won the $46,600 Minnesota Quarter Horse Futurity with Sheza a Sugar Momma and the $48,000 Minnesota Quarter Horse Derby with Spicy Cartel.
33rd Minnesota Festival of Champions race schedule
- Race 1: $30,500 Allowance, seven furlongs
- Race 2: $80,000 Northern Lights Debutante, six furlongs
- Race 3: $30,000 Maiden, five furlongs turf
- Race 4: $55,000 Princess Elaine Minnesota Distaff Turf Championship, 1 1/16 miles turf
- Race 5: $55,000 Blair's Cove Minnesota Turf Championship, 1 1/16 miles turf
- Race 6: $55,000 Crocrock Minnesota Sprint Championship, six furlongs
- Race 7: $80,000 Northern Lights Futurity, six furlongs
- Race 8: $55,000 Bella Notte Distaff Sprint Championship, six furlongs
Festival of Champions facts and figures
- 53 horses entered across eight races
- Mac Robertson: all-time Festival thoroughbred training win leader with 43
- Richest horse entered: Cupids Crush (race 4) with lifetime earnings of $519,555
Return winners include Cupids Crush (2024 and 2025 Princess Elaine), Distorted Pro (2025 Crocrock Sprint), Thunders Rocknroll (2025 Bella Notte Distaff Sprint) and Frosty View (2025 Blair's Cove). Summer Winner, who won the 2025 Northern Lights Debutante, is entered at 6-1 in the 2026 Bella Notte Distaff Sprint.
For more information, visit www.canterburypark.com.
This story was originally published by Paulick Report on Sep 4, 2026.