The newest members of the Canterbury Park Hall of Fame were announced today. The Class of 2021 includes A P Is Loose and Honey’s Sox Appeal, thoroughbreds that are among the all-time leaders in purse earnings in the history of the Shakopee, Minn. racetrack, as well as Steve and Dorothy Erban of Stillwater and Mary Green of Eden Prairie, pioneers in the state’s racing industry dating back to the 1970s. These inductees join a group of more than 45 individuals and horses that comprise the best of Minnesota racing.
A P is Loose raced from 2013 through 2020, winning 13 times and earning $503,728 in purses at Canterbury. He was bred and owned by Joel Zamzow of Duluth. The Minnesota-bred son of Monarchos won stakes on both turf and dirt, including the Blair’s Cove three times and the Minnesota Classic Championship.
Honey’s Sox Appeal won the Minnesota Distaff Sprint three consecutive years, 2016 through 2018. She was named 3-year-old filly of the meet in 2016 and champion sprinter in 2016 and 2017. Her purse earnings of $437,650 are the most ever by a filly or mare at Canterbury. Honey’s Sox Appeal, now in foal to Malibu Moon, is owned by Bob Lindgren of Prior Lake. She was bred by Lindgren and Paul Knapper in Minnesota.
If there was a job to be done in the early days of Minnesota horse racing that predated Canterbury’s existence, Mary Green was often involved. As one of the many Minnesota Thoroughbred Association members that so badly wanted to bring a racetrack to their home state, Green met with legislators and lobbied for the state to approve pari-mutuel racing while at the same time also busy racing her horses outside the state. Green maintains a role in the MTA and also served as executive assistant to Randy Sampson when he became track president in 1994.
Steve Erban conducted race meets on the outskirts of the Twin Cities in the early 1970s. He too lobbied for a racetrack and when it became a reality in 1985 he served as the Minnesota HBPA president for six years representing racehorse owners and trainers. Together Erban and wife Dorothy have owned and bred stakes winning horses, developed a national horseracing event called the Final Fourteen, formed partnerships introducing new owners to the sport, and stood a successful stallion in the state.
The Canterbury Park Hall of Fame was founded in 1995 to recognize people and horses that have made important and lasting contributions to the racing industry within the state. The selection committee consists of representatives of local horsemen organizations, media, and Canterbury Park. The new members will be recognized during the races on Hall of Fame Night this Wednesday and inducted at a July 17 ceremony.
(info courtesy of Canterbury Park)
AP is Loose
Mary Green
Honey’s Sox Appeal
Steve and Dorothy Erban
(photo credits: Coady Photography)