Canterbury/ SPAM

[AeWingnut]

How cool is this -

Canterbury officials card 'Battle of the Surfaces' on Extreme Race Day

Canterbury Park will feature an Extreme Race Day of live racing on July 22, with the highlight being the "Battle of the Surfaces." The 1 1/16-mile event will pit as many as 20 horses against each other on the dirt and turf simultaneously.

The two starting gates will be staggered for the race so the distance is the same for both the grass and dirt, and will open in unison with the horses racing around the main track and turf course and finishing at the same wire in front of the grandstand. Each horse will be an individual betting interest with win, place, show, exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagering offered. The order of finish will be determined by best finish position regardless of the surface the horse is racing upon.

"Everything is in place to make this work," said Eric Halstrom, Canterbury's vice president of racing who came up with the idea. "We have sufficient manpower in the starting gate and photofinish equipment capable of accurately determining the finish order. The 'Battle of the Surfaces' will make for an exciting race and a unique wagering opportunity that fits perfectly into our Extreme Race Day theme."

Other Extreme races scheduled for the day include "So You're Saying There's a Chance Challenge," for horses who have not finished in the top three during the meet; "Are We There Yet? Battle of Endurance," going 2 1/16 miles; "Blazing Saddles," sending Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses 770 yards; and "Battle of the Sexes," pitting five juvenile fillies and five juvenile colts against each other.

Non-parimutuel ostrich and camel racing will also be part of the Extreme Race Day program, which is sponsored by SPAM. The first 5,000 patrons will receive a complimentary SPAM t-shirt.