Canterbury inducts 3 to track hall of fame, including Hot Shot Kid

The Canterbury Park Hall of Fame’s newest members, breeders Cheryl Sprick and Richard Bremer and Minnesota-bred Thoroughbred racehorse Hot Shot Kid, will be inducted during a ceremony July 12 at the Shakopee racetrack. These inductees join a group of more than 50 individuals and horses that represent the best of Minnesota horse racing.

Sprick and Bremer have for more than three decades bred and raised Thoroughbred racehorses at the couple’s Steepwood Farm outside of Lake City, Minn. They’ve raced at Canterbury since 1989, supporting the Minnesota racing industry through ups and downs. Sprick and Bremer race and sell their homebreds and have produced several stakes winners. Horses bred by the couple have won more than 100 races at Canterbury, 15 of those wins being stakes.

Canterbury divisional champions bred by Sprick and Bremer include champion 2-year-old of 2009 Bet Your Boots, 2016 claimer of the meet True West and Jose Patio, 3-year-old colt of the meet in 2023. Badge of Glory, 2-year-old of the meet in 2012 and Canterbury champion 3-year-old filly in 2013, is one of four fillies to win the Northern Lights Debutante, the Francis Genter and the Minnesota Oaks. No filly has won all three stakes since.

Hot Shot Kid raced from 2016 until 2023 when at 9 years old he won the final start of his career. He was retired as the all-time leading Minnesota-bred money earner with $708,816. Hot Shot Kid earned a record $555,243 at Canterbury alone. In all, he raced 54 times, winning 17. Fifteen of the wins came in Shakopee, where he won 10 stakes.

Hot Shot Kid, by Majestic Warrior out of the mare Our Sweet Mary B, was bred in Minnesota by Warren Bush, who died in 2022. Linda Bush, Warren’s wife, campaigned Hot Shot Kid the following year. Hall of Famer Mac Robertson was his trainer throughout his career.

As a 3-year-old Hot Shot Kid won the Victor S. Myers and the Minnesota Derby and was voted champion 3-year-old of the meet. In 2018 he won two stakes. It was in 2019 that Hot Shot Kid defied the odds winning five stakes in a single season: the 10,000 Lakes, Minnesota Turf, Blair’s Cove, Wally’s Choice Classic and the Tom Metzen HBPA Sprint. He won going short and long on both dirt and turf and was the unanimous choice for horse of the meet.

After his racing career Hot Shot Kid began his second career as an event horse at Stargazer Farm in Lakeville under the guidance of Dr. Jennifer Selving, who plans to showcase his talents at the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover at the Kentucky Horse Park in October.

The Canterbury Park Hall of Fame was founded in 1995 to recognize people and horses who have made important and lasting contributions to the racing industry in 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 Saturday.