Minnesota HBPA

A bill that had a committee hearing on Monday in the Minnesota House of Representatives would make a one-time transfer of $7 million from the state's general fund to establish a Thoroughbred pilot program to award Canterbury Park horse owners $750 per start during the 2026 and 2027 race meets provided those horses have met a residency registration requirement by being stabled at the track for 120 days during the previous season. Bill HF 1540 would also earmark "at least" $500,000 in 2026 and 2027 for the state's commissioner of...

Robert John Lothenbach, a Thoroughbred owner and breeder who was a passionate booster of horse racing in his home state of Minnesota and also enjoyed success in the sport on the national level, has died unexpectedly. He was 64. The Minnesota chapter of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (MHBPA) announced his passing late on Monday. The cause of Lothenbach's death has yet to be publicly disclosed, and funeral arrangements are pending. Shortly after Canterbury Park first opened in 1985, Lothenbach and three friends each put up $1,000 to claim...