Canterbury Park Names George Moncrief Track Superintendent for 2026 Season

Canterbury Park has found its track superintendent for 2026, and the name is a familiar one in Shakopee. George Moncrief, who first ran the racetrack maintenance crew at the Minnesota venue in 2015 and 2016, was named to the position in a press release dated March 24, with the 51-day meet set to open May 23 and run through September 19.

Moncrief arrives with recent high-level experience behind him. He has served as track superintendent at both Sunland Park and Zia Park in New Mexico since 2021, and his ties to Canterbury run deeper than that stint. He returned to the Shakopee facility in 2019, held various positions on the track crew, and stepped into the assistant superintendent role under Javier Barajas in 2023. Barajas has since moved on to take the superintendent position at Ellis Park, clearing the way for Moncrief's promotion.

Canterbury Park CEO Randy Sampson framed the hire in terms of institutional continuity and safety. "George has been an asset to our racing program for many years," Sampson said. "He has a good rapport with our trainers and jockeys and also understands Minnesota weather and the capabilities of our main track surface. I am confident he will uphold the standards that have positioned Canterbury Park as one of the safest tracks in the nation."

The responsibilities attached to the role are substantive. Moncrief is charged with maintaining a safe and consistent dirt track surface during both training and racing hours, and with ensuring compliance with all safety standards set by the Minnesota Racing Commission and HISA.

Moncrief's career foundation stretches back well before his Canterbury chapters. A 2015 Canterbury Park announcement noted he had spent a decade working at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, before coming to Shakopee. That longevity at a single major oval speaks to the kind of methodical, surface-specific expertise that track superintendent roles demand.

Turf and Grounds Superintendent Kevin Cole, who has overseen Canterbury's turf course since 2020, remains in place alongside Moncrief. The two are expected to collaborate on main track preparation and the annual opening and closure of racing surfaces, continuing a staff structure that Canterbury's general manager John Groen has described as built around a "strong commitment to being an industry leader in the safety and welfare of our racing participants."

With the stable area set to open for training ahead of the May 23 first race, Moncrief's calendar fills up fast. The 51-day meet runs deep into the Minnesota summer, closing September 19.