Canterbury Park’s leading jockey Harry Hernandez won four of the six thoroughbred stakes races on Saturday’s Minnesota Festival of Champions program. The evening of racing, in its 32nd rendition, featured horses bred in the state.
“Theres nothing better than being in the job that I love with my family and my kids and enjoying a great day,” Hernandez said.
His four consecutive stakes wins began when Cupids Crush became a repeat winner of the $50,000 Princess Elaine Distaff Turf Championship. Hernandez rode the 5-year-old mare for trainer Mac Robertson and Mike and Vicky McGowan’s Xtreme Racing Stables, LLC. The prohibitive favorite in the four-horse field paid $2.10.
The second win came with Thunders Rocknroll, the wagering favorite, who tracked behind pacesetter Retired Kathy in the $50,000 Bella Notte Distaff Sprint and took control at the top of the stretch. Hernandez asked for run and the mare, owned by Bob Lindgren, responded and drew away to win by two lengths as Xtreme Diva chased to finish second. Trained by Wade Rarick, Thunders Rocknroll paid $4.40.
“We wanted to teach her to rate instead of just going to the front,” Rarick said. “It worked. She’s a really nice racehorse.”
Hernandez chose to ride 4-year-old Frosty View over 3-year-old Sushi Man, both of which he won with multiple times this season, in the $50,000 Blair’s Cove Minnesota Turf and the move paid off as Frosty View raced in front gate to wire over the turf listed as good following afternoon rains to win, 6 1/4 lengths in front of Sushi Man. Frosty View is trained by Joel Berndt and owned by Charlene Gabler. Frosty View paid $4.40 to win.
“He was a really nice 2-year-old, he won the futurity, but last year as a 3-year-old he had hiccups,” Berndt said. “Most of the races are on the dirt for Minn-bred 3-year-olds and obviously turf was his gig all along.”
Hernandez fourth win came aboard 2-year-old How Bout That Curt, racing for Sampson Racing Stables LLC, as the duo prevailed by 5 1/4 lengths in the $75,000 Northern Lights Futurity. Tony Rengstorf trains the odds-on winner who paid $2.40.
“We were lucky when [Hernandez] brought him up the rail that he found a spot,” Sampson racing manager Russ Sampson said. “Harry did a great job.”
A battle to the wire saw Summer Winner hang on to win by 3/4 of a length over favorite Incredulous in the $75,000 Northern Lights Debutante. Alonso Quinonez rode the winner for owner Pete Mattson and co-owner
Tim Padilla who also trains the 2-year-old filly. Summer Winner paid $6. Quinonez earlier won a maiden race that began the program.
The largest upset of the evening came in the $50,000 Crocrock Minnesota Sprint when Distorted Pro won by a neck over favorite Street Warrior and paid $44.80. Distorted Pro relinquished his lead in the stretch only to battle back on the inside under Guillermo Rodriguez to get up at the wire. The 5-year-old is owned by Novogratz Racing Stables and is trained by Robertson who recorded his record 43rd Festival of Champions victory.
Three quarter horse stakes closed out the 11-race program with Holy Dynasty winning the $47,200 Minnesota Quarter Horse Futurity, Jjs Sweet and Sassy winning the $48,000 Minnesota Quarter Horse Derby and Relentless Legacy romping at 1 to 9 odds in the $22,800 Cash Caravan giving trainer Jason Olmstead his eighth consecutive win in the stake.
Handle for the evening was $1,082,571. Racing at Canterbury Park resumes Wednesday at 5 p.m.
(info and photo courtesy of Canterbury Park)
