Canterbury Park leading rider Harry Hernandez won four consecutive stakes races on the Minnesota Festival of Champions card Saturday night.
“There’s nothing better than being in the job that I love with my family and my kids and enjoying a great day,” Hernandez told track publicity.
The Minnesota Champions card featured six stakes for Thoroughbreds. There also were three stakes for Quarter Horses, with all of the races restricted to Minnesota-breds. Handle on the card was $1,082,571, according to Canterbury.
Hernandez won the first stakes of the night aboard Cupids Crush, who drew out to a 10 3/4-length win over pacesetter Ann Alee in the $50,000 Princess Elaine. It was the second year in a row Cupids Crush won the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares. She covered the distance on “good” turf in 1:45.22.
Cupids Crush ($2.10) stalked Ann Alee through six furlongs in 1:13.55 and proceeded to overwhelm the field that was scratched down to four runners. It was the fifth career stakes win for Cupids Crush, a daughter of Cupid who is now 11 for 23 for earnings of $493,430.
Mac Robertson trains Cupids Crush for Xtreme Racing Stable.
Hernandez proceeded to win the second stakes of the night aboard Thunders Rocknroll ($4.40) in the $50,000 Bella Notte Distaff Sprint. She covered six furlongs on a fast track in 1:11.11.
Thunders Rocknroll won by two lengths over Xtreme Diva. She is now 9 for 27 in her career, and has earned $347,795.
Ward Rarick trains the four-time stakes winner by Maclean’s Music for Robert Lindgren.
Hernandez was back in the winner’s circle one race later, after Frosty View ($4.40) wired the field in the $50,000 Blair’s Cover. He set fractions of 24.28 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.93 for the half-mile and 1:12.76 for six furlongs before going on to cover the 1 1/16 miles on “good” turf in 1:44.68.
Frosty View won by 6 1/4 lengths over Sushi Man, who had won three straight races at the meet coming into the Blair’s Cove.
Joel Berndt trains Frosty View, a son of Frosted, for Charlene Gabler. The horse is now 5 for 15 for earnings of $176,270.
Hernandez continued winning in the $75,000 Northern Lights Futurity by guiding How Bout That Curt ($2.40) to a 5 1/4-length win over Shances R.
The winner is a son of Mo Town who covered six furlongs on a fast track I 1:12.03. Tony Rengstorf trains the 2-year-old for his breeder, Sampson Racing Stables.
In the $75,000 Northern Lights Debutante, Summer Winner fought for a three-quarter-length win over Incredulous. Alonso Quinonez was aboard the winner, who covered six furlongs on a fast track in 1:11.79.
Summer Winner ($6) is a daughter of Promises Fulfilled. She races for her breeders, Peter Mattson and trainer Tim Padilla.
Distorted Pro ($44.80) was a neck winner over even-money favorite Street Warrior in the $50,000 Minnesota Sprint Championship. Guillermo Rodriguez was aboard for breeder and owner Novogratz Racing Stable.
Robertson trains Distorted Pro, who gave him his 43rd festival win, according to Canterbury. Distorted Pro, who is by Distorted Humor, is now 5 for 20 for earnings of $247,455.
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