MINNEAPOLIS — Of all his trips to the winner's circle, Harry Hernandez takes special pride in the ones that no one saw coming. That philosophy came in handy last fall, when the young jockey met his new agent, former rider Scott Stevens, for the first time.
Stevens was just starting out as a jockey agent in Phoenix after an injury ended his 45 years in the saddle. Hernandez had just flown across the country to an unfamiliar place, looking to revitalize his career. When Stevens picked up his new client at the airport, the first thing he did was apologize for the horse Hernandez would ride in his first race at Turf Paradise.
"I told him, 'I'm sorry,' '' Stevens recalled. "The horse looked like it didn't have any chance whatsoever. And Harry hadn't even galloped a horse on the racetrack.''
Instead of being upset, Hernandez piloted that 22-1 longshot to a 5 3/4-length victory. That launched a fruitful partnership now playing at Canterbury Park. In his first season at the Shakopee track, the rider from Puerto Rico is tied for the lead in the jockey standings, with an assist from a man who rode 999 winners there.
Hernandez, 25, has won a career-high 139 races this year, third-most in North America. He enters Wednesday's Mystic Lake Northern Stars Turf Festival with 22 victories at Canterbury, equaling Lindey Wade and Luis Fuentes. Hernandez's mounts Wednesday include Tut's Revenge, who will try to win the $100,000 Mystic Lake Mile for the second time in three years.
Stevens, 61, holds the Canterbury record for most starts (6,570) and is fourth in career purse earnings ($11.2 million). He was forced to retire in February 2021 after breaking his neck in a spill at Turf Paradise, setting him on a new career path.
Because Canterbury has both dirt and turf courses — and because several Turf Paradise trainers make it their summer home — Stevens said Shakopee was "the logical place'' for Hernandez to continue moving forward. After taking one leap of faith with his move to Arizona, Hernandez decided to join his agent in taking another.
"I was kind of worried about how I was going to do here, but it's been really good,'' Hernandez said. "And the way things have gone this year? I'm so surprised how life can change, just like that.''
A well-timed union
Both Stevens and Hernandez were at a career crossroads when they connected last October. Though Stevens never expected to become an agent, he was unable to ride after his injury, and it seemed like his best route to stay in racing. Hernandez wasn't even sure he would race during the winter months.
In 2015, Hernandez was one of the top apprentice jockeys in the nation, winning 124 races at tracks on the East Coast. But he returned briefly to Puerto Rico when he became homesick, and his career stalled. He came back to the U.S. and hopscotched to multiple tracks, never finding major success.
Last October, Hernandez was planning to spend the winter in Florida as an exercise rider until his Tampa-based agent — Paula Bacon, another former Canterbury jockey — suggested he consider racing in Arizona.
"Paula told me Scott was going to be an agent and gave me his number,'' Hernandez said. "My first thought was, 'Arizona? That's really far away.' But I wanted to keep riding, so I said, 'Let's take a shot.' ''
The night before his Turf Paradise debut, Stevens asked Hernandez about his goals for the season. Hernandez hoped to win 40 races. Stevens set the bar higher, telling Hernandez he could be leading rider.
On his first day, Hernandez won two of three races, including a $60,000 stakes. He ended the meet with 138 victories, 48 more than the second-leading rider, and more than $2.3 million in purses.
Manager and mentor
Stevens and Hernandez both grew up in racing families. Stevens' father, Ron, was a trainer, and Hernandez's dad, Andy, is a jockey. During the winter in Phoenix, Stevens and his partner, Pam Iles, invited Hernandez to live at their home, solidifying the bond between agent and client.
As a retired rider with 5,049 victories, Stevens is as much a mentor to Hernandez as he is a manager. He didn't have to change many habits. Stevens said Hernandez watches hours of race video as well as studying the Daily Racing Form, and he puts in his work in the mornings, arriving at Canterbury to gallop horses at 6 a.m. last Friday after a late night of racing Thursday.
"Harry is very determined,'' Stevens said. "He does his homework, and he doesn't have to be on the best horse to win. He's a guy who can make a difference in a race. Horses run for him.''
Stevens said records he held at Turf Paradise were broken by Hernandez last winter, which was fine by him. For now, he is content to guide another jockey to riding crowns and milestones, and perhaps toward a larger stage.
He said Hernandez is good enough to ride at a major track, giving Hernandez his blessing to connect with another agent if the right offer comes along. Hernandez isn't thinking that far ahead.
"Maybe if a good opportunity shows up in the future, I'll talk to Scott about it,'' he said. "But we have a great friendship and a great business, and I'm winning races. I'm very happy here at Canterbury.''
