SHAKOPEE, MN – The first Wednesday night of racing was a well bet affair with the nine races generating $1,204,322 and was capped by a pair of $29,000 Minnesota bred Quarter Horse stakes: the North Star State Derby and Futurity.

L Conejo, owned and trained by Haley Hobbs, took the 400-yard Derby in 20.36. After breaking well, the sorrel gelding by One Sweet Jess, took command mid race and finish strongly to score as the 2-1 second choice, paying $6.20 to win.

With three starts under his belt already this season, L Conejo was well poised to get his Canterbury campaign started,

“He has been running 400 yards in Oklahoma,” said owner/trainer Hobbs, “so he was in good shape. We’re really excited to win this.”

Jjs Sweet and Sassy ($2.60) was second and Eos Keep Dreamin ($4.00) was third.

Owner/breeder Dan Kjorsvik was involved in thoroughbred racing in Minnesota for many years. He owned a quick mare named Holy White Socks who he decided to breed to a Quarter Horse and see if she could pass along that sprint speed.

Her first foal, Holy Storm, ended up a multiple stakes winner, graded stakes placed and earned $237,454 and the move to Quarter Horses was on.

“Hard to go back to Thoroughbreds when your first Quarter Horse ends up Graded Stakes placed,” said Kjorsvik.

The latest in a line of stakes winners out of Holy White Socks is gelding Holy Dynasty who, after giving the gate crew a difficult time loading, gave Kjorsvik and Holy White Socks their latest stakes win, taking the 300-yard North Star State Futurity in 16.02. He paid $13.40 for the mild upset with the pair of favorites, Del Cartel ($3.60) and Sophey ($2.20), finishing second and third, respectively.

“I was worried a bit,” said Kjorsvik of the loading fiasco. “The gate crew did such a great job, they’re just so professional.  Once we broke, I figured we had a good shot.”

As for what’s next for Holy Dynasty, Kjorsvik looks forward to watching him mature and develop.

“His half-brother was a champion, so we’ll see what happens.”