Hernandez Returns to Riding After COVID-19 Positive

Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., removed from his scheduled mounts Sept. 1-2 at Churchill Downs after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier this week, returned to riding Sept. 3 at the Louisville track after clearing health requirements.

He finished eighth with his first mount of the day, Lemniscate, who raced in the day's fourth race, a $20,000 claiming race. An hour and a half later, he won the seventh race on first-out maiden winner King Fury.

His quick turnaround was the result of follow-up testing that showed he was no longer contagious and that it had passed through his system, the jockey said Thursday. The decision was made in consultation with doctors, Churchill Downs, and the local health department, he said.

A couple of days earlier, Hernandez wrote in a text message that his previous testing had shown he was "positive for the antibodies as well," a suggestion the COVID-19 cycle had been completed or was nearing an end. 

"Everything is good. I never had any symptoms or was sick," he said as he walked toward the paddock for the fourth race. 

His inactivity was far shorter than other Kentucky jockeys who tested positive for COVID-19 this summer. Florent Geroux and Martin Garcia were sidelined more than two weeks apiece when they contracted it in July.

Churchill Downs required that jockeys riding Derby week at Churchill Downs submit to testing. This was done as a precaution meant to reduce the chance of a COVID-19 outbreak, which has happened at some racetracks this year. Del Mar had to pause its summer meet for a week after numerous positives and Colonial Downs ended its meet prematurely as a result of COVID-19's impact on its jockeys and backstretch.

Hernandez, 34, had been booked to ride Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) winner Art Collector in the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), but the colt was not entered on Tuesday due to a minor foot injury. A homebred for Bruce Lunsford, the Bernardini  colt is now at Skylight Training Center in Oldham County with trainer Tommy Drury.

"It's unfortunate. But like Tommy said, he felt it was the right thing to do," Hernandez said. "It was the right thing to do by the horse, so we'll just have to pick ourselves up and look for the next spot. We still have a few races left (this year) and then all of his 4-year-old year."

Besides losing his Derby mount, Hernandez is without a ride in the Sept. 4 Longines Kentucky Oaks, but he is in six undercard races, including Purrfectly Claire in the Eight Belles Stakes presented by Twinspires.com (G2) and Tell Your Daddy in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes presented by Sysco (G2T). On Derby Day, his mounts include Digital in the Pat Day Mile Stakes presented by LG and E and KU (G2), Drop Anchor in the Iroquois Stakes presented by Ford (G3), and Sally's Curlin in the Derby City Distaff Stakes presented by Derby City Gaming (G1).

A winner of over 2,000 races, including the 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on Fort Larned , Hernandez entered the Thursday card with a record of 71-for-421 in 2020. His mounts have made than $3.6 million this year.