Hernandez Making Strong First Impression at Gulfstream

His standing among the riding elite in the Midwest cemented by a banner 2018 season, Brian Hernandez Jr. has ventured to Gulfstream Park to test his abundant skills against the track's strong jockey colony during his first Championship Meet.  

The 33-year-old has ridden the winners of 1,882 races (through Dec. 20) and more than $73 million in purses during his career. At the Gulfstream meet, he has enjoyed early success while winning on seven of 35 starters.

"Coming down here, coming into a meet like this, you don't know what to expect. But we got off to a good start," Hernandez said. "How can you not love this place between the weather and everything else?"

Hernandez, who rode two winners Dec. 20, collected his 13th graded stakes victory of the year Dec. 15, guiding Sir Anthony to a narrow score over heavily favored Audible in the Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3). A rail-skimming ride by Hernandez made all the difference in Sir Anthony's half-length triumph over the wide-running Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) winner.

"The Harlan's Holiday was a good boost up for us," said the Lafayette, La., native. "And we've been fortunate that the people who we came here for have supported us well."

Hernandez, who captured the 2018 Churchill Downs spring meet, is especially excited about riding horses for trainer Kenny McPeek, who has returned to race at Gulfstream after spending the past two winters at Oaklawn Park.

"Kenny and I have been on a pretty good roll," he said. "I've been fortunate that he's put me on some really good horses, and he's brought some pretty nice horses for us to ride."

Hernandez rode the McPeek-trained Signalman to an off-the-pace triumph in the Nov. 24 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill.

"After the Kentucky Jockey Club, it looks like he's one of the top 3-year-olds going into next year, so you have to be excited," said Hernandez, who was aboard the son of General Quarters in a third-place finish in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) also at Churchill.

McPeek and Hernandez have teamed for graded-stakes victories with Restless Rider in the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1), Cairo Cat in the Iroquois Stakes (G3), Princess Warrior in the Mrs. Revere Stakes (G2T), and Daddys Lil Darling in the Modesty Handicap (G3T) this year.

Hernandez has also ridden three graded stakes winners for trainer Rusty Arnold, scoring aboard Funny Duck in the Pat Day Mile Stakes presented by LG and E and KU (G3), Miss Kentucky in the Winning Colors Stakes (G3), and Skeptic in the Monmouth Oaks (G3).

Hernandez, whose career highlight thus far is his winning ride aboard Ian Wilkes-trained Fort Larned  in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita Park, was born into a racing family. His father, Brian Hernandez, retired from riding in 2014 with 1,315 wins. His brother, Colby, has ridden 1,980 winners while competing in Louisiana. 

Hernandez began galloping horses at the age of 12 and rode his first winner at Delta Downs on the night of Nov. 29, 2003, after working toward his high school diploma during the day. He won his first riding title at Evangeline Downs in 2004 on his way to being honored with an Eclipse Award as North America's outstanding apprentice jockey. In 2008, he rode future Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra for a pair of wins, including her maiden-breaking triumph at Churchill in her second career start and a subsequent allowance victory.

Hernandez, his wife Jamie, daughter Jocelyn, 4, and son Benjamin, 2, live on a seven-acre farm in Louisville, Ky.

"I'm 33 now with a wife and kids. Everything's settled down," Hernandez said. "What I've liked about my whole career is that I've been steady. Each year has gotten better and better. It seems like the more experience I've gotten, people have put us on better horses. That's what it all boils down to."