Juan Hernandez is on the hunt for another riding title (Benoit Photo)
Mike Willman/Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.— One of the most highly anticipated days in American racing, Santa Anita’s traditional Classic Meet opener on Tuesday has attracted some of the top jockeys in the world and Juan Hernandez, a 31-year-old native of Veracruz, Mexico, is once again poised to take his place among the nation’s elite reinsmen as he seeks his second consecutive Classic Meet title.
Hernandez fairly daylighted his competition last winter, finishing the 2023 Classic Meet on April 9 with 63 wins, far in front of both Flavien Prat (31) and Frankie Dettori (26). Hernandez also led all jockeys at Del Mar’s 2023 Summer and Bing Crosby Meets and was Santa Anita’s Autumn Meet leader as well with 24 wins.
“It’s been a great year,” said Hernandez on Christmas Eve morning at Clockers’ Corner. “I’ve always dreamed of having this kind of year, but you have to work really hard and you have to win the right races and have the support of the owners and trainers. I have a good team. I have a good agent, Craig O’Bryan and we work really good together. Looking ahead, I still have more goals…Hopefully next year, I can be competing in the Triple Crown races and the Breeders’ Cup.”
Self-effacing, likeable, a great judge of pace and strong finisher, Hernandez, the son of a jockey and like so many great riders before him, also has the mental makeup that enables him to navigate his way through racings ups and inevitable downs.
“Back in Mexico, my dad always told me to be patient, use your head in the races and if things don’t go your way, don’t get too mad after the race is run,” said Hernandez. “I admit, sometimes I get really upset if I think I ride a bad race, but I keep it to myself. I come back to the Jocks’ Room, I watch the replay and watch what I did wrong and try to learn from it.
“And you know, when you look at the top jockeys that are here now, I try to learn from them. Some of these guys have ridden all over the world, so I always pay attention to them and I like to ride with them, because it’s fun. But I’m going to be honest it’s hard, but it makes you better. I always say I like the competition. I’m really happy to be riding with some of the best riders in the world here this winter.”
There is no “bigger” rider in the Santa Anita Jockeys’ Room on a full-time basis this winter than international superstar Dettori, who although he announced a year ago that he’d be retiring following the 2023 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita in November, he has since reversed course and committed to another year in the saddle.
“To be honest, yes, I was surprised here last winter to see Dettori riding at such a high level,” said Hernandez. “I know he is older (53) and I had ridden with him just a couple of times a long time ago, but when I saw him here riding everyday last winter, I was actually a little surprised.
“He’s a really nice guy, but he comes out of the gate really aggressive and he puts his horses in the right position every time. He’s not afraid and he’s so competitive. When he got here, I said, ‘Okay, I’m gonna watch and see how he does it,’ and I could see he was still riding at the top level, probably as good as he ever did.”
Hernandez, who resides in nearby Glendora with his wife Melissa and their two boys, Emilio, six and Juan Jose, eight, says that he encourages his sons to follow their own dreams.
“My oldest, Juan, he really likes baseball and Emilio, he’s still little, but he says he’d like to be a jockey. Whatever they want to do, I will support them.”
In addition to Dettori, Hernandez will be competing on opening day with a star-studded roster of top riders, including North America’s current leading money earning jockey, four-time Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz, Jr., who will return to his New York base to ride full-time following Tuesday’s races at Santa Anita.
` Among those riders who will compete here on a full-time basis this winter are three-time Santa Anita winter champs Flavien Prat and Joel Rosario, as well as Antonio Fresu, Kazushi Kimura, Umberto Rispoli, Kyle Frey and Hall of Famers Mike Smith and Victor Espinoza.
First post time for an 11-race card that includes six graded stakes on Tuesday is at 11 a.m., with admission gates opening at 9 a.m.
