Hernandez among NoCal riders making impact at Del Mar
Jockey Juan Hernandez is nearly certain to finish the Del Mar summer meeting among the first four riders in the standings. It has been a successful meet that has convinced the former leading rider at Golden Gate Fields to remain in Southern California.
“I’m really happy,” Hernandez said on Wednesday. “The owners are helping me a lot. I like it so far.”
Hernandez is not the only former Golden Gate rider based in Southern California. Abel Cedillo made the move last year, and finished the six-month Santa Anita winter-spring meeting in June second in the standings.
Ricardo Gonzalez, third in the standings earlier this year at Golden Gate Fields, had won 13 races at Del Mar through Monday and was ranked seventh in the standings. Gonzalez was in the Santa Anita area on Tuesday, finalizing housing arrangements, according to his agent, Ron Freitas.
Hernandez had 25 wins through Monday, and was third in the standings behind Umberto Rispoli and Flavien Prat, who are well clear of the other riders. Hernandez was closely pursued by Cedillo, who had 24 wins. Tiago Pereira ranked fifth with 19 wins.
Hernandez, 28, was the leading rider at Golden Gate Fields at the track’s winter-spring meeting, which ended in June. He tied with Edwin Maldonado for the riding title at the two-week Los Alamitos meeting earlier this summer.
Del Mar is a much tougher meet, and Hernandez had an excellent August, winning 18 races. During those weeks, he decided to remain in Southern California after talking with his agent, Craig O’Bryan.
“When I started winning races, I saw that people were helping me,” he said. “My agent said I had a lot of business right now.”
Hernandez had one stakes win at the meeting going into this weekend, on Pulpit Rider in the Solana Beach Stakes on Aug. 15. Hernandez rides Pulpit Rider in Saturday’s Grade 2 John Mabee Stakes on turf.
Later this weekend, Hernandez is scheduled to ride Kanderel in Sunday’s Grade 2 Del Mar Derby, Canoodling in Sunday’s $75,000 Juvenile Fillies Turf, and Rombauer in Monday’s $100,000 Juvenile Turf.
One mount did get away. Hernandez rode Dr. Schivel to an impressive maiden race win on Aug. 8, but will not be aboard the colt in Monday’s Grade 1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity. Dr. Schivel was recently sold and the new owners have enlisted Prat to take the mount.
Hernandez will ride at the Santa Anita autumn meeting, which begins on Sept. 19. He last rode regularly at Santa Anita in the fall of 2012 and early 2013, winning 10 races in that span.