Hernandez, Herrera, Vazquez tie for Los Alamitos riding title
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CYPRESS, Calif. – Juan Hernandez, already the leading rider in Southern California this year, had a perfect day to end the Los Alamitos September meeting on Sunday.
Hernandez won with all four of his mounts on runners trained by Bob Baffert and finished the meeting with a perfect record from six mounts.
Hernandez, who led all riders at Santa Anita and Del Mar earlier this year, rode sparingly during the two-week season which included six days of racing.
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The six wins left Hernandez in a tie with Diego Herrera and Ramon Vazquez for the title of leading rider. For the 19-year-old Herrera, the joint title was his first. Vazquez has won or tied for leading rider at the track’s five meetings since 2022.
Baffert led all trainers with five wins, two more than Vladimir Cerin, Luis Mendez, George Papaprodromou, and John Sadler, who were tied for second.
Baffert has won or tied for 14 training titles since Los Alamitos began daytime Thoroughbred racing in 2014, following the closure of Hollywood Park in 2013.
Santa Anita’s autumn meeting begins on Friday and continues through Nov. 5, and will be followed by an autumn meeting at Del Mar from Nov. 10 through Dec. 3. Los Alamitos will have a six-day meeting from Dec. 8-17 that will include five stakes, including four for 2-year-olds.
The leading race of the season will be the Grade 2 Starlet Stakes, a $300,000 race for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 9. The Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity, a $200,000 race at 1 1/16 miles, is scheduled for Dec. 16.
There are two $100,000 stakes at a mile for California-bred 2-year-olds – the Soviet Problem for fillies on Dec. 10, and the King Glorious on Dec. 17.
The Grade 3 Bayakoa Stakes at 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares will be run for the first time since 2021. The $100,000 race will be held Dec. 15.
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