Jockey Hernandez caps busy week with stakes hat trick

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Leading rider Rafael Hernandez had quite an eventful last week at Woodbine.

On Thursday, he breezed the unbeaten Kentucky Derby prospect Shirl’s Speight five-eighths in a sizzling :57 on the training track for trainer Roger Attfield. The spectacular work generated lots of interest after it was posted on Twitter by Woodbine’s television department.

Due to the long quarantine period, Hernandez said he will not ride Shirl’s Speight on Kentucky Derby Day, when the son of Speightstown is scheduled to run in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile or the Derby if he can get in.

“We’re doing so good now, we’re rolling,” Hernandez said. “It’s one-month (quarantine). My agent, Anthony Esposito, and I decided not to go.”

On Friday, the stewards gave Hernandez a three-day suspension for a riding infraction, which goes from Thursday to Saturday.

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Hernandez had one of his biggest days in the saddle on Saturday, when he won three stakes, starting with Pink Lloyd in the Grade 3 Bold Venture. After awaiting room, Pink Lloyd split horses at the eighth pole and then drew clear before holding on for his third straight stakes score.

“He’s just a push-button horse,” Hernandez said. “He does anything you want him to. He relaxes good. When you settle him down, he’s just a baby. When you put him in the clear, he goes through.”

Hernandez then guided Clayton to a workmanlike win in the Plate Trial, during which the colt failed to switch leads in the stretch. It was in sharp contrast to his previous allowance triumph and to the way he had been working.

“I don’t know what happened,” Hernandez admitted. “He showed up, even with that issue. We’re going to stick with him (in the Queen’s Plate).”

Hernandez got the hat trick in the Grade 2 King Edward on March to the Arch, who rallied from last to win going away while flirting with Wise Dan’s one-mile course record. Hernandez hopes to ride the Mark Casse-trained 5-year-old back in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on Sept. 19.

“That was the first time I was on his back,” Hernandez said. “Casse told me he’s a tricky horse. Just play it by ear, see where we are, and if you feel comfortable, just leave him there, and do your own race. That’s what I did. He broke good, and I saved ground all the way. When it was time to run, I put him in the clear. I knew he was going to give me some kick, but I never expected that quick. He went from zero to sixty.”

Hernandez is taking his family to Quebec this week for a vacation, and will be back riding Sunday.

“I said to my wife we’re going to explore Canada,” beamed the Puerto Rican native.