Rafael Hernandez (jockey)
{{Short description|Puerto Rican jockey}}
{{Infobox horseracing personality
|name = Rafael Hernandez
|image =
|caption =
|occupation = Jockey
|birth_place = San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico
|birth_date = 1984
|death_place =
|death_date =
|career wins = 3,239 (12/20/24)
|race = Grey Stakes (2014, 2017, 2021)
American Turf Stakes (2015)
Marine Stakes (2015)
Nearctic Stakes (2015)
Kennedy Road Stakes (2016, 2021)
Ontario Matron Stakes (2016, 2023)
Seaway Stakes (2016, 2023)
Eclipse Stakes (2018)
Dominion Day Stakes (2019, 2023)
Hendrie Stakes (2019)
Royal North Stakes (2019, 2022)
Autumn Stakes (2020)
Bold Venture Stakes (2020, 2021)
E. P. Taylor Stakes (2020)
Jacques Cartier Stakes (2020)
King Edward Stakes (2020, 2021)
Maple Leaf Stakes (2020, 2023)
Marine Stakes (2020, 2021, 2022)
Vigil Stakes (2020)
Mazarine Stakes (2021, 2022)
Seagram Cup Stakes (2021,2023)
Dance Smartly Stakes (2022)
Nassau Stakes (2022)
Natalma Stakes (2022, 2024)
Valedictory Stakes (2022)
Canadian Stakes (2023, 2024)
Connaught Cup Stakes (2023)
Ontario Matron Stakes (2023)
Bessarabian Stakes (2024)
Fury Stakes (2024)
Canadian Triple Crown
King's Plate (2015, 2022, 2024)
Breeders' Stakes (2016, 2017, 2019)
|awards = Leading jockey at Fairmount Park
(2005-2008, 2010-2014)
Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey (2020)
|honours =
|horses = Caitlinhergrtness, Channel Maker, Moira, Shaman Ghost, Pink Lloyd
}}
Rafael Manuel Hernandez (born 1984 or 1985) is a Puerto Rican thoroughbred racing jockey. During his career, he led in wins at Fairmount Park from 2005 to 2014 except for 2009. At graded stakes races, Hernandez has won 24 Grade III, 17 Grade II and 3 Grade I events. He also finished in thirteenth at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2015.
At the Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing from 2015 onward, Hernandez had three first places each at the King's Plate and Breeders' Stakes. He finished second at the Prince of Wales Stakes four times. As a Canadian Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing competitor, Hernandez won the 2020 Wonder Where Stakes and 2022 Woodbine Oaks. He was also second at the 2020 Bison City Stakes. Hernandez has won more than 3,100 races and accumulated over $70 million in prize winnings. He received the Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey during 2020.
Early life and education
Hernandez was born during the mid-1980s in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico.{{cite news |last1=Lamb |first1=Katie |title=Pilots of the Caribbean |work=The Toronto Star |date=June 30, 2018 |page=S1}} He became interested in horse racing as a teenager.{{cite news |last1=Roberts |first1=Ken |title=Hernandez jockeys for position on race track, not in night clubs |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |date=June 19, 2014 |page=C2}} Until the early 2000s, Hernandez attended the Vocational Equestrian School of Puerto Rico.Lamb 2018, pp. S1, S8
Career
=Racecourses=
For his apprentice jockey career, Hernandez went to Tampa Bay Downs in 2004 and had his first victory there.{{cite news |last1=Overbey |first1=Steve |title=Hernandez is a rider on the rise |work=The Belleville News-Democrat |date=June 13, 2006 |page=D1}}{{cite web |title=Rafael Manuel Hernandez |url=https://www.equibase.com/profiles/allStartsPeople.cfm?eID=110011&typeSource=JE&rbt=TB&year=2004 |website=Equibase |year=2004 |access-date=October 6, 2024}} He had the most victories at Ellis Park Race Course that year for apprentice riders.{{cite news |last1=Guilliams |first1=Cliff |title=Grueling 54-day season limps to wire at Ellis Park |work=Evansville Courier & Press |date=September 7, 2004 |pages=C1, C3}} Hernandez started competing at Fairmount Park after the apprenticeship ended in the mid-2000s. While at Fairmount from 2005 to 2014, he led in wins each year except for 2009.{{cite news |last1=Roberts |first1=Ken |title=They'll be off and running at Fairmount |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |date=March 23, 2015 |at=p. B6 para. Rafael Says Adios}}
In February 2016, Hernandez was injured during a Gulfstream Park race.{{cite news |title=Two Jockeys Hurt, Horse Dies in Spill |work=Lexington Herald-Leader |date=February 21, 2016 |page=7B}} This resulted in "a broken collarbone, fractured ribs and ... one of his kidneys removed".{{cite web |title=Exclusive: Jockey Seriously Injured At Gulfstream Park On Road To Recovery |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/jockey-seriously-injured-at-gulfstream-park-is-on-the-road-to-recovery/ |website=CBS Miami |publisher=CBS News |access-date=October 10, 2024 |date=March 11, 2016}} During June 2016, he resumed his career before moving to Woodbine Racetrack.{{cite news |last1=Morrison |first1=Jennifer |title=Plate champion returns to Woodbine full time |work=The Toronto Star |date=June 29, 2016 |page=S4}} Hernandez led in victories while there during 2020.{{cite web |title=Hernandez edges Stein in close jockey race, Casse earns 12th Woodbine training title |url=https://woodbine.com/woodbine-news/hernandez-edges-stein-in-close-jockey-race-casse-earns-12th-woodbine-training-title/ |website=Woddbine Racetrack |access-date=October 10, 2024 |date=November 27, 2020}}
=Major races=
At the 2014 Grey Stakes, Hernandez became a graded stakes race winner.{{cite news |last1=Rees |first1=Jennie |title=Rafael Hernandez in obscurity no more |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/horses/2014/11/24/jockey-rafael-hernandez-plucked-obscurity-brings-winning-ways-churchill-downs/70056176/ |access-date=September 28, 2024 |work=The Courier Journal |date=November 24, 2014}} As part of his wins, Hernandez has won the Marine Stakes four times as a Grade III competitor. He has been in first place at 24 Grade III, 17 Grade II and 3 Grade I races.{{cite web |title=Rafael Manuel Hernandez Graded Stakes Wins |url=https://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=StakesListing&searchType=J&eID=110011&rbt=TB |website=Equibase |access-date=September 28, 2024}} During this time period, he finished in thirteenth at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf during 2015.{{cite web |title=2015 Juvenile Fillies Turf |url=https://breederscup.com/races/bcwc/2015/juvenile-fillies-turf?tab=results |website=Breeders' Cup |access-date=September 28, 2024}}
At Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing events, Hernandez had first places at the Queen's Plate during 2015 with Shaman Ghost and 2022 with Moira.{{cite news |last1=Manutah |first1=Richard |title=Ghost of a chance at Canadian Triple Crown |url=https://torontosun.com/2015/07/08/ghost-of-a-chance-at-canadian-triple-crown |access-date=28 September 2024 |newspaper=Toronto Sun |date=8 July 2015}}{{cite news |last1=Ralph |first1=Dan |title=Moira wins 163rd running of $1-million Queen's Plate |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/equestrian/163rd-queens-plate-2022-recap-1.6557836 |access-date=September 23, 2024 |work=CBC |agency=The Canadian Press |date=August 21, 2022}} After the event was renamed to the King's Plate, he re-won the event in 2024.{{cite news |title=King's Plate horse race runs Friday after earlier rainout |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/king-s-plate-165th-running-after-rainout-1.7303384 |access-date=September 28, 2024 |work=CBC |date=August 23, 2024}} In the Prince of Wales Stakes, Hernandez was second during 2015 and 2017.{{cite news |last1=Ralph |first1=Dan |title=Shaman's Ghost falls to Breaking Lucky |work=The Toronto Star |agency=The Canadian Press |date=July 29, 2015 |page=S3}}{{cite news |last1=Kershner |first1=Gene |title=Cool Catomine, 14-1 shot, scores Prince of Wales upset |work=The Buffalo News |date=July 26, 2017 |page=D7}} Additional second places by him were in 2020 and 2024.{{cite news |title=Mighty Heart Captures $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes to move closer to Triple Crown |work=The Hamilton Spectator |agency=The Canadian Press |date=September 30, 2020 |page=A15}}{{cite news |title=Strong stretch run earns Vitality the win in Prince of Wales Stakes race |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/olympics/article-strong-stretch-run-earns-vitality-the-win-in-prince-of-wales-stakes/ |access-date=September 20, 2024 |work=The Globe and Mail |agency=The Canadian Press |date=September 10, 2020}} Hernandez was also third at the 2021 edition.{{Cite magazine |title=Race Results |date=September 15, 2021 |magazine=BloodHorse Daily |url=https://cdn.bloodhorse.com/daily-app/pdfs/BloodHorseDaily-20210915.pdf |page=55 |editor-last=Crosby |editor-first=Claire |access-date=September 28, 2024}} From 2016 to 2019, he was the Breeders' Stakes champion three times and runner-up once.{{cite news |title=Tone Broke wins Breeders' Stakes for two-thirds of Canadian Triple Crown |url=https://www.tsn.ca/tone-broke-captures-breeders-stakes-for-two-thirds-of-canadian-triple-crown-1.1352450 |access-date=September 28, 2024 |work=TSN |agency=The Canadian Press |date=August 17, 2019}}{{Cite magazine |title=Race Results |date=August 19, 2018 |magazine=BloodHorse Daily |url=https://cdn.bloodhorse.com/daily-app/pdfs/BloodHorseDaily-20180819.pdf |page=21 |editor-last=Crosby |editor-first=Claire |access-date=September 28, 2024}} At other editions, Herndandez was second during 2024.{{cite web |title=Breeders' S. (BT) - 2024 |url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/race/can/wo/2024/9/29/9/breeders-s-bt |website=BloodHorse |access-date=October 6, 2024 |date=September 29, 2024}}
In Canadian Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing events, Hernandez was third at the 2017 Bison City Stakes.{{cite news |last1=Mauntah |first1=Richard |title=Enstone takes Bison City Stakes |url=https://torontosun.com/2017/07/09/enstone-takes-bison-city-stakes |access-date=October 10, 2024 |newspaper=Toronto Sun |date=July 9, 2017}}{{Cite magazine |title=Race Results |date=July 10, 2017 |magazine=BloodHorse Daily |url=https://cdn.bloodhorse.com/daily-app/pdfs/BloodHorseDaily-20170710.pdf |page=25 |editor-last=Novak |editor-first=Claire |access-date=October 10, 2024}} During 2020, he finished in third place.{{Cite magazine |title=Race Results |date=September 13, 2020 |magazine=BloodHorse Daily |url=https://cdn.bloodhorse.com/daily-app/pdfs/BloodHorseDaily-20200913.pdf |page=56 |editor-last=Hammonds |editor-first=Evan |access-date=October 12, 2024}} Additional top three finishes at the event were second in 2022 and third during 2024.{{cite web |title=Sister Seagull ekes out Bison City Stakes score |url=https://newsroom.woodbine.com/sister-seagull-ekes-out-bison-city-stakes-score |website=Woodbine Entertainment |access-date=October 10, 2024 |date=August 14, 2022}}{{cite web |title=Bison City S. (BT) - 2024 |url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/race/can/wo/2024/8/10/8/bison-city-s-bt |website=BloodHorse |access-date=October 12, 2024}} During 2020, he was third at the Woodbine Oaks.{{cite web |title=Curlin's Voyage wows in Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser |url=https://woodbine.com/kingsplate/2020/08/15/curlins-voyage-wows-in-woodbine-oaks-presented-by-budweiser/ |website=King's Plate |publisher=Woodbine Entertainment |access-date=October 10, 2024 |date=August 15, 2020}} He was first in the 2022 edition and second in 2024.{{cite news |title=Moira puts on quite a show in winning $500,000 Woodbine Oaks |url=https://northeastnow.com/2022/07/24/moira-puts-on-quite-a-show-in-winning-500000-woodbine-oaks/ |access-date=October 10, 2024 |work=northeastNOW |date=July 24, 2022}}{{cite web |title=Woodbine Oaks Presented by Stella Artois (BT) - 2024 |url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/race/can/wo/2024/7/20/9/woodbine-oaks-presented-by-stella-artois-bt |website=BloodHorse |access-date=October 12, 2024}} At the Wonder Where Stakes, he won the 2020 event.{{cite web |last1=Morrison |first1=Jennifer |title=Simply Marvelous! Merveilleux Gets Her Big Win in Wonder Where |url=https://canadianthoroughbred.com/horse-news/simply-marvelous-merveilleux-gets-big-win-wonder-where/ |website=Canadian Thoroughbred |access-date=October 10, 2024 |date=October 25, 2020}}
Overall performance and personal life
Hernandez received the Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey in 2020.{{cite web |title=2020 Sovereign Award Winners |url=https://jockeyclubcanada.com/2020-sovereign-award-winners/ |website=The Jockey Club of Canada |access-date=September 28, 2024}} In Equibase rankings for North American thoroughbred jockeys, his best performances were eighth place in 2011 wins and twenty-seventh place in 2020 earnings.{{cite web |title=Rafael Manuel Hernandez |url=https://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=People&searchType=J&eID=110011&rbt=TB#achievements |website=Equibase |at=Achievements |access-date=September 28, 2024}} By 2024, Hernandez had won over 3,100 races and accumulated more than $70 million in prize winnings.{{cite web |title=Rafael Manuel Hernandez |url=https://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=People&searchType=J&eID=110011&rbt=TB |website=Equibase |access-date=September 28, 2024}} He is married and has three children.{{cite news |last1=Ralph |first1=Dan |title=No quiet time during quarantine for Woodbine jockey Hernandez |work=The Hamilton Spectator |agency=The Canadian Press |date=May 16, 2020 |page=S3}}