From Shetland Ponies To Graded Stakes Winners: Brian, Colby Hernandez On Continuing Family’s Racing Legacy

Thanks to a successful year for both Brian and Colby, the Hernandez brothers are quickly ascending up the ranks of jockey sibling duos. 

Brian Hernandez Jr., 36, began galloping horses at the age of 12, growing up on the backside of Evangeline Downs in Louisiana. He began his career as a professional jockey in 2003 at Delta Downs and began going back and forth between the Louisiana and Kentucky circuits the following year. Brian currently has lifetime earnings of $99,790,140 and has won 2,271 races, as well as an Eclipse Award in 2004 as outstanding apprentice jockey. 

Colby Hernandez, 31, followed quickly in his older brother's footsteps with his first start as a professional jockey coming in 2006 at Evangeline Downs. Colby rode primarily on the Louisiana circuit until 2020 when the pandemic-related track closures prompted him to give the Kentucky circuit a try. He has gone back and forth between the two states ever since. Colby has current lifetime earnings of $51,375,010 and has won 2,334 races.

With their careers overlapping, Colby and Brian have both faced off with not only each other, but their father as well before his retirement. Colby and Brian's father, Brian Hernandez Sr., had a riding career spanning from 1989 to 2014 with lifetime earnings of $13,431,686. The multiple stakes winning jockey was most notably the main rider for trainer Dale Angelle at Delta Downs.

The brothers, currently members of the Fair Grounds jockey colony in their native Louisiana, discussed their relationship, and reflected upon a year of many achievements.

Question: How did growing up with a father for a jockey influence your decision to become a jockey?

Brian Hernandez Jr.: “He was a big part of it because we grew up watching him ride and always going out to the track in the mornings with him. Instead of going to daycare when we were on summer break from school, we would go out there to the racetrack every morning. We kind of grew up on the backside of Evangeline Downs, so that was a big influence on both of us for choosing our career paths. Growing up on the backside had an advantage because we kind of knew everybody and everybody watched over us so it was a pretty easy decision.” 

Colby Hernandez: “Growing up, we were at the racetrack every single weekend when we didn't have school. Since I was a little kid, I remember always wanting to be a jockey.”

Q: What is it like to be able to share this experience of being professional jockeys with each other?

Brian: “It's a lot of fun, especially down here in New Orleans. Both of our families stay up in Kentucky for the winter time because our kids are all in school, so we come down to New Orleans and we actually share an apartment together right there by the track. We're in the same corner and our dad is actually our valet, so it's fun to come down here and compete against each other. It kind of brings out the best in both of us. Growing up, we would always race Shetland ponies in the field and we always wondered if we would ever get the chance to be jockeys so to see the level of success that we have so far has been really rewarding.”

Colby: “It's a great thing to have day in and day out in the jock's room together. We have a pretty close bond. We're always happy for each other. You do get competitive, but you want each other to do well.”

Q: Colby, in what ways have you looked up to your older brother during your career?

Colby: “The whole time I've ridden, I've competed in Louisiana and just in the past two years I've been going back and forth between Kentucky and Louisiana. Watching him ride the better races and the better horses influenced me to want to get to that next level.”

Q: Was your brother influential in your decision to start riding more on the Kentucky circuit? 

Colby: “A little bit. What really helped me make that move, though, was Covid. All the racetracks were shut down and he was talking about how Churchill was going to start up so I said, 'Alright let me try and give it a shot' and I gave it a shot and I loved it. I love being there now.”

Q: What is the best advice your brother has given you during your career?

Colby: “On the better horses, he kind of helped me out and just taught me how to ride the better races.”

Q: How did it feel to go 1-2 with each other in a graded stakes race at Keeneland this fall?

Brian: “To be able to make that transition from the Louisiana circuit up to Kentucky and do as well as we did is very rewarding.” 

Colby: “It was very exciting for us.”

Q: Brian, have you enjoyed getting to see more of your brother since his fairly recent start on the Kentucky circuit?

Brian: “Yeah. It's good because of our families. I have three kids and he has two, so it's great for the kids to be able to grow up together and play together because they never really got to do that before. For years, I was always telling Colby, 'You're good enough to make it on the Kentucky circuit, you've just gotta make that move,' and to see him finally do it and be as successful as he has been, it's just really rewarding. 

Q: What has been your biggest career highlight this year?

Brian: “Probably the opening weekend of Keeneland (Fall meet). I think we won six races the first three days and for one of them to be the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity and then to follow that the next day and win the Bourbon, that was probably the biggest weekend of the year success-wise. Just to be a part of those horses who jumped up and ran when we needed them to, it was a very successful weekend. It was great to see those 2-year-olds win between Tiz The Bomb and Rattle N Roll. We always thought they had talent in them so to be able to showcase that was just special.”

Colby: “I had my first graded stakes win at Belmont, and I ended up winning four graded stakes this year so that was a pretty big highlight for me.”

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Change Of Control Rides Rail To Victory In Autumn Day At Aqueduct

Perry Harrison's Change of Control overtook pacesetter Athwaaq when straightened for home and repelled 6-5 favorite Too Sexy's deep-stretch bid to post a victory by three-quarters of a length in Sunday's $150,000 Autumn Days for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going six furlongs on the outer turf at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Change of Control, who already registered a pair of graded stakes wins in her 5-year-old campaign, including a last-out score in the Grade 3 Franklin County in October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., made a successful debut at the Big A, tallying her fourth stakes win of 2021 for trainer Michelle Lovell.

The fifth running of the Autumn Days saw Athwaaq break on top from post 6, leading the eight-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in :23.26 and the half in :46.28 over firm going. Jockey Colby Hernandez tucked Change of Control in third position near the rail, with the pocket position enabling her to move up to second out of the turn.

Once straightened for home, Change of Control capitalized with the open seam from the inside, overtaking a tiring Athwaaq. Hernandez kept his charge to task as Too Sexy rallied to pass three rivals, gaining in the shadow of the wire before Change of Control completed the course in a 1:09.14 final time to improve to 4-2-3 in 10 starts this year.

Hernandez's rail-riding trip earned Change of Control, off at 7-2, a winner's circle trip, returning $9.90 on a $2 win bet. She improved her career earnings to $739,257.

“She gave us a good break and I was right there,” Hernandez said. “I tried to pop out and run second but they weren't letting me out. I saw the horse on the front looked like she was going to come out at the top of the stretch and we stayed there and it ended up working out perfect.

“Every single time she runs, it's like she gets better,” he added. “She's just a cool horse, does nothing wrong, and anything you ask her, she does. She's a very cool horse to ride.”

Change of Control, bred in Kentucky by John O' Meara, is 2-for-2 at NYRA-operated tracks this year after winning the G3 Intercontinental in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

“Colby rode her perfect. He never panicked,” Lovell said. “He stayed right there on the inside and she just looked awesome. She did well in New York when we sent her up to Belmont in the summer, so I just thought this race was a really good spot. The owner gave us a lot of time finding the best races for her. She's really thriving and coming into her own.”
Lovell said Change of Control will now winter in Louisiana in preparing for her 6-year-old year in 2022 before embarking on the next phase of her career.

“She'll go to Fair Grounds for the winter. We'll try to map out her races really well over the winter, spring, and summertime, and then she'll go to the breeding shed,” Lovell said. “I'm not really sure what our plan is from here, but she'll come back to Churchill and come to Fair Grounds with the rest of my barn.”

Too Sexy, trained by Christophe Clement, topped the slow-starting Love And Thunder by one length for second. Jockey Jose Lezcano, who was aboard for Too Sexy's last-out win in the Floral Park in October at Belmont, said the outcome might have been different with a slightly more advantageous trip.

“She broke well and I had to wait a little bit until the eighth pole,” Lezcano said. “She gave a very good race and ran strong. She did everything right, the winner is just a very good horse. I think she also got a better trip than I got. I had to go between horses and she got through on the inside.”

Miss Majorette, Piedi Bianchi, Athwaaq, Raven's Cry, and Secure Connection completed the order of finish.

[Story Continues Below]

Live racing resumes Thursday at the Big A with a nine-race card. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The post Change Of Control Rides Rail To Victory In Autumn Day At Aqueduct appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Change Of Control Rides Rail To Victory In Autumn Days At Aqueduct

Perry Harrison's Change of Control overtook pacesetter Athwaaq when straightened for home and repelled 6-5 favorite Too Sexy's deep-stretch bid to post a victory by three-quarters of a length in Sunday's $150,000 Autumn Days for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going six furlongs on the outer turf at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Change of Control, who already registered a pair of graded stakes wins in her 5-year-old campaign, including a last-out score in the Grade 3 Franklin County in October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., made a successful debut at the Big A, tallying her fourth stakes win of 2021 for trainer Michelle Lovell.

The fifth running of the Autumn Days saw Athwaaq break on top from post 6, leading the eight-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in :23.26 and the half in :46.28 over firm going. Jockey Colby Hernandez tucked Change of Control in third position near the rail, with the pocket position enabling her to move up to second out of the turn.

Once straightened for home, Change of Control capitalized with the open seam from the inside, overtaking a tiring Athwaaq. Hernandez kept his charge to task as Too Sexy rallied to pass three rivals, gaining in the shadow of the wire before Change of Control completed the course in a 1:09.14 final time to improve to 4-2-3 in 10 starts this year.

Hernandez's rail-riding trip earned Change of Control, off at 7-2, a winner's circle trip, returning $9.90 on a $2 win bet. She improved her career earnings to $739,257.

“She gave us a good break and I was right there,” Hernandez said. “I tried to pop out and run second but they weren't letting me out. I saw the horse on the front looked like she was going to come out at the top of the stretch and we stayed there and it ended up working out perfect.

“Every single time she runs, it's like she gets better,” he added. “She's just a cool horse, does nothing wrong and anything you ask her, she does. She's a very cool horse to ride.”

Change of Control, bred in Kentucky by John O' Meara, is 2-for-2 at NYRA-operated tracks this year after winning the G3 Intercontinental in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

“Colby rode her perfect. He never panicked,” Lovell said. “He stayed right there on the inside and she just looked awesome. She did well in New York when we sent her up to Belmont in the summer, so I just thought this race was a really good spot. The owner gave us a lot of time finding the best races for her. She's really thriving and coming into her own.”

Lovell said Change of Control will now winter in Louisiana in preparing for her 6-year-old year in 2022 before embarking on the next phase of her career.

“She'll go to Fair Grounds for the winter. We'll try to map out her races really well over the winter, spring, and summertime, and then she'll go to the breeding shed,” Lovell said. “I'm not really sure what our plan is from here, but she'll come back to Churchill and come to Fair Grounds with the rest of my barn.”

Too Sexy, trained by Christophe Clement, topped the slow-starting Love And Thunder by one length for second. Jockey Jose Lezcano, who was aboard for Too Sexy's last-out win in the Floral Park in October at Belmont, said the outcome might have been different with a slightly more advantageous trip.

“She broke well and I had to wait a little bit until the eighth pole,” Lezcano said. “She gave a very good race and ran strong. She did everything right, the winner is just a very good horse. I think she also got a better trip than I got. I had to go between horses and she got through on the inside.”

Miss Majorette, Piedi Bianchi, Athwaaq, Raven's Cry, and Secure Connection completed the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Thursday at the Big A with a nine-race card. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Another Mystery Upsets Bob F. Wright Memorial Stakes At Fair Grounds

Clean trips are hard to come by for late closing horses. Another Mystery knows it well. Steadied twice and stuck in traffic before finishing sixth in the Grade 3 Sycamore at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., last out, this Illinois homebred by Temple City out of the classy broodmare Ioya Two entered Saturday's $75,000 Bob F. Wright Memorial for Team Block with darkened form. With new pilot Jareth Loveberry guiding this late flyer, Another Mystery ($23.60) saved ground and found the lane needed to strut his best stuff in the stretch, passing the 1.10-1 favorite and Godolphin millionaire Pixelate to score a neck victory at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, La.

Attracting a classy field with three graded stakes winners, this inaugural running of the Bob F Wright Memorial had the makings of a stunner from when the card was drawn. With four horses who knew how to win out front running across a turf course that has been kind to sent horses early in the meet, so much depended on the tactics each jockey would deploy.

“Trying to follow the right horse,” Loveberry said. “The 1 horse [Pixelate], I thought that was the one to follow and I just got the trip behind him the whole race. I saved ground and followed him.”

Running two lengths behind Pixelate early while tracking fractions of :24.88, :49.40, and 1:14.03 set by Forty Under, Another Mystery kept stride on the rail throughout both turns. He lacked room for a bid at the three-sixteenths pole. Fed up while awaiting a lane to open up, Loveberry tipped Another Mystery Out out and this Chris Block-trained bay 5-year-old kept to business finding more. He edged Pixelate to pull off the 10.80-1 upset. It was another length back to the hard-charging Monarchs Glen in third. The pacesetter Forty Under checked in fourth.

With the victory, Another Mystery raised his record to 22-6-2-3 with a bankroll of $282,850.

“Chris Block did a really good job training this horse, and I appreciate it a lot,” Loveberry said. “He was trained really good. I worked Another Mystery a couple times at Arlington. He brought it today.”

The newcomers to the jockey colony are shining on the opening weekend at Fair Grounds. Although Colby Hernandez leads with five wins, Reylu Gutierrez and Deshawn L. Parker have scored four apiece. With rides like the one he had on Another Mystery, Jareth Loveberry could give them all a run for their money.

“Finally got it off my back,” Loveberry said. “It was my first win.”

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