juan hernandez | Horse Racing Free Tips

Report: Top Santa Anita Jockeys Hit With New Whip Suspensions

Not for the first time, Santa Anita riders Umberto Rispoli and Juan Hernandez have been suspended for whip use. According to the Daily Racing Form, Rispoli was given a three-day suspension for using his whip in an overhand manner during the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes on Feb. 6. Hernandez was also suspended three days for using his whip more than the permitted six times during the second race at Santa Anita on Jan. 31.

In January, Rispoli got his fourth whip rule violation in two months, making the most recent his fifth in quick succession. This ruling is the fourth for Hernandez in the past two months.

Numerous whip rule violations have been handed out by California stewards since Oct. 1, 2020, when new regulations went into effect. Jockeys can now only strike a horse six times during a race and no more than twice in succession and may not use the whip in an overhanded manner. Riders protested the changes at the time, claiming the restrictions would make it more difficult for a jockey to use the whip intuitively or to safely correct a horse they believe may be about to bolt or shy.

Express Train Breaks Through With San Pasqual Triumph At Santa Anita

C R K Stable's Express Train sat a perfect trip and rallied through the stretch to take Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes by 3 ¼ lengths, with his next stop scheduled to be the G1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6. Trained by John Shirreffs and ridden by Juan Hernandez, Express Train got 1 1/8 miles over a Santa Anita main track listed as “good” in 1:52.13.

A close fourth, about two lengths off of Tizamagician around the clubhouse turn, Express Train saved ground at the rail, angled out a quarter mile from home and rallied three-deep through the lane while finding his best stride late in a very impressive effort.

“The difference was the distance (of) a mile and an eighth and different horses,” said Hernandez, who had ridden Express Train to a second place finish behind top rated Charlatan going seven furlongs in the G1 Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26. “He loves going short and going long, so you can do whatever you want with him, he's a really nice horse.

“…There were three horses that tried to go to the lead and my horse relaxed pretty well behind them. … I was just waiting to (get into) the stretch to let him run, that's what (he) did. Around the turn before the stretch, I checked, I went outside and I was clear and he started running again.”

The second choice at 5-2 in a field of five, Express Train paid $7.20, $3.60 and $2.20.

“We knew there was plenty of speed in the race and it worked out fine,” said Shirreffs. “Juan fits this horse very well, show me a horse that he doesn't fit. When you speak to him, he exudes confidence. He's a rider. We'll stay home and run in the Big 'Cap (1 ¼ miles on March 6).”

A 4-year-old colt by Union Rags, out of the Mineshaft mare I'm a Flake, Express Train notched his first stakes win in his eighth career start. With the winner's share of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $293,300 from an overall mark of 8-3-3-0.

Tizamagician, ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, proved extra game, holding off even money favorite Idol by a neck for the place. Off at 5-1, Tizamagician paid $5.00 and $2.60.

Idol, unhurried early while an attentive last to the far turn, never threatened for the win, finishing 1 ¼ lengths in front of longshot Zestful. Ridden by eastern-based Gabriel Saez, Idol paid $2.10 to show.

Although Saturday turned out to be a spectacularly sunny day with the snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains serving as a backdrop, the track took on 2.4 inches of rain through noon Friday, resulting in slower times throughout the afternoon.

Fractions on the San Pasqual were 23.84, 48.74, 1:13.70 and 1:39.26.

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Gregorian Chant Sings New Tune Sprinting To Clockers’ Corner Triumph

Well beaten in a Grade 2 stakes going a mile and one half on turf Nov. 27, trainer Phil D'Amato's English-bred Gregorian Chant shortened up in distance and rallied from last to first in Sunday's $70,000 Clockers' Corner Stakes at Santa Anita, winning by 2 ¼ lengths. Ridden by the meet's leading rider Juan Hernandez, Gregorian Chant got six furlongs out of the Arcadia, Calif., track's turf chute in 1:08.42 over a course listed as firm.

Entered in his first sprint since breaking his maiden at first asking going seven furlongs on a synthetic surface in Ireland on December 7, 2018, Gregorian Chant was ridden confidently by Hernandez, despite the fact he was trying an entirely different game today.

Last, about seven lengths off the lead heading into the far turn, Gregorian Chant was into the bridle as Hernandez angled out while trying to exploit a fast early pace set by Mr Vargas and Thanks Mr. Eidson. Six-wide turning for home, Gregorian Chant gained the advantage a sixteenth of a mile from home and won going away.

“Phil told me don't change his style,” said Hernandez, who had won aboard Gregorian Chant in a 1 1/16-mile turf allowance three starts back at Del Mar on Aug. 29. “It looked like there was plenty of speed and there was. The race set up good for us. Turning for home, I had a lot of horse and he just exploded. He passed those other horses pretty easy.”

Eleventh, beaten 15 ¾ lengths in the G2 Hollywood Turf Cup Nov. 27, Gregorian Chant was off at 10-1 and paid $23.00, $8.20 and $4.60.

“I gotta give Nick Cosato (Slam Dunk Racing) a lot of credit,” said D'Amato. “He thought of this after his last race. Just remembering what a big turn of foot he had from when we bought him, we thought it was worth a try. Juan fits this horse really well. Actually his brother, Jonathan, gallops him in the morning, so it's kind of a little family affair there. Juan has a special touch there with him and gets everything out of him.”

Owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC and Michael Nentwig, Gregorian Chant, a 5-year-old gelding, picked up his first stakes win and improved his overall mark to 13-4-0-2. Purchased privately following his maiden win in Ireland, Gregorian Chant picked up $43,920 for the win, increasing his earnings to $165,013.

Although passed by his stablemate at the top of the lane, Strike Me Down, who was five-deep at the time, kept to his task and overhauled Thanks Mr. Eidson by a head for second, giving D'Amato a one-two finish. Off as the 2-1 favorite with Umberto Rispoli, Strike Me Down paid $4.80 and $3.00.

Ridden by Edwin Maldonado, Thanks Mr. Eidson, who tracked Mr Vargas to the quarter pole, stayed on gamely and paid $3.60 to show.

Fractions on the race were 21.76, 44.65 and 56.63.

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Santa Anita Debuts New 6 1/2-Furlong Turf Course Chute

A project that was undertaken with great urgency this past Aug. 17 came to fruition on opening day as Santa Anita's turf chute was utilized for the first time as Saturday's sixth race at 6 ½ furlongs attracted a field of 12 allowance horses aged three and up. Under sunny, blue skies, the race was taken by trainer Mike Puype's Highly Distorted, who got the distance in 1:14.85 while winning by three quarters of a length under jockey Juan Hernandez.

Breaking from post position four, Highly Distorted, idle since breaking his maiden going 5 ½ furlongs on the Del Mar turf July 25, showed good speed out of the gate and controlled the pace throughout through splits of 22.64, 44.72 and 1:08.64.

“Everything looked good,” said Santa Anita track surfaces consultant Dennis Moore, who oversaw the entire project from conception to sixth race post time. “It's nice to see it all come together from beginning to end.”

For Hernandez, it was his second win through six races. Highly Distorted, off at 11-1, paid $24.80 to win.

Anaconda, ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, checked in sixth as the 5-2 favorite.

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