EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) – Winning a horse race is challenging. From a claiming race to the Kentucky Derby, everything has to go right and you even have to have a little luck.
A jockey who has regularly played at Ellis Park in recent years experienced the ultimate dream weekend in May.
Brian Hernandez Junior rode both Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan and Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna.
For Hernandez Jr. it was a double victory that he will never forget.
“I think it’s a lifelong dream, that’s the best way to put it. You never think it’s going to happen, but for it to happen like it did, Derby and Oaks, and for us to just keep going like that was a magical moment that led to a magical career,” Hernandez Jr. said. “It helped us a lot, but at the same time, we’re lucky to ride for a lot of loyal customers and a lot of guys that I’ve been riding for a very, very long time, so we want to stay loyal to them and enjoy that moment with them and just enjoy the ride. Even after winning the Oaks and the Derby, we keep doing what we’ve done every day to get to this point. We still get up at 4 a.m., go to work and just keep looking for the next Derby winner. Just because we got lucky and won the Derby this year, now we have to try to find another winner for next year.”
Hernandez Jr.’s success has actually led to him competing less at the Pea Patch this summer, as he has also been asked to ride at tracks such as Saratoga and Horseshoe Indianapolis.
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