The Joe Hernandez Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged four years old or older over the distance of furlongs on the turf scheduled annually in January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The event currently carries a purse of $250,000.

History Inaugurated in 2008, the race is named in honor of Joe Hernandez, the race caller at Santa Anita Park from the time the track opened on Christmas Day 1934 until his death in 1972. Hernandez called 15,587 races in a row at Santa Anita during that time.

The event was predominantly raced on the downhill turf course over the about furlongs distance. In 2010 the event was moved to the synthetic All Weather track due to weather. The 2015 running was also moved off the turf but by then Santa Anita Park had restored the natural dirt track.

In 2019 the event was upgraded to Grade III and a year later to Grade II.

In 2020 the event was moved and run using the backstretch start at a distance of furlongs on turf, and the following year the event was run on the newly extended backstretch and close to the former distance of furlongs.

The 2017 winner Stormy Liberal followed up winning the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and repeating that effort in 2018.

The event was run twice in the calendar year in 2022 due to scheduling changes.

Records Speed record: about furlongs – 1:10.88 – Gas Me Up (2025)

Margins: lengths – Distinctiv Passion (2015)

Most wins by a jockey 3 – Joel Rosario (2009, 2012, 2021) 3 – Joseph Talamo (2014, 2018, 2019)

Most wins by a trainer 3 – Peter L. Miller (2017, 2020, 2021)

Winners

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefJoe Hernandez Stakes2025Gas Me Up 5Mirco DemuroPeter EurtonExline-Border Racing, Michael Jawl, Aaron Kennedy & Tom Zwiesler abt. furlongs 1:10.88$202,500II2024Motorious 6Antonio FresuPhilip D'AmatoAnthony Fanticola abt. furlongs 1:11.86$201,500II2023 4Flavien PratRichard MandellaMyRacehorse & Spendthrift Farm furlongs 1:14.92$203,500II Air Force Red 4Juan HernandezLeonard PowellEclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Holly Golightly 1:11.53$252,500II Chewing Gum 6 Umberto Rispoli William I. Mott Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable & Jerold Zaro furlongs 1:15.47$251,000II2021 Hembree 7 Joel Rosario Peter L. Miller Tom Kagele furlongs 1:13.80$201,000II2020 Texas Wedge 5 Flavien Prat Peter L. Miller Altamira Racing Stable, Rafter JR Ranch, STD Racing Stable & A. Miller furlongs 1:02.47$202,500II2019 Caribou Club 5 Joseph Talamo Thomas F. Proctor Glen Hill Farm 1:11.66$101,053III2018 Pee Wee Reese 5 Joseph Talamo Philip D'Amato Nicholas B. Alexander abt. furlongs 1:12.37$98,375 Listed 2017 Stormy Liberal 5 Peter L. Miller Rockingham Ranch abt. furlongs 1:11.89$80,035 Listed 2016 Guns Loaded 5 Santiago Gonzalez Doug F. O'Neill Westside Rentals.com, Neil Haymes, Leo Rodriguez & Steve Rothblum abt. furlongs 1:12.60$79,190 Listed 2015 5 Jeffrey L. BondeEdward J. Brown Jr., Alan Klein & Phillip Lebherz furlongs 1:14.33$74,284 2014 Sweet Swap 5 Joseph Talamo John W. Sadler Hronis Racing abt. furlongs 1:12.28$76,900 Joe Hernandez Handicap 2013 Unbridled's Note 4 Corey Nakatani Steven M. Asmussen Mike McCarty abt. furlongs 1:11.17$76,900 2012 Mr Gruff 8 Joel Rosario Ronald W. Ellis Gary Broad abt. furlongs 1:12.06$79,880 Joe Hernandez Stakes 2011 Regally Ready 4 Corey Nakatani Vinery Stables abt. furlongs 1:12.98$79,150 Listed 2010 Sangaree 5 Martin Garcia Bob Baffert Darley Stable furlongs 1:15.28$60,350 2009 Noble Court 5 Joel Rosario John W. Sadler Joy Ride Racing abt. furlongs 1:12.16$71,300 2008 Desert Code 4 Richard Migliore David E. Hofmans Tarabilla Farms abt. furlongs 1:12.36$76,850 Listed

Legend:

References