Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.

Brian Hernandez Jr., a Louisiana native, won the 2004 Eclipse Award as outstanding apprentice jockey, and guided Fort Larned to a win in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic to gain national acclaim.

Hernandez has also over the years formed a potent partnership with trainer Kenny McPeek, and in 2024, the duo teamed to sweep the Longines Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve as part of an unforgettable weekend under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs.

Hernandez and McPeek had partnered to win the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes with Mystik Dan and the Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes with Thorpedo Anna, both at Oaklawn Park, earlier in the winter-spring of 2024. 

Hernandez then added a marquee victory to his resume with a picture-perfect ride on Thorpedo Anna in the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks May 3 at Churchill Downs. Hernandez and Thorpedo Anna enjoyed a ground-saving, pacesetting trip and powered well clear in the stretch to a runaway victory in 1:50.83 for 1 1/8 miles on a sloppy track.

One day later, Hernandez gave Mystik Dan a similarly terrific ground-saving ride in the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby. He pushed Mystik Dan through a narrow opening along the rail entering the stretch, his mount surged to the front and then dug in gamely in the closing strides to fend off the furious rush of Toyota Blue Grass Stakes winner Sierra Leone and UAE Derby winner Forever Young.

Hernandez became only the eighth jockey to post an Oaks-Derby double and the first since Calvin Borel did it with Rachel Alexandra and Mine That Bird in 2009.

Prior to the Oaks-Derby success, Hernandez had made a name for himself as a trustworthy big-race rider.

In early 2017, Hernandez was employed by the connections of two talented 30-year-olds – McCraken and Girvin – to ride in the Road to the Kentucky Derby prep series of races. After riding McCraken to stakes wins in the fall of 2016, he piloted the colt to an authoritative win in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 11, 2017.

Two weeks later, Hernandez was aboard Girvin for his breakthrough win in the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds. He returned to guide Girvin to the winner’s circle in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby on April 1.

Hernandez's top horses during 2018-19 included 2018 Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades winner Restless Rider and 2019 Grade 3 Locust Grove Stakes winner Go Google Yourself. He continued to rank among the top riders at Churchill Downs, Fair Grounds, and Keeneland into the early 2020s, riding such notable horses as Grade 1 winner Rattle N Roll, Grade 2 winner Art Collector, and multiple graded stakes winner Tiz the Bomb. Hernandez teamed with trainer McPeek to win the Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland Stakes in 2023 with Defining Purpose.