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The Netflix docuseries, ‘Race for the Crown,’ presents an engrossing exploration of the horse racing sport, particularly through the race series, the famed Triple Crown. As the show follows several individuals with stakes in the 2024 racing season—be it as horse owners, trainers, or jockeys—the narrative gets a cohesive and exciting deep dive into the sport industry. Among the various participants, jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. emerges as a particularly intriguing figure, as he snags a double win at the Kentucky Derby and Oaks. These wins serve as notable milestones in a long and ever-expanding career full of many achievements and more to come!
Brian Hernandez Jr. is Hoping For Another Kentucky Derby and Oaks Win
Since he began his thoroughbred horse racing career in 2003, Brian Joseph Hernandez Jr. has blazed an impressive path with over 2,500 victories to his name. In 2024, he made history by winning the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby back to back. This marked the first time since 2009 that a jockey had achieved such a feat. In the aftermath, the jockey even donated one of his riding boots, which sports white paint on it from a brush with the rail, to the Kentucky Derby Museum. Hernandez Jr. then teamed up with famous trainer Kenny McPeek and his horses, Thorpedo Anna and Mystik Dan, during this Triple Crown run.
However, as reports suggest, Hernandez Jr. is said to be pairing up with Ian Wilkes, riding Burnham Square into the Kentucky Derby. “It’s the ultimate goal in our profession. Any time you ask a jockey their ultimate goal, the first thing is to ride (in) the Kentucky Derby,” Hernandez Jr. told Blood Horse while discussing his future plans. “Once you ride it a few times, you get it in the back of your head, ‘I want to win the Kentucky Derby.’ Once you do it once, though, it makes you hungry, and you want to do it every year.” As such, the jockey seems eager once again to take on the Derby racetracks at Churchill Downs to hopefully continue a stellar winning streak.
Brian Hernandez Jr. and Thorpedo Anna Continue to Make a Winning Duo
While the Derby remains a significant perpetual aspiration on the horizon for Brian Hernandez Jr., the jockey’s career stays fruitful in other spheres as well. Notably, his partnership with Kenny McPeek’s mare Thorpedo Anna continues to remain highly successful, bringing equal prominence and notoriety to the duo’s names. 2024 itself brought a number of celebrated wins for the horse-rider pair, including a Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks title, an entrance into the Cotillion Stakes champions club, and a win at the G1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff and Azeri Stakes. Thorpedo Anna’s majestic performance throughout the year even earned her the title of US Horse of the Year at the Eclipse Awards.
2025 has brought much of the same success for Thorpedo Anna and her frequent rider, Hernandez Jr., who competed in the G1 Apple Blossom Handicap race in April. Simultaneously, the jockey also continues to reach great heights with various other steeds. Across late 2024 and early 2025, he scored wins at the G2 Clark Stakes and the G1 Blue Grass Stakes with Burnham Square and Rattle N Roll, respectively. His skillful run so far has been recognized by his peers through accolades like the 2024 Mike Venezia Memorial award and Jockey Of The Week Title in 2025. Therefore, it seems the rider has strapped himself in for a rollercoaster ride that is only on its way up!
The Hernandez Family Remains a Pillar of Support for Brian
While Brian Hernandez Jr.’s shining career continues to keep him in the limelight, the married father of three prefers to keep his family life in Simpsonville, Kentucky, more private. Still, his social media channels are filled with snapshots of happy memories and moments. For instance, in 2024, even after a trip to Saratoga for a competition resulted in a loss, the jockey enjoyed his time by turning the visit into a mini-getaway with his wife, Jamie, and his kids. Furthermore, he has also found a kindred spirit when it comes to horse-riding in his oldest daughter, Joshlyn.
Joshlyn and her horse, Indie, recently won a first-place recognized horse trial for the rider in Lexington, Kentucky. Hernandez Jr. himself found his love for the sport after watching his father, who was also a jockey in Louisiana. As such, his daughter’s piqued interest in the sport is bound to invite moments of joyous reminiscence for the rider. On the other hand, he also got the opportunity to throw a first pitch with his son, Ben, at a Louisville Bats game in 2024. Be it instances like these or family-wide Mardi Gras celebrations, Hernandez Jr. and his family continue to make many happy memories together!
Brian Hernandez Jr. is Generous with His Philanthropy
Along with being proud and grateful for the public acclaim his career has brought him, Brian Hernandez Jr. also continues using his elevated platform to advocate for social issues and charities. In 2024, he pledged $100 during the Churchill Downs’ Backside Learning Center’s Give for Good Louisville charity event. Furthermore, he offered to match the public’s donations for a set period in order to encourage awareness and visibility for the cause.
Likewise, Hernandez Jr. is also a patron for Fair Grounds’ New Vocations Race Horse Adoption. In order to raise awareness for aftercare, he donated 10% of his earnings in late 2024, encouraging his social media followers to support the organization. Most recently, he teamed up with Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, signing over 300 bottles of Limited Edition Signature Woodford Reserve Bottles for charity. Thus, it’s evident that the jockey is passionate about giving back to the community as well as the racehorses that he so often shares the tracks with.
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