Joe Hernandez Stakes
The Joe Hernandez Stakes is a Grade II 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. The race was inaugurated in 2008 in honor of Joe Hernandez "(June 3, 1909February 2, 1972)" the race caller at Santa Anita Park from the time the track opened on Christmas Day 1934 until he fainted at the microphone on 27 January, 1972. 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. Records. Speed record: Margins: Winners. Legend: