No quiet time during quarantine for Woodbine jockey Rafael Hernandez

TORONTO — Being in quarantine doesn’t necessarily mean quiet time for jockey Rafael Hernandez.

The 35-year-old native of Puerto Rico returned to Canada on Tuesday after riding in the U.S. during the winter. As part of the COVID-19 protocol, Hernandez will spend 14 days in quarantine before being able to resume riding at Woodbine Racetrack, which remains on track to open its 2020 thoroughbred season June 6 without fans in the stands.

But having three children — two boys and one girl — aged 10 and younger keeps Hernandez and his wife busy. One positive is Hernandez says he’s been able to improve his culinary game.

“I learn a lot about what to do in the kitchen,” Hernandez said with a chuckle. “Yeah, I’m becoming a good cock.

“With three kids, we always have to do something. My wife and I, we help each other.”

It was a busy winter for Hernandez, who rode at both Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., and Fairmount Park in Collinsville, Ill.  In 64 starts, Hernandez finished in the money 26 times (10 wins, second eight times, third eight times) and amassed over US$132,000 in earnings.

“I rode to try and stay fit,” said Hernandez, who rode Shaman Ghost to victory in the ’15 Queen’s Plate. “When a trainer came asking if I could ride, I said, ‘OK, let’s go,’ and I’d go.

“Nothing serious, I didn’t stay for the whole meet. I always like to do something.”

Hernandez said he had to follow strict health and safety guidelines at the U.S. tracks, including routine temperature checks. At Fairmount Park, he was able to breeze horses daily, while jockeys couldn’t do so at Woodbine Racetrack until Wednesday.

And riding at Fairmount allowed Hernandez’s wife the chance to touch base with family living in nearby St. Louis.

“We take that trip together,” he said. “She visits her mother and sister.”

But Hernandez said, like many people worldwide, the pandemic has impacted his life and that of his family.

“My agent and I had plans early in the meet to go visit people,” he said. “Now, even agents aren’t able to show up at tracks but it’s like that for everyone in the world, not just me.

“But instead of remaining here and staying at home and doing nothing I wanted to try and stay fit. I was in St. Louis breezing horses. Every Saturday I got done eight, 10 horses.”

Since becoming a professional jockey at age 20, Hernandez has registered 2,585 career wins over 13,202 starts and amassed nearly $43 million in earnings.

Last year at Woodbine, Hernandez finished behind the recently retired Eurico Rosa da Silva in wins (164 compared to 182) and earnings ($5.7 million compared to $7.425) and second only to Kazushi Kimura in starts (822 compared to 863).

The amiable Da Silva’s departure will be felt throughout the jockey’s room at Woodbine. His absence will mean more quality mounts available and create a wide-open race for the rider’s title.

Hernandez said when he learned of da Silva’s decision, he actively tried talking him out of retirement.

“Actually, Rico and I have become good friends over the last three years,” Hernandez said. “When he first told me he was going to retire, I told him, ‘Don’t retire. You still dominate here. Why are you going to retire? Don’t do that.’

“He said, ‘No, I want to spend time with my family,’ and I’ll give you that. He has young kids and wants to spend time with them.”

When racing resumes at Woodbine, Hernandez and the other riders will see a reconfigured jockey’s room that will help them maintain social distancing. Jockeys will also have to wear masks from the time they enter the paddock until they reach the starting gates.

Hernandez is fine with such measures, adding safety is paramount for all involved in the horse-racing industry.

After finishing behind da Silva last year, Hernandez said he’d definitely like to capture the 2020 Woodbine rider’s crown. But he acknowledges there will be no shortage of quality jockeys aiming to achieve the same honour.

“It would be nice,” he said. “If you asked somebody and they said, ‘I don’t care,’ that’s not true.

“We are competitive guys, we like to win. Definitely, I like it and I want it. At the end of the day if you can’t that’s fine, but you always try your best.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15, 2020.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press