Joe Hernandez Stakes

Glen Hill Farm's Caribou Club rang in 2019 in style, notching his first graded stakes win of the year in the $100,000 Joe Hernandez Stakes (G3T) Jan. 1 at Santa Anita Park. 

The City Zip gelding is keeping his win streak alive. 


After closing out 2018 with an impressive 1 1/4-length win in the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) Nov. 24 at Del Mar, Caribou Club and his regular rider, Joe Talamo, made winning their New Year's resolution Jan. 1 and promptly found their way to another victory. 

It was Conquest Tsunami who led the way from the gate in the 6 1/2-furlong race on the downhill turf, clicking off fractions of :20.92 and :42.10. Caribou Club initially brought up the rear, then chased three deep on the outside down the hill. 

The field hit the top of the stretch in 1:05.37 with Conquest Tsunami still on the lead by a length. Charging hard from the back, Caribou Club cut a path through the middle of the pack and over took Conquest Tsunami as they entered deep stretch. 

The winner survived a late run from 4-5 favorite and last out Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) winner Stormy Liberal, who charged up on the outside with a three-wide rally. The effort was not enough to overtake Caribou Club, who drew away to win by 1 1/4-lengths. The final time was 1:11.66. 

"He ran such a big race his last time out here at Santa Anita, down the hill," said Talamo, referencing the gelding's third in the Sept. 28 Eddie D Stakes (G3T). "They went quick early today, so he was further back, but when they go two turns, he can lay up a little closer. ... He's a really cool horse to ride."

Stormy Liberal took second followed by Conquest Tsunami in third. Cistron, Law Abidin Citizen, Calculator, Pubilius Syrus, and Afleet Ascent completed the order of finish. 

Midnight Storm
"It's nice to win a race," trainer Tom Proctor said. "I didn't know him personally, but Joe Hernandez was calling the races here when I was a kid. He was great. He definitely had a distinctive voice with kind of a Spanish influence."

Caribou Club returned $8.60, $3.60, and $2.40 on a $2 wager. He was bred in Florida by Glen Hill Farm out of the graded stakes-winning Broken Vow mare Broken Dreams, and improved his record to 7-2-4 from 17 starts, with $504,744 in earnings. 






JOE HERNANDEZ STAKES QUOTES-TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2019

JOCKEY QUOTES

JOE TALAMO, CARIBOU CLUB, WINNER: “He ran such a big race his last time out here at Santa Anita, down the hill. That turf was just so quick that day that it was hard for him to catch the leaders that day.

“What a cool horse. I’m really grateful to be able to ride for Tom and Glen Hill. He gives his best every time.

“I had a big smile on my face when Conquest Tsunami moved himself out turning for home opening the rail for me.

“He’s such a cool horse. I think six and-a-half to a mile, or a mile and a sixteenth…I think he can really do anything because of his style. They went quick early today, so he was further back, but when they go two turns he can lay up a little closer. Like I said, he’s a really cool horse to ride.”

TRAINER QUOTES

TOM PROCTOR, CARIBOU CLUB, WINNER:  “It’s nice to win a race.  I didn’t know him personally, but Joe Hernandez was calling the races here when I was a kid.  He was great.  He definitely had a distinctive voice with kind of a Spanish influence.”