652:, quoting him as saying "how many kids would do that, pay their own money to go from Florida to the Coast on a chance he could get work?" and adding, "I've got to stick with that kind of boy." Fernandez finished a very credible third on Steinbrenner's longshot colt Steve's Friend which paid bettors $ 16 to show.
629:
Overall, Ruben
Hernandez enjoyed some success during his first four years racing in the United States. However, a game-changing win came in 1977 through a belief in himself that he could compete with the very best and he paid out of his own pocket the costs to travel from Florida to California with a
719:
having only made his first start in late April as a result of a serious eye injury which had cut short his racing at age two. Prior to entering the 1-1/2 mile
Belmont Stakes, Coastal had raced only three times that year. He won all three under Ruben Hernandez but at short distances of six then seven
744:. Coastal was sitting in fourth place and made his move, passing those three horses to take the lead at the top of the stretch. At the end, Coastal won by 3-1/4 lengths over Golden Act with Spectacular Bid third.
695:
The following year Ruben
Hernandez rode from a base in New York state where he won numerous top level stakes. He ended 1978 with 172 wins from 992 starts for a 17% winning rate. He also traveled to
979:
703:. A prestigious annual race for three-year-old horses hosted by one of the various Caribbean racetracks, the December 10, 1978, Clásico was run at Hippodromo El Nuevo Comandante.
689:
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498:
1179:
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1096:
613:
where he would win 1,412 races before emigrating to the United States. There, he would initially race at tracks in
Florida, getting his first significant win at
728:
at a 1-1/8 miles. At the 1-1/4 mile point in the
Belmont, Spectacular Bid was leading the eight-horse field by three lengths over Kentucky Derby runner-up
1043:
1000:
903:
1174:
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882:
770:
349:
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815:
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294:
659:. Sent off as a 34-1 longshot, Hernandez guided Steve's Friend to a 3/4 length come-from-behind victory over Affiliate and
299:
655:
On April 17, Ruben
Hernandez and Steve's Friend gave Steinbrenner his biggest victory in racing when they won the Grade 1
269:
777:
wrote that winning jockey Ruben
Hernandez had "made some of the best riders in America look like woeful incompetents."
677:
who had won the Santa Anita Derby. Steve's Friend won in a stakes record time of 1:47 4-5 for the 1-1/8 miles on dirt.
1164:
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102:
1123:
1169:
836:
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For 1979, Hernandez would earn what would be a career-high 209 wins from 1,129 starts for a winning rate of 19%.
319:
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199:
1068:
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389:
234:
132:
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788:
542:
464:
459:
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to be run March 27. The admiration the action of
Fernandez engendered from Steinbrenner was reported by
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491:
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Ruben
Hernandez began riding Thoroughbreds in his native Panama at the HipĂłdromo Presidente RemĂłn in
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239:
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During his career
Hernandez won riding titles on racetracks in New York state and Florida.
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Returning East, Steve's Friend with Hernandez in the saddle again, ran fifth in the
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Ruben Hernandez rode for the last time on November 22, 1997, at
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purpose. There, he approached John Fulton, trainer for the
642:, and asked to ride their colt in the prestigious Grade 1
699:
to ride and win with the Mexican horse Ezgarta in the
977:
Slew Comes Through; 4-Length Romp Seals Triple Crown
839:. The New York Times, Section 5, page 1. 1982-04-11
773:, the widely respected writer and developer of the
711:In 1979, three-year-old Coastal did not run in the
634:owned by the notoriously hard-hearted owner of the
512:
72:
60:
38:
28:
21:
883:"OTB Halts Bowie Bets Indefinitely – At Hilaeah"
625:George Steinbrenner and a jockey's initiative
8:
925:"Steinbrenner colt runs better than Yankees"
18:
1180:Panamanian emigrants to the United States
1124:"Midwest Derby Taps Million-Dollar Field"
906:. The New York Times, page 39. 1977-03-28
885:. The New York Times, page 44. 1975-01-23
1017:"Suddenly, Bid Has Belmont Competition"
858:"Take Off Takes Off on Hialeah's Grass"
800:
182:
673:lengths ahead of third-place finisher
621:, a race he would win again in 1975.
816:"Ruben Hernandez - Career Statistics"
810:
808:
806:
804:
7:
1097:"Noble Nashua Races Away With Cup"
350:Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap
14:
837:"The Last Ride of Amado Credidio"
580:in which he defeated that year's
168:Flower Bowl Invitational Handicap
998:Clasico Internacional del Caribe
904:"Habitony Scores In Coast Derby"
740:winner and Preakness runner-up,
701:Clásico Internacional del Caribe
592:thereby denying him the coveted
572:best known for winning the 1979
492:Clásico Internacional del Caribe
59:
818:. Equibase Co, LLC. 2021-06-24
118:Monmouth Invitational Handicap
1:
1175:Sportspeople from Panama City
179:Other graded/stakes race wins
1069:"111th Running-1979-Coastal"
561:(born November 21, 1950, in
300:New York Breeders' Futurity
103:Coaching Club American Oaks
1196:
1003:February 18, 2009, at the
950:"Chart of Hollywood Derby"
624:
982:October 29, 2013, at the
517:
290:John B. Campbell Handicap
77:
769:winning the prestigious
732:who was followed by the
465:Princess Rooney Handicap
212:(1976, 1978, 1979, 1981)
200:Fall Highweight Handicap
975:New York Daily News.com
390:Bernard Baruch Handicap
380:Sheepshead Bay Handicap
235:Affectionately Handicap
133:Belmont Futurity Stakes
1044:"Coastal Wins Belmont"
789:Miami Gardens, Florida
460:Salvator Mile Handicap
370:Molly Pitcher Handicap
956:, page 51. 1977-04-18
931:, page 25. 1977-04-18
617:in the April 3, 1974
315:Rare Perfume Handicap
153:Marlboro Cup Handicap
1050:, page 1. 1979-06-10
751:A very capable rider
335:Hollie Hughes Stakes
320:Westchester Handicap
225:Long Island Handicap
195:Black Helen Handicap
79:Grade 1 stakes wins:
68:2,224 United States)
66:(1,412, Panama &
1102:The Washington Post
1022:The Washington Post
707:Winning the Belmont
682:1977 Kentucky Derby
649:The Washington Post
640:George Steinbrenner
619:Palm Beach Handicap
567:Thoroughbred racing
563:Panama City, Panama
488:International wins:
475:First Lady Handicap
435:Sam F. Davis Stakes
415:Stuyvesant Handicap
280:Damon Runyon Stakes
275:Correction Handicap
185:Palm Beach Handicap
158:Top Flight Handicap
55:Panama City, Panama
1165:Panamanian jockeys
1048:The New York Times
954:The New York Times
785:Calder Race Course
775:Beyer Speed Figure
513:Significant horses
445:Miss Grillo Stakes
440:San Vicente Stakes
425:Cotillion Handicap
405:Hill Prince Stakes
400:Hempstead Handicap
237:(1978, 1980, 1981)
210:Next Move Handicap
1076:belmontstakes.com
996:clasicocaribe.org
929:The Vancouver Sun
690:U.S. Triple Crown
684:in what would be
644:Santa Anita Derby
594:U.S. Triple Crown
556:
555:
499:U.S. Triple Crown
480:Palm Beach Stakes
470:Virginia Handicap
455:Toboggan Handicap
305:Paumonok Handicap
250:Demoiselle Stakes
230:New York Handicap
143:Brooklyn Handicap
73:Major racing wins
49:November 21, 1950
16:Panamanian jockey
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1170:American jockeys
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730:General Assembly
726:Peter Pan Stakes
724:followed by the
717:Preakness Stakes
672:
671:
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664:
636:New York Yankees
586:Preakness Stakes
535:Majesty's Prince
430:Display Handicap
365:Ballerina Stakes
325:Athenia Handicap
310:Peter Pan Stakes
240:Bay Shore Stakes
190:Jamaica Handicap
113:Champagne Stakes
52:
48:
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24:
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758:Washington Post
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709:
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657:Hollywood Derby
638:baseball team,
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607:
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590:Spectacular Bid
565:) is a retired
559:Ruben Hernandez
503:
490:
485:
478:
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468:
463:
458:
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450:Stymie Handicap
448:
443:
438:
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395:Forego Handicap
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295:Juvenile Stakes
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285:Geisha Handicap
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270:Albany Handicap
268:
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255:Shuvee Handicap
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215:Astarita Stakes
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205:Jerome Handicap
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173:Vosburgh Stakes
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148:Flamingo Stakes
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108:Maskette Stakes
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88:Hollywood Derby
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83:Frizette Stakes
81:
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23:Ruben Hernandez
22:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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738:Arkansas Derby
713:Kentucky Derby
708:
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686:Seattle Slew's
632:Kinsman Stable
626:
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603:
601:
598:
582:Kentucky Derby
574:Belmont Stakes
554:
553:
543:Pearl Necklace
527:Lakeville Miss
515:
514:
510:
509:
505:Belmont Stakes
484:
483:
420:Tempted Stakes
385:Yaddo Handicap
375:New York Derby
360:Whitney Stakes
355:Tidal Handicap
345:Sanford Stakes
330:Gazelle Stakes
178:
177:
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163:American Derby
138:Hopeful Stakes
128:Beldame Stakes
123:Alabama Stakes
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1128:The Oklahoman
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604:
600:Racing career
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410:Nashua Stakes
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346:
341:
340:Morven Stakes
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245:Comely Stakes
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98:Selima Stakes
94:
93:Matron Stakes
89:
84:
80:
76:
71:
63:
56:
51:(age 73)
41:
37:
34:
31:
27:
20:
1132:. Retrieved
1130:. 1988-10-14
1118:
1107:. Retrieved
1105:. 1981-09-20
1100:
1091:
1080:. Retrieved
1078:. 1942-06-27
1075:
1063:
1052:. Retrieved
1038:
1027:. Retrieved
1025:. 1979-06-09
1020:
1011:
995:
990:
974:
969:
958:. Retrieved
944:
933:. Retrieved
919:
908:. Retrieved
898:
887:. Retrieved
877:
866:. Retrieved
864:. 1974-04-04
862:Miami Herald
852:
841:. Retrieved
831:
820:. Retrieved
782:
779:
771:Marlboro Cup
767:Noble Nashua
763:Andrew Beyer
756:
754:
746:
710:
694:
679:
654:
647:
628:
615:Hialeah Park
608:
558:
557:
539:Noble Nashua
497:
496:
487:
486:
467:(1991, 1992)
387:(1981, 1982)
337:(1980, 1984)
332:(1980, 1981)
312:(1979, 1981)
307:(1979, 1981)
282:(1979, 1980)
272:(1979, 1980)
267:(1978, 1979)
262:(1978, 1979)
260:Swift Stakes
257:(1978, 1981)
252:(1978, 1984)
232:(1977, 1978)
222:(1977, 1979)
220:Dwyer Stakes
187:(1974, 1975)
110:(1978, 1982)
78:
1155:1950 births
697:Puerto Rico
611:Panama City
523:Dance Spell
265:Test Stakes
61:Career wins
1149:Categories
1134:2021-06-01
1109:2021-06-01
1082:2021-06-22
1054:2021-06-26
1029:2021-06-27
960:2021-06-30
935:2021-06-30
910:2021-06-30
889:2020-06-30
868:2020-06-30
843:2021-06-27
822:2021-06-24
795:References
755:In a 1981
742:Golden Act
45:1950-11-21
29:Occupation
761:story by
734:Louisiana
605:The start
547:Tap Shoes
531:Love Sign
1001:Archived
980:Archived
722:furlongs
675:Habitony
668:⁄
588:winner
578:Coastal
576:aboard
519:Coastal
482:(1997)
175:(1982)
765:about
692:year.
570:jockey
551:Tiller
507:(1979)
494:(1978)
477:(1993)
472:(1992)
462:(1989)
457:(1987)
452:(1987)
447:(1987)
442:(1986)
437:(1985)
432:(1984)
427:(1984)
422:(1983)
417:(1982)
412:(1982)
407:(1982)
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392:(1982)
382:(1981)
377:(1981)
372:(1981)
367:(1981)
362:(1980)
357:(1980)
352:(1980)
347:(1980)
342:(1980)
327:(1980)
322:(1979)
317:(1979)
302:(1979)
297:(1979)
292:(1979)
287:(1979)
277:(1979)
247:(1978)
242:(1978)
227:(1977)
217:(1977)
207:(1976)
202:(1976)
197:(1976)
192:(1976)
170:(1982)
165:(1982)
160:(1981)
155:(1981)
150:(1981)
145:(1981)
140:(1980)
135:(1980)
130:(1980)
125:(1980)
120:(1979)
115:(1979)
105:(1978)
100:(1977)
95:(1977)
90:(1977)
85:(1977)
33:Jockey
1072:(PDF)
688:1977
501:wins:
64:3,636
736:and
715:and
584:and
39:Born
791:.
787:in
1151::
1126:.
1099:.
1074:.
1046:.
1019:.
952:.
927:.
860:.
803:^
596:.
549:,
545:,
541:,
537:,
533:,
529:,
525:,
521:,
47:)
1137:.
1112:.
1085:.
1057:.
1032:.
963:.
938:.
913:.
892:.
871:.
846:.
825:.
670:2
666:1
663:+
661:3
43:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.