Motorious looks for repeat victory in Joe Hernandez

Weather could play a role in both the makeup of the field and the outcome of the December 29 Joe Hernandez Stakes (G2T). The race is scheduled for Santa Anita Park‘s downhill grass course, but heavy rain this week in Southern California that dumped more than 6 inches of precipitation has already postponed the track’s schedule. The storms are expected to subside in the evening of December 26 before skies clear over the weekend.

The Hernandez was originally scheduled for December 27 and the forecast for December 29 is a partly cloudy day.

Motor last year’s winner for owner Anthony Fanticola, comes from the barn of Phil D’Amato and leads a field of 10, five of whom are also eligible. Nine of the ten are grass specialists, while trainer Bob Baffert has stepped in Imagination who has never run on the turf and comes second in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1). He would like to start as a big favorite if the damp course has not dried out sufficiently and the Hernandez is moved to the main circuit.

Motorious, a 7 year old gelding son of Muharar has competed in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) three times, finishing second in 2024 and fifth in both 2023 and 2025. Between his Breeders’ Cup starts in 2024 and 2025, he went 3-for-3, won the Hernandez and the Daytona Stakes (G3T) down the hill and placed first after a disqualification after finishing second in the Green Flash Handicap (G3T) op Sea. His regular driver, Antonio Fresu, will be on board for the Hernandez.

In the Green Flash, Motorious was shuffled back to last place after the start and nose closed to miss.

“It’s pretty impressive to close out there flat-footed and make a run like that,” D’Amato said after the race. “The horse simply has a heart of gold.”

D’Amato, with which he also won the Hernandez in 2018 Pee Wee Reese has two other entries this time: Invincible Keen And The heaven of Sorrento . Unconquerable Keen has won the Stormy Liberal Stakes the past three years at Del Mar, while Sorrento Sky has placed in four stakes, including the last two Stormy Liberal runs.

Baffert won the 2010 Hernandez with Sangare when the race was moved to the main track, then a synthetic surface. Imagination, who finished second in the 2024 Santa Anita Derby (G1) and competed in that year’s Preakness (G1), captured the Santa Anita Sprint Championship on September 28 ahead of his Breeders’ Cup effort.

Gas me up most recently finished seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T). Peter Eurton trained him early in his career in California, then moved on to Kevin Attard in Canada, where he won the King Edward Stakes (G2T) on August 16 and was third in the Woodbine Mile (G1T) on September 13. Eurton is now training Gas Me Up again.

The rest of the field includes Summer And The powerful . Sumter, second to Motorious with a lead in the 2024 Hernandez, has twice won the one-mile Lure Stakes and recently finished seventh in the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T). El Potente, winner of the Feb. 1 Thunder Road Stakes (G3T), finished third in the Seabiscuit.