Local Rider Earns Jockey Of The Week Honors

If you follow the sport of horse racing at sometime during your journey you will be connected with Evangeline Downs. Evangeline Downs, Acadiana's home track, is truly a birthplace of legends. Many of us long time observers of sport can remember Kent Desormeaux, Calvin Borel, Shane Sellers, and many others who took cut their teeth on the track either in Carencro or Opelousas.

It looks as if another Louisiana jockey is set to make an even bigger name for himself in the world of horse racing. Colby Hernandez is the leading rider at Evangeline Downs for this young season. He was just honored by the Jockey's Guild as Rider of the Week.

A press release from Evangeline Downs explains how the winner of the award is chosen.

The Jockeys’ Guild Jockey of the Week is selected by a vote of representatives of America’s Best Racing, the Daily Racing Form, Equibase, the Jockeys’ Guild, the Paulick Report, the Thoroughbred Daily News, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, National Turf Writers and Broadcasters, Thoroughbred Racing Associations, and Turf Publicists of America.

It's very easy to see why Hernandez was chosen for this honor. At Evangeline Downs there is no jockey that is hotter. He was aboard 13 winners last week. His current winning percentage at the track is 38% and his in the money percentage is 64%. That is simply hard to believe.

Hernandez, a native of Lafayette, was expected to be aboard War Story in this weekend's Belmont Stakes however the connections with War Story have decided to run him in the Ohio Derby instead. Hernandez will retain the mount and ride in Ohio instead of New York.