It’s with a heavy heart to share that our beloved Ramon Miguel “Mike Hernandez” passed away Sunday, November 6.
Mike Hernandez was New York’s oldest active trainer on the New York Racing Association circuit before retiring at age 87 in November of 2011.
Born in Union de San Antonio Jalisco, Mexico, on January 19, 1923, Mike first got into racing in 1944 when the Hipodromo de las Americas opened in Mexico City. He took out his trainer’s license in 1951 and after a prominent career in Mexico, moved permanently to the United States. With the help of mentors and friends like Cecil Locklear, Laz Barrera, Pancho Martin, Mike got his start managing Clermont Farms in Germantown, NY before opening a public stable of his own in 1976.
In partnership with owner Dominick DeLuke, Mike brought New York breds to the forefront of racing, with stakes winners like Fratello Ed, Sir Prove It and Vandy Sue, who won the New York Breeders’ Futurity and Finger Lakes Futurity in 1976, during his first full year of training in the U.S. and gave him his lone graded stakes victory in the 1978 Distaff at Aqueduct.
His other stakes winners include Classic Pack, Adirondack Holme, Artistic Express, Beautiful America and so many more. “It was the horses, always the horses,” Mike said. “I always loved them and loved the farm. My life has been with animals. It hasn’t been easy but thank God we’ve been lucky to do the best we can.”
In his last year of training, Mike left Saratoga on closing day with a winner, Tug of War, co-owned with his close friend Jeffery Raine and trained by his mentee and longtime friend, the late Domonic Galluscio. “New York breds were his specialty. I was lucky to just be around the guy for the last fifteen years of his life,” Raine said.
According to Daily Racing Form statistics, he won 603 races from 5,419 starters, and his horses earned $18.8 million in purse money in the U.S. alone.
He left this world peacefully surrounded by his family. “We played Call to Post, we told him it was ‘riders up’ while singing his favorite songs,” his family said. They brought Mike’s body on Sunday afternoon to Saratoga and barn 76 where Mike had been stabled for years. He gave us a beautiful sunset for his last “race” on the Oklahoma training track.
If there’s one word to describe Mike, it’s magical. For anyone lucky enough to have met him, they would tell you how special he was. He had a kind heart and made friends wherever he went. Everyone knew Mike.
“Whenever we’d take Dad to the track, we heard endless stories about him starting careers and helping so many families without asking for anything in return. He was selfless and found happiness in other peoples’ achievements,” said his daughters.
He worked hard, he was honest and authentic. He served as a moral compass for his family and friends. His tenacity, strength, heart, and humor will transcend through those he leaves behind. He was our angel here on earth.
Mike is survived by his wife of seventy-one years, Mary; his three daughters, Teresa (Charles) Schirmer, Cathalene Hagney and Mary (George) Segarra; his son Michael Bowles; his four sisters, Lupe, Amparo, Carmen and Matilde; his brother Carlos; over one hundred nieces and nephews.
What a beautiful race, Mike. We’ll see you at the winner’s circle.
A Celebration of life for Mike will be held at the Saratoga Racetrack, summer of 2023.
