Ramon “Mike” Hernandez is recognized with a race in his name since retiring as a multi-decade trainer 11 years ago.
It has been nearly 11 years since Ramon “Mike” Hernandez has been in the Saratoga Race Course Winner’s Circle.
Since 2011, Hernandez has been enjoying retirement with his wife Mary, as well as their daughters Catherine Hernandez Hagney, Theresa Hernandez Schirmer and Mary Hernandez and grandchildren, after being a trainer for 60 years.
Mike Hernandez came back to the Saratoga Winner’s Circle on Aug. 5 for a race in his name while being recognized by many friends and colleagues from the backstretch and trackside that included long-time NYRA placing judge Sonny Taylor, valet and former jockey Nick Santagata, valet Harry Rice and trainer David Donk – just to name a few.
“I’ve met some great and beautiful people here. They have been great,” the 99-year-old Hernandez said. “Saratoga is great for everyone, not just me.”
Hernandez had been a long-time fixture on the Oklahoma Training Track with his Barn No. 76, which was located in between Hall of Fame trainers Bill Mott, Shug McGaughey, and the late Bobby Frankel during that time.
Over his multi-decade career that included 603 winners from 5,418 starters for more than $18.8 million, Hernandez had many New York-bred horses that won stakes races at Saratoga: Fratello Ed, Classic Pack, Adirondack Holme, Cassie’s Birthday, Dedicated Rullah, Ransom’s Pride, Poniard and Restrainor.
There was even Chester and Mary Broman’s Beautiful America, who convincingly won her first career start at Saratoga before taking the Joseph A. Gimma, Maid of the Mist and Fifth Avenue Stakes, which earned her the New York-bred 2-year-old filly title in 2002.
Born in Mexico, Hernandez started as a groom at Hippodromo de las Americas in Mexico City at the age of 18. He got his training license in 1951 and shortly after had his first winner Flying Queen. After coming to the United States in 1967, Hernandez managed Clermont Farm in Germantown, NY in 1975. Spending eight years at Clermont, Hernandez left that position to train for several owners that included the Bromans.
Prior to his retirement, Hernandez was the oldest active trainer on the NYRA circuit. His last Saratoga winner was Sept. 5, 2011 with Tug of War, a gelding who was also his last career winner on Nov. 18, 2011, about nine days before he saddled his last horse Skinnydipper at Aqueduct.
Over the years, anyone who knows Hernandez quickly acknowledge his compassion as both a horseman and individual, which was one of the reasons many of his stable help and owners stayed with him.
“He is always a sweet guy,” said Terry Martinez, who has known Hernandez for more than 40 years through galloping horses. “He always recognizes people and knows their children. He’s a very caring individual and such a good horseman. People who worked for him stayed with him for a long time. He was the best guy to work for.”
That reflected Chester Broman’s statement which was published in Blood Horse on Dec. 1, 2011: “There’s no one that doesn’t like Mike. He first started training for me 14 years ago when I purchased the farm; he was set to retire then, but changed his mind. He’s as good a horseman as any.”
Taylor, who was timing workouts in the 1960s and 1970s, believe a lot of stable help, owners, and other people from the racetrack gravitated toward Hernandez that went beyond his persona as a horseman and individual.
“He had a lot of guys who came from Mexico,” Taylor said. “Because he was from Mexico, he could communicate to the help so easily since he spoke both English and Spanish, and he was fluent in both. That’s a big help.”
“He also had certain owners that stayed with him forever,” Taylor added. “He got along with most of the owners, and he had success with them. He won races and was consistent with them. He was nice and friendly to everyone. I have never heard a bad thing about Mike. Even when he was kidding around the clocker stand, everyone liked him. He would make you laugh. I think that attracted them.”
Catherine Hernandez Hagney knows the impact her father had on everyone.
“Everybody from the grooms to the jockeys know him,” she said. “There was one person who said to me if it hadn’t been for my father, he wouldn’t have sent his daughters to college. He gave him his first job, gave him food, and gave him clothes.”
Today, like many people who have retired from New York racing, Mike Hernandez lives in Saratoga Springs. After his retirement, he and his wife Mary sold their home in Long Island to live on the West Side of Saratoga Springs.
Even though Hernandez and his wife Mary briefly travel to Boynton Beach, Fla., not far from the Palm Meadows Training Center and Gulfstream Park, for the winter, Saratoga Springs has become an ideal home since his daughters and grandchildren live within the larger Capital Region.
“We have been here for a long time,” the elder Mary Hernandez said. “We bought a home here and decided to stay. We sold our condo on Long Island. We have one daughter who lives in Saratoga. One lives in Rhinebeck and the other one lives in Saugerties. We have two grandchildren who live here. Our daughter [Catherine] takes him around the track so he can see people.”
Even after retiring more than a decade ago, Hernandez is still grateful for his professional and personal experience as a trainer, especially at Saratoga.
“It has been very good to me,” he said. “It has been great to win some races up here. You can’t beat Saratoga.”
