The Joe Hernandez Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged four years old or older over the distance of 6+1⁄2 furlongs on the turf scheduled annually in January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
The race was inaugurated in 2008[1] in honor of Joe Hernandez[2] (June 3, 1909 – February 2, 1972) the race caller at Santa Anita Park from the time the track opened on Christmas Day 1934 until he fainted at the microphone on 27 January, 1972.
[3] The 2015 running was also moved off the turf but by then Santa Anita Park had restored the natural dirt track.
[1] In 2020 the event was moved and run using the backstretch start at a distance of 5+1⁄2 furlongs on turf, and the following year the event was run on the newly extended backstretch and close to the former distance of 6+1⁄2 furlongs.
[3] The 2017 winner Stormy Liberal followed up winning the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and repeating that effort in 2018.