Joe Hernandez (June 3, 1909 â€" February 2, 1972) was the voice of
Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, from the time the track
opened on Christmas Day 1934 until he fainted at the microphone on
January 27, 1972. It was reported 28 February 2016 on the TVG
horseracing channel that Hernandez had been kicked by a horse earlier
and died while calling a race at Santa Anita Park. During that time,
he called 15,587 races in a row. Over the course of his career, his
cry of "There they go!" echoed over a number of notable races
including Seabiscuit’s win in the 1940 Santa Anita Handicap and
Johnny Longden’s last ride in 1966. His cries of "And here comes
Malicious!" and "Silky Sullivan trails …" are remembered to this
day.Hernandez broke into the business of race calling in 1927 for Agua
Caliente Racetrack at Tijuana, being developed by the first-ever race
caller, Steward George Schilling, who on 5 February 1927 called the
first race at the Mexican track. In 1932, he became the first race
caller at Tanforan. In the coming years, he became the premiere race
caller on the West Coast, at a time when most Mexicans and Mexican
Americans were being repatriated to Mexico due to America's Great
Depression. In the late 1930s, Alfred Vanderbilt, Jr. hired Hernandez
to call the races at Pimlico Race Course and Belmont Park. While
there, Hernandez encountered some discrimination when he was seen in
public with his wife Pearl, an Anglo-American. In 1950, Hernandez
called the Kentucky Derby for fans at Churchill Downs. A recording of
his call was later distributed to over 60,000 racing fans.Hernandez
was not only a race caller; he was a highly respected sportswriter,
handicapper, jockey and buyers agent, radio and television producer,
music composer, actor, athlete, and philanthropist. He also owned a
number of businesses related to horse racing. For example, he owned
his own film patrol company (a company that recorded races in order to
determine if a foul was committed during a race). Hernandez also
imported, owned, and raced Thoroughbreds under his own silks. The most
noted race horse to run under his colors was Cougar II, a Chilean
import who was inaugurated into Thoroughbred horse racing's Hall of
Fame in 2006.A bronze bust of Hernandez was unveiled at Santa Anita on
December 26, 1974. The piece rests at the bottom of the track's main
grandstand entrance. Santa Anita track officials decided to place the
piece here so Hernandez could be close to his fans, and they to him.
As Rudolph Alvarado noted in his biography on Hernandez (The Untold
Story of Joe Hernandez: The Voice of Santa Anita), "From here the bust
would also serve to introduce Joe, and what he meant to Santa Anita to
future racing fans. Most importantly, placed here, Joe’s gaze would
always fall on his beloved Santa Anita."
Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, from the time the track
opened on Christmas Day 1934 until he fainted at the microphone on
January 27, 1972. It was reported 28 February 2016 on the TVG
horseracing channel that Hernandez had been kicked by a horse earlier
and died while calling a race at Santa Anita Park. During that time,
he called 15,587 races in a row. Over the course of his career, his
cry of "There they go!" echoed over a number of notable races
including Seabiscuit’s win in the 1940 Santa Anita Handicap and
Johnny Longden’s last ride in 1966. His cries of "And here comes
Malicious!" and "Silky Sullivan trails …" are remembered to this
day.Hernandez broke into the business of race calling in 1927 for Agua
Caliente Racetrack at Tijuana, being developed by the first-ever race
caller, Steward George Schilling, who on 5 February 1927 called the
first race at the Mexican track. In 1932, he became the first race
caller at Tanforan. In the coming years, he became the premiere race
caller on the West Coast, at a time when most Mexicans and Mexican
Americans were being repatriated to Mexico due to America's Great
Depression. In the late 1930s, Alfred Vanderbilt, Jr. hired Hernandez
to call the races at Pimlico Race Course and Belmont Park. While
there, Hernandez encountered some discrimination when he was seen in
public with his wife Pearl, an Anglo-American. In 1950, Hernandez
called the Kentucky Derby for fans at Churchill Downs. A recording of
his call was later distributed to over 60,000 racing fans.Hernandez
was not only a race caller; he was a highly respected sportswriter,
handicapper, jockey and buyers agent, radio and television producer,
music composer, actor, athlete, and philanthropist. He also owned a
number of businesses related to horse racing. For example, he owned
his own film patrol company (a company that recorded races in order to
determine if a foul was committed during a race). Hernandez also
imported, owned, and raced Thoroughbreds under his own silks. The most
noted race horse to run under his colors was Cougar II, a Chilean
import who was inaugurated into Thoroughbred horse racing's Hall of
Fame in 2006.A bronze bust of Hernandez was unveiled at Santa Anita on
December 26, 1974. The piece rests at the bottom of the track's main
grandstand entrance. Santa Anita track officials decided to place the
piece here so Hernandez could be close to his fans, and they to him.
As Rudolph Alvarado noted in his biography on Hernandez (The Untold
Story of Joe Hernandez: The Voice of Santa Anita), "From here the bust
would also serve to introduce Joe, and what he meant to Santa Anita to
future racing fans. Most importantly, placed here, Joe’s gaze would
always fall on his beloved Santa Anita."
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