Episode 5-2: From $25K Claiming to the Breeders' Cup Classic - Jose Hernandez, Math Wizard, & Wynwood Thoroughbreds

For The Love of The Game

You don’t have to be a math wizard to figure out Math Wizard was a great claim. Originally claimed by previous connections out of the same $16,000 maiden claimer that saw Maximum Security win by over 10 lengths, and again out of his next start, John Fanelli and trainer Saffie Joseph stepped up and tagged Math Wizard for $25,000 off a 18 ½-length win on January 31. New owner Fanelli (who won a seven-way shake that day) had obviously made a shrewd purchase and when he allowed some partners like Jose Hernandez of Wynwood Thoroughbreds to buy in after the claim, their modest investment went on to finish second in the Ohio Derby, third in the Indiana Derby, then pulled off a 31-1 shocker in the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Pennsylvania Derby in his last start. Those connections now find themselves entered in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita, running for the winner’s share of $6 million. If the ride seems too wild to believe, just listen to how Jose Hernandez describes it, with awe and gratitude in his voice. Originally a fan of horse racing in his native Dominican Republic, Hernandez, whose father was a small-time horse owner, enjoyed the weekend races with friends and family as a social event. When he moved to the United States in the late 1980’s, he followed the big races and trainers from afar, not allowing himself to attend live racing for fear of being bitten by the ownership “bug”. When his wife finally took him to Calder for their anniversary (on Kentucky Derby weekend, of course) in 2016, he couldn’t resist and had soon joined a group that claimed a filly named Esken Lady with Joseph. She won her first start by daylight in 1:35, then again on the class raise before finishing second in a Claiming Crown race that year. After his self-imposed ownership exile, Hernandez is now running his own Wynwood Thoroughbreds partnership, which is growing quickly, and credits Horsebills with helping him run his business. “The level of transparency allows our partners to see where they stand on a daily basis.” We appreciate the endorsement, Jose, and best of luck this weekend!