Juan Hernandez © Benoit Photo

Juan Hernandez and Bob Baffert have done it again. The two have successfully defended their titles in the jockey and trainer standings for the 2025 summer meet at Del Mar.

Ask any jockey the secret to success and they’ll tell you it’s catching on with a big stable. Juan Hernandez is Baffert’s first call rider and he benefited from it, winning 18 of his races riding for the Hall of Fame trainer.

For Hernandez it’s his fourth straight summer title. He jumped out to a 10 win lead in early August, aided by a six-win day on August 9. Ironically, the rider immediately behind him in the standings, Antonio Fresu, had seven runner-up finishes that same day. 

Fresu’s not one to back down from a good challenge and methodically he climbed back into the jockeys race, catching Hernandez on Sunday, August 30. Fresu won three of the first five races that day to tie Hernandez at 35 wins a piece. But Hernandez responded by winning three of the next six races to regain a lead he never relinquished. 

Hernandez finishes the year with 45 wins, eight better than Fresu. Rounding out the Top 10 in the jockey standings are Hector I. Berrios (26); Kazushi Kimura (23); Umberto Rispoli (23); Armando Ayuso (16); Diego Herrera (11); Ricardo Gonzalez (10); Tyler Baze (9); Kyle Frey (8) and Ruben Silvera (8).

Baffert has clinched his second consecutive summer trainers’ title at Del Mar. He won his 12th G1 Debutante and his 19th G1 Del Mar Futurity on closing weekend and finished with 24 victories, six better than trainers Mark Glatt and Peter Miller. 

For Baffert it’s his 10th trainers’ title overall at the seaside oval. He won seven in a row between 1997 and 2003 and he shared a title with Phil D’Amato in 2019. 

Rounding out the Top 10 trainers’ standings are Philip D’Amato (17); John Sadler (16); Michael McCarthy (14); George Papaprodromou (12); Peter Eurton (11); Jeff Mullins (9) and Richard Baltas (9).

The owners’ title for victories went to California-based Mia Familia Stable, which had six wins but it was the barn’s two seconds that broke the tie with Giddy JR. Mia Familia Stable is run by movie producer/conditioner Librado Barocio who trained the Top Sprinter of the summer meet Lovesick Blues, winner of the G1 Bing Crosby.

The owners title for earnings goes to Derrick Smith, Repole Stable, Michael B. Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier owners of Fierceness, who came out from New York and captured the G1 Pacific Classic. Their $600,000 winner’s share was enough to clinch the title.