Joe Hernandez

Who was Joe Hernandez?

Joe Hernandez 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. During that time he called an incredible 15,587 races in a row. Over the course of his career his cry of “There they go!” echoed over a number of memorable races including Seabiscuit’s win in the 1940 Santa Anita Handicap and Johnny Longden’s last ride in 1966. His cry of “And here comes Malicious!” and “Silky Sullivan trails …” are remembered to this day.

Hernandez broke into the business of race calling in 1932, when 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.