Mystik Dan's jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. reacts to winning the 150th Kentucky Derby | ESPN

The jockey of Mystik Dan, Brian Hernandez Jr., speaks with the media following winning the 2024 Kentucky Derby and discusses what it means to him.
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[@lindahermstad5375]

Brian Hernandez ; superb jockey and you can tell a sweet man wonderful !!!

[@genewest8426]

Congratulations Brian what a race!🎉

[@thespritzwithpopfritz68]

Congratulations to a lifetime of hardwork

[@pokerface8242]

Have been a fan of Brian Hernandez since he won the Breeders Cup Classic with Fort Larned in 2012. There aren't many jocks who have won the Oaks/Derby double on the same weekend. Excellent ride saving ground and squeezing through on the rail. Congratulations Brian!

[@Oscardatruth]

Brian Hernandez won the Kentucky oaks Friday too Great jockey 🏇🏻 🔥🔥🧹

[@bluegreyfogg]

🔥🔥👀……for sure!

[@christytach]

Congratulations! I bet on you to Win it. You were on my mind all week Mystik Dan. Great race my friends!

[@pupuheaddog777]

You seem like a genuine sweet man, again, Best Wishes for you, CONGRATULATIONS ❤❤❤

[@JustMe-gs9xi]

Brian Hernandez,,, BRAVO!!!! What a Incredible Ride,, But The FINISH!,,,, WOW!! I WILL remember this 2024 race a LONG TIME. Great Great Race,,,, BY A NOSE!

[@Hannah.hp.]

Congratulations Brian and Mystik Dan ❤

[@pupuheaddog777]

So Happy for you Brian, congratulations 🎉❤🐎🏇

[@bbg3.]

Won my dad big! Thanks man

[@bowwow7505]

Bless you and your family, horse racing is not an easy life, you have to love it. Congrats

[@randlesmith1000]

What Brian accomplished with the Oaks and Derby will never be repeated in my lifetime! Just Two superb rides for a very humble man. Would love to own a horse with Brian in the saddle .

[@claycampbell7901]

What a marvelous ride by Brian !!

[@randallrhoads3271]

so happy for Brian Hernandez..the last of the few great American jockeys even left in racing. If i had a special 3 year old, i wouldn't hesistate to put Hernandez on him...top notch rider, no doubt.

[@brendaross7955]

Congrads to you good race

[@tompiper1480]

Great finish

[@bluegreyfogg]

Sir, you just won on Torpedo Anna….. and then again on Mystik Dan, wow! Enjoy it!

[@monacremona2217]

Congratulations 🎊 it was a wonderful race.

[@danielnunez-dc2sb]

Congratulations Brian 🎉

[@maribelfain9342]

Mystic Dan good job congratulations hooping for triple crown 👑 2024❤

[@BackinaFlash2010]

It's endeed a privilege as a jockey to have a trainer in your side and support us Mister Mcpeek class act !!!

[@spotlight1220]

Congratulations 🏆🇺🇸

[@avagrego3195]

Congratulations

[@lindabaldridge4438]

💜💜💜

[@richardcoreno]

Borail has passed the Twin Spires inside run to B-rail.

[@richardcoreno]

The Kentucky Derby will have a golden spot in Sports Americana.

[@TeamDaemon1980]

*I* *lost* *$8.20* Even when I win, I lose money! 🤣 But it’s cool. Still had a great time. Felt great to cash tickets for the first time after 6 years. My Wagers $40 Win on #8 Just A Touch $20 Place on #2 Sierra Leone and #8 JAT $20 Show on #2 Sierra Leone and #8 JAT Spent $120. Got back $111.80… 🤣 Hence, the loss of $8.20. Then on my Bovada, I spent $50 on wagers earlier today parlaying the Derby winner with NBA conference champions. Dornoch Celtics wins East/Nugs wins West = $5.89 Celtics wins East/TWolves wins West = $2.86 Mystik Dan Celtics/Nuggets = $2 Celtics/TWolves = $1 Catching Freedom Celtics/Nuggets win it all 🏆 = $2.23 Celtics/TWolves win it all🏆 = $1 Catalytic Celtics/Nuggets = $1 Celtics/TWolves = $1 Just Steel Celtics/Nuggets = $1.29 Celtics/TWolves = $1 Honor Marie Celtics/Nuggets = $2 Celtics/TWolves = $1 T O Password Celtics/Nuggets = $1 Celtics/TWolves = $1 Forever Young Celtics/Nuggets 🏆 = $2.45 Celtics/TWolves 🏆 = $1 Track Phantom Celtics/Nuggets = $1 Celtics/TWolves = $1 West Saratoga Celtics/Nuggets = $1 Celtics/TWolves = $1 Domestic Product Celtics/Nuggets = $1 Celtics/TWolves = $1 Grand Mo the First Celtics/Nuggets = $1 Celtics/TWolves = $1 Fierceness Celtics/Nuggets 🏆 = $6 Celtics/ TWolves 🏆 = $2.10 Society Man Celtics/Nuggets = $1 Celtics/TWolves = $1 Epic Ride Celtics/Nuggets = $1 Celtics/TWolves = $1 The numbers are the prices on how much do I need to bet to hit minimum of $100. I couldn’t lose this Derby because I covered every horse this time. I wasn’t going to lose to another disqualification. The ones with trophies next to them means that team (Nuggets/TWolves) needs to win it all. My Mystic Dan bet doesn’t have that. Celtics and either Nuggets or TWolves needs to win their conference. I spent another $60 consisting of Endlessly, Resilience, and Stronghold parlayed with Game 5 on whoever won between my Clippers and Mavs. The Mavs did win that but my horses didn’t cover. I’m not completely in the clear. Celtics, Nuggets, or TWolves could still fail to make the Finals. If they do, then my losses goes from $18.20 to $118.20. My Bovada capital was $110. That’s $60 from a previous bet + $50 from today’s bet covering the rest of the field. My winnings will only be $100. So I’m currently at a -18.20 regardless if the Celtics and Nuggets/Twolves makes the Finals. That’s $8.20 + $10 = $18.20 in losses. Sierra Leone finishing 2nd prevented me from losing $64+ more. It’s weird because he was the only horse in the field I did not have a win wager on. But he was the one to win me most of my money back. He’s a good horse. Nothing special but consistent. Never finished worse than 2nd and only losing by a nose in both those losses. It’s just his racing style puts him at a disadvantage. Fierceness is a joke! 🤦🏻 I told y’all he’s sink or swim, feast or famine. I can hear people screaming for #17 but I kept yelling he’s going to fade which he predictably did. He’s not a horse you can trust. Fierceness has a QUITTER’s mentality. If things don’t go his way, he quits. He’s already lost 3x as the chalk, the previous two times he was either 1-2 or 1-5! He’s burned a lot of people’s money. His speed figs duped racing noobs. Once I saw :46 and 1:11, I knew Fierceness wasn’t winning. Fierceness reminds me too much of War Emblem and Bayern. I kept yelling #2 is coming and he did. I didn’t mind that Sierra Leone lost because I only had a place and show ticket on him. I wasn’t going to win extra money had he won. But luckily he nipped Forever Young for 2nd at the wire or I would only be collecting $46+ instead of $111.80. I had fun. I still lost $18.20 in total even if my current parlays hits by the end of May but it’s better to lose $18.20 than the $300+ I’ve been losing from the Derby each year during the last 2-3 years. I was clapping when Mystik Dan won but I was really happy for SL coming in 2nd. I think I will play it safe and bet only to place or show. I didn’t think a name like Mystic Dan would win the Derby but we saw a Thorpedo Anna win the Oaks yesterday. And when I saw him in the post parade, he looked very calm. He was the most chill horse. I thought he was this year’s wiseguy horse because cappers were looking at him because he won in the slop. But the track was rated as good and he still won. He was coming from a 3rd place in the Arkansas Derby beaten by 6.25 lengths. Just A Touch was really the horse who lost me money. He actually bobbled at the break and never recovered. I should’ve never spent $80 total for a WPS on him. Had I just put him on my Bovada parlays, I would’ve profited maybe $60. But I’ll take my losses to have that happy feeling collecting cash at the racetrack. Dave Collmus did flub his Derby call this year like Durkin did in 2009. Dave was focused on Resilience and said he was leading when Mystic Dan on his inside was actually leading. Perhaps his binoculars made him myopic at that moment. It’s ok. He’s only human. Not every call will be perfect. Still not as bad as Tom’s in 2009. Mine That Bird was already 3-4 lengths clear by the time Tom said his name. Closest Derby finish since my all-time favorite Derby which was the first one I ever saw on TV, Derby 1996 when Grindstone nipped Cavonnier. I’ve seen it over 100x as I recorded it on VHS back in 1996 when it was broadcasted on ABC. Jerry Bailey with a great ride that had him “put his nose to the Grindstone”… Favorite Derbies I’ve Seen (ranking all 29) 1. 1996 (replayed it like 100x) 2. 2018 (most money won in this one) 3. 1997 (favorite Derby field) 4. 2006 (had a future on Barbaro) 5. *2024* (had fun today) 6. 2017 7. 2010 8. 2016 9. 2014 10. 2015 11. 2004 12. 1998 13. 2005 14. 2022 (‘05 and ‘22 for shock value) 15. 2012 16. 2007 17. 2009 (Durkin messed up the call) 18. 2008 (Colonel John duped me) 19. 2023 20. 2000 (finally broke the chalk drought) 21. 2011 22. 2003 23. 2021 (had the winner but a year later) 24. 2001 (Point Given disappointed) 25. 2019 (still haunts me) 26. 2002 (so boring) 27. 1999 28. 2013 29. 2020 Favorite Derby Winners I’ve Seen 1. Justify (2018) 2. Silver Charm (1997) 3. Barbaro (2006) 4. California Chrome (2014) 5. American Pharoah (2015) 6. Big Brown (2008) 7. Funny Cide (2003) 8. Real Quiet (1998) 9. Grindstone (1996) 10. I’ll Have Another (2012) 11. Mystik Dan (2024) 👀 12. Always Dreaming (2017) 13. Super Saver (2010) 14. Nyquist (2016) 15. Giacomo (2005) 16. Animal Kingdom (2011) 17. Street Sense (2007) 18. Charismatic (1999) 19. Fusaichi Pegasus (2000) 20. Mine That Bird (2009) 21. Rich Strike (2022) 22. Mage (2023) 23. Smarty Jones (2004) 24. Monarchos (2001) 25. War Emblem (2002) 26. Authentic (2020) 27. Orb (2013) 28. Medina Spirit/Mandaloun (2021) 29. Country House (2019) Not bad to see 2024 make my top 5. Shows you that I actually don’t enjoy most Derbies since I’m usually coming home a big loser. Today, I’m only a minor loser. I could be overrating Mystic Dan at #11. He can move up or way down depending what he does after his Derby win. The 2019 Derby would’ve been my favorite one and Maximum Security would be near the top if that disqualification never happened. It’s really tough to win the Derby. The chalk faded badly. The winner was 18-1. It’s not easy to hit this race even if you try covering every horse. I needed SL to win that photo for 2nd or I’m out $76. Even close to breaking even makes me happy. I basically play the Derby not to lose and not to profit. I saw a lady in front of me say she didn’t profit at all. She won but didn’t profit after having so many bets for it. Thank you, Sierra Leone. You’re my hero today. I broke close to even which automatically makes him heroic and not a disaster I experienced in 2019, 2021, and 2022. At least he wasn’t disqualified. What’s important is I had fun. I paid $8.20 (excluding gas money and LosAl’s general admission) to have that fun.

[@tent21]

Omg bro wrote a bible

[@OG725]

Pat4Clippers I call you Eddie Mush for a reason 👴🏻

[@robertlosasso4222]

Brian Hernandez looks like he was a boxer with that nose .

[@WayneParrish-pe2ze]

Darren Rogers does not know horse racing and history and should not be in the background of these interviews!!!!

[@user-tt1qf5fg8b]

A-labah...

[@kierra_mist]

I know no one has the guts to say it, but as a die hard Nuggets fan, I think I speak for all of us when I say we don’t want Jokic here. He is an offensive liability and is holding this elite team back. I think it serves us best to release Nikola Jokić immediately.

[@danielalexander2551]

Some How Fannon Ness Stephan A Smith Same Building. Well Guess What. The Neighbors Are All Getting Pissed Loud Music Girls All Times Now. People Got Family Kids. Think Can Call On Double Anytime. Dont Own Molly Tennis Club Cults. I Will Do As We Were Kids. HEARD ME!!!!

[@axbakrb]

Horse won by a nose. Won't be a triple crown unfortunately

[@haniotis3421]

This dog of a horse won. But what is more surprising was the fact he went off at 18-1 while the Santa Anita Derby winner over 30-1. Go figure!

[@lindaosika7648]

Betting public makes the odds.

[@haniotis3421]

@@lindaosika7648 Right, i'm calling the betting public a bunch of idiots

[@texasgal3903]

You won't be winning the next races, you BARELY won this one, Mystic Dan was fading, he has to be better than that to win, shows it by his timing, it was slow, and the other horses would have passed him if it had been longer, he was losing it!! I just don't get excited about horse racing anymore, there use to be great races, a true hero came forth,l and beat the socks off of all the others, and that to me was a race, the great Secretariat will never be beaten in his time, this race was slow, and it shows you that horses are getting slower!

[@randallrhoads3271]

stupid analogy...the race was a Mile and a Quarter long and with 20 horses in it..and he won it. He might not ever go that long again, and he def wont see 20 other horses either...most of these horses rarely go that long. He'll win plenty of races...