They will be dashing down the hill (hopefully) this Saturday at Santa Anita when sprinters clash in the Grade II Joe Hernandez Stakes. This race is named in honor of the track’s longtime gravelly voiced track announcer.

As of this writing on Wednesday (Dec. 27), there is a 92% chance of rain this Saturday (Dec. 30) in Arcadia, Calif., where Santa Anita is located, according to The Weather Channel. Consequently, there is a question as to whether the Joe Hernandez Stakes will be run down the hill or even on the grass.

Director of racing and racing secretary Jason Egan obviously is hoping the Joe Hernandez Stakes can be run before the rain arrives by slotting it as the first of the nine races on the card.

Before I get to my Joe Hernandez Stakes selections, allow me to take a brief look back at the man for whom this race is named.

Prior to being hired by Santa Anita in 1934, Hernandez became the first track announcer at Tanforan in Northern California in 1932 and at Longacres near Seattle in 1933.

In fact, there were only four track announcers in the entire history of Longacres from 1933 until its final meeting in 1992 -- Hernandez, Chick O’Neall (my all-time favorite), Harry Henson and Gary Henson.

Hernandez called every race at Santa Anita from its grand opening on Christmas Day in 1934 until his death in 1972. He died in the very same announcer’s booth from which Frank Mirahmadi does such a marvelous job describing the action these days at the Great Race Place.

In a 2009 book about Santa Anita’s history, Tracy Gantz wrote: “Ack Ack, Cougar and Turkish Trousers -- as did all of the Santa Anita champions who came before them -- had their accomplishments underscored by Joe Hernandez’s distinctive race calls. Hernandez began on opening day of Santa Anita in 1934 and never missed a day or race in the subsequent 37 years. That amazing streak of 15,587 consecutive races came to an end on Jan. 27, 1972.

“Earlier that morning, while looking at some of his own horses at Hollywood Park, Hernandez happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and a horse kicked him in the stomach. The race caller insisted that he was okay and returned to Santa Anita to call the afternoon’s races. However, he was bleeding internally, and midway through the first race, Hernandez collapsed, leaving an ominous silence as the horses galloped around the oval.

“Terry Gilligan stepped in to finish calling the race, while Hernandez was rushed to nearby Methodist Hospital. Hernandez suffered a heart attack in the hospital and died on Feb. 2 at the age of 62. As a tribute to Hernandez, Santa Anita for the 1972-73 season produced a record titled ‘There They Go’ of his most memorable race calls, given to those attending on opening day.”

A bronze bust of Hernandez has been on display at Santa Anita since Dec. 28, 1974.

Hernandez was at the microphone when the legendary stretch-runner Silky Sullivan raced at Santa Anita, including the colt’s victory from 41 lengths off the pace in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance race -- yes, a sprint! -- on Feb. 25, 1958. That was the first race in which Silky Sullivan was ridden by Bill Shoemaker. In 1982, I asked Shoemaker what he remembered about that race in an article I wrote for The Thoroughbred of California magazine.

“Going down the backstretch, I didn’t think he had a chance to even finish in the money,” Shoemaker told me. “I must’ve been 25 lengths behind the next-to-last horse. I honestly didn’t think he’d beat a horse that day, but then, really, it was kind of a mediocre field. Anyway, he won. Even I was surprised.”

The late Joe Burnham has the distinction of having been honored with the only Eclipse Award ever given for “film achievement,” which was bestowed to him in 1972. Fortunately, Burnham was on hand with his camera to capture on film Silky Sullivan’s win from 41 lengths off the pace, which can be seen accompanied by Hernandez’ call on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrSYJWK_8lg

Just 11 days after Silky Sullivan’s amazing allowance triumph, he again had Shoemaker in the saddle and came roaring home from “only” 26 lengths off the pace to win the Santa Anita Derby going away by 3 1/2 lengths.

Later that year when Silky Sullivan started in the Kentucky Derby, he was 27 lengths behind early, never threatened and finished 12th to the victorious Tim Tam.

This Saturday’s Joe Hernandez Stakes appears to be a wide-open race. It has attracted a field of 13, including one also eligible.

From the rail out, the 12 in the main body are Lucky Score, Balnikhov, Daniel’s Magic, Forbidden Kingdom (pictured above), Peaceful Waters, I’m A Gambler, Lovesick Blues, Johnny Podres, Tahoe Sunrise, Turn On The Jets, Olympic Runner and Front Run the Fed. Dancing Buck is the lone also eligible.

Making a top pick is difficult, particularly because of the expectation that Saturday will be the sort of day at some point in which umbrellas become desirable. I decided to go with Forbidden Kingdom. I’m doing so even though he’s coming off a layoff.

My thinking is if the race does stay on the hill, Forbidden Kingdom just might prove to be the speed of the speed. And he definitely figures to have a big chance to win if the race gets switched to the dirt.

Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, Forbidden Kingdom had the speed and class to finish second when Taiba won Santa Anita’s Grade I Malibu Stakes on the dirt a year ago. A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Forbidden Kingdom hasn’t raced since he finished fourth in the Grade II Triple Bend Stakes on the dirt May 27 at Santa Anita.

Forbidden Kingdom’s only race on the turf so far left something to be desired. He finished third in the five-furlong Speakeasy Stakes on Santa Anita’s grass course as a 2-year-old. But I’m not judging him too harshly for that loss due to it being only his second career start.

I almost didn’t make Forbidden Kingdom my top choice because it’s been such a long time since he has won. He’s lost six straight since winning Santa Anita’s Grade II San Felipe Stakes on March 5, 2022. But he has recorded a number of sharp workouts leading up to Saturday’s comeback, most recently drilling six furlongs on the dirt in a bullet 1:11.80 at Santa Anita on Dec. 24.

Below are my Joe Hernandez Stakes selections:

1. Forbidden Kingdom
2. Lucky Score
3. Turn On The Jets
4. Balnikhov

Lucky Score did not embarrass himself when last seen under silks in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Mile on Santa Anita’s turf course Nov. 4. Though he finished seventh at odds of 50-1, he lost by just 2 1/4 lengths while facing the likes of Master of The Seas, Mawj and Casa Creed.

Phil D’Amato trains Turn On The Jets and Balnikhov. When it comes to stakes races on the turf in Southern California, one must always take a serious look at runners trained D’Amato, who sent out Easter to take Santa Anita’s Grade II San Gabriel Stakes on the grass Tuesday. D’Amato also won Tuesday’s Grade II San Antonio Stakes on Santa Anita’s main track with Newgrange.

Turn On The Jets has been a gem of consistency. He has finished third or better in eight of nine starts since coming to the U.S. from Ireland. In his most recent start, Turn On The Jets finished second to a razor-sharp Unconquerable Keen, who won in front-running fashion.

Balnikhov finished a respectable third behind fellow D’Amato trainees Easter and Hong Kong Harry in Del Mar’s Grade II Seabiscuit Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on the turf Nov. 25.

The only time Balnikhov has run in a grass sprint since coming to the United States from France, he finished eighth in Santa Anita’s Grade II Eddie D. Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on the flat Sept. 30. Dropping 17 lengths off the early pace, Balnikhov was unable to achieve a Silky Sullivan-ish victory and ended up eighth, though he was going strongly late to lose by 4 3/4 lengths.

UPDATED KENTUCKY DERBY TOP 10

Highly regarded Nash, No. 1 on my Kentucky Derby Top 10 last week, finished third as the 1-2 favorite in Fair Grounds’ Gun Runner Stakes last Saturday (Dec. 23).

To say I was disappointed by Nash’s performance would be an understatement. At first, I was tempted to drop him way down on my Top 10 this week. I even thought about maybe taking him off the Top 10.

But then I realized that I should practice what I often preach, which is, do not overreact to one performance.

I often cite how I stuck with Secretariat to win the 1973 Kentucky Derby despite the fact he had finished third to Angle Light and Sham two weeks earlier in the Wood Memorial. Secretariat not only rebounded to win the Kentucky Derby, he swept the Triple Crown. All these years later, Secretariat still has run the fastest Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes of them all.

More recently, I think many overreacted to Fierceness’ clunker on a sloppy track in the Grade I Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct on Oct. 7. He was pounded down to 1-2 favoritism in the Champagne after a dazzling debut in which he won a Saratoga maiden race in the mud by 11 1/4 lengths.

Fierceness posted a laudable 95 Beyer Speed Figure at first asking. He then plummeted to a 59 Beyer in the Champagne.

I made Fierceness 6-1 on the morning line for the BC Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 3. The fact that a sharp owner, Mike Repole, and Hall of Fame trainer, Todd Pletcher, sent the Kentucky-bred City of Light colt to the Breeders’ Cup after he had run such a stinker in the Champagne rather than ship him to Florida to regroup and gear up for a 3-year-old campaign indicated to me that Fierceness was live in the BC Juvenile.

And what happened? Fierceness trounced his BC Juvenile opponents at 16-1, winning off by 6 1/4 lengths and recording a 105 Beyer, the highest by a 2-year-old male or female in 2023 through Dec. 26.

And so, rather than overreact to Nash’s Gun Runner defeat, I am not going to move him down on my Kentucky Derby Top 10 any further than No. 4…at least for now.

Nash was credited with a 97 Beyer Speed Figure when he won a 1 1/16-mile maiden race by 10 1/4 lengths at Churchill Downs on Nov. 12. His Beyer tumbled to an 84 in the Gun Runner. I’m going to go ahead and give him the benefit of the doubt insofar as the “real” Nash capable of running a 97 Beyer did not show up in the Gun Runner.

Meanwhile, Gun Runner winner Track Phantom debuts on my Kentucky Derby Top 10 this week at No. 9. After losing his first two starts, the Kentucky-bred Quality Road colt now has put together back-to-back victories.

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen conditions Track Phantom. Asmussen trained 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner.

Track Phantom won a 1 1/16-mile maiden race by 4 3/4 lengths at Churchill on Nov. 25. He then became a stakes winner in the Gun Runner.

Though Track Phantom has yet to get a Beyer Speed Figure higher than an 89, his figures certainly are going in the right direction. He recorded a 74 in his first race, followed by an 81, 88, then an 89 in the Gun Runner.

By the way, when Nash won a 1 1/16-mile maiden race at Churchill, his final time was 1:43.15. As noted earlier, he received a 97 Beyer. When Track Phantom won a 1 1/16-mile maiden race at Churchill, his final time was 1:44.72 and his Beyer was an 88.

Considering Nash’s maiden victory was so much faster than Track Phantom’s on the same surface, I am baffled as to why Nash couldn’t beat Track Phantom last Saturday. But that’s racing.

Below is my current Kentucky Derby Top 10:

1. Fierceness
2. Nysos
3. Locked
4. Nash
5. El Capi
6. Muth
7. Sierra Leone
8. Dornoch
9. Track Phantom
10. The Wine Steward

A PICK SIX TO REMEMBER

It occurred during the final week of the year 20 years ago, a day that I will never forget.

There was a pick six carryover of $151,840 at Santa Anita on Dec. 28, 2003. At the time, I was doing double duty as a broadcaster for the new horse racing network HRTV and as a paddock commentator between races on Santa Anita’s simulcast network.

I crafted a $120 Santa Anita pick six ticket (2x5x2x1x1x3) that was shown on HRTV in the morning. In all the years I have ever had a ticket of mine displayed on television, I’ve bet the ticket myself. I feel it’s only right that if I’m going to essentially ask people to spend money by betting my ticket, then I should bet it myself.

Because I wasn’t exactly rolling in dough at the time after having spent a fair amount of money on Christmas presents, I very nearly made an exception to my rule on that December afternoon in 2003. But when push came to shove, I did stick to my rule and bet the ticket that was shown a number of times on the HRTV beginning at 11 a.m. Pacific Time.

Thank goodness I did bet that ticket. I hit the pick six that day for $45,981.

The six winners were Yogi’s ($8.40) in the fourth race, Castor Troy ($7.80) in the fifth, Chadwicks Well ($9.60) in the sixth, Pesci ($4.60) in the seventh, Redatorre ($4.80) in the eighth (the San Gabriel Handicap) and She’s a Olympian ($62.40) in the ninth.

The next day, Charlie Sigrast, a horse owner and bettor in Chicago who subscribed to HRTV in order to follow the races at Hawthorne, called Vince Bruun, who was Santa Anita’s publicity director at the time. Sigrast said that he had seen my ticket on HRTV and decided to bet it. He had never hit a pick six before.

“I was watching HRTV when Jon White gave out his pick six and I said to myself, ‘You know what? I’m going to play that ticket today,’ ”Sigrast told Bruun. “It turned out to be my biggest hit ever.”

I was on the air for HRTV near the Santa Anita winner’s circle when She’s a Olympian pulled off the big upset in the ninth race. I knew my pick six ticket had hit, but I had not seen the will-pays. I had no idea what it was going to pay. Off the air, I asked for confirmation. It was difficult to read the mutuel payoffs on a little TV monitor I had. When it looked to me that the pick six was paying $45,981, I thought that might be wrong. I thought maybe it was paying $4,000 and change.

When I was told in my earpiece that, yes, the pick six was paying $45,981, I was flabbergasted. It seemed so surreal.

Fortunately it was real.

TOP PERFORMANCES OF 2023 NEXT WEEK

Each year going back to 2004 for Xpressbet.com, I have listed what I consider to have been the Top 10 performances by a Thoroughbred in the United States during the year.

I will have this particular Top 10 list of mine for Xpressbet.com next week.

These have been my Top 10 Performances of the Year going back to 2004:

2022 Flightline in the Grade I Pacific Classic
2021 Flightline in the Grade I Malibu Stakes
2020 Swiss Skydiver in the Grade I Preakness Stakes
2019 City of Light in the Grade I Pegasus World Cup
2018 Justify in the Grade I Kentucky Derby
2017 Gun Runner in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic
2016 Arrogate in the Grade I Travers Stakes
2015 American Pharoah in the Grade I Belmont Stakes
2014 Wise Dan in the Grade II Bernard Baruch Handicap
2013 Dreaming of Julia in the Grade II Gulfstream Park Oaks
2012 I’ll Have Another in the Grade I Preakness
2011 Animal Kingdom in the Grade I Kentucky Derby
2010 Blame in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic
2009 Zenyatta in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic
2008 Big Brown in the Grade I Kentucky Derby
2007 Rags to Riches in the Grade I Belmont Stakes
2006 Barbaro in the Grade I Kentucky Derby
2005 Afleet Alex in the Grade I Preakness Stakes
2004 Ghostzapper in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic