Jockey Juan Hernandez capped a tremendous day of racing at Del Mar Aug. 9 by guiding Heredia to victory in the Yellow Ribbon Handicap (G2T), his sixth win on the card. The stakes also gave trainer Graham Motion a New York-California double as Heredia followed Laurelin, the Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes (G2T) winner.
The Yellow Ribbon drew a field of eight fillies and mares, none of which apparently wanted the early lead in the 1 1/16-mile race. Heredia in her two United States starts had come from well off the pace. But Hernandez—riding her for the first time—let her go to the front, which allowed Heredia to control the entire race.
With no one getting within a length of her at every call, Heredia, the 17-10 favorite, posted fractions of :24.93 for the first quarter-mile, :49.73 for a half-mile, and 1:14.25 for six furlongs. Liguria tracked Heredia in second, but ultimately faded to seventh. Heredia lengthened her advantage in the stretch and had plenty in reserve to score by 2 1/4 lengths over Public Assembly, with Watchtower third. Heredia's time was 1:42.92.
"She took me to the front," Hernandez said. "My filly was really fresh in the post parade. It was her first time being on the lead, but she loved it. She was strong."
Hernandez did not have a mount in the first race and then rode in the next nine, winning with Bottle of Rouge, Desert Gate (in the Best Pal Stakes, G3), Privman, Final Boss, and Broadway Unions prior to the Yellow Ribbon.
"Always, when I jump on the horse, I just try and win the race," Hernandez said of his incredible day.
Motion had horses running at Colonial Downs as well as at Del Mar and Saratoga Race Course, and thus he wasn't at Del Mar for the Yellow Ribbon. Wathnan Racing owns Heredia, and Case Clay, the U.S. racing manager, represented the organization in California.
"We were a little concerned with the lack of pace," Clay said. "Juan Hernandez before this race had won five, and it was try to get her out cleanly and get her comfortable and get in her rhythm. He rode her great; she was very comfortable the whole way."
Alice Clapham, Motion's assistant, admitted she was surprised that Heredia ended up on the lead.
"But he got her to settle, and she was going so easy," Clapham said. "When you've got one of the leading jockeys on her and they're riding like he is right now, you just leave it up to him."
Heredia competed three years in her native Great Britain, from 2021-23, winning back-to-back stakes in 2023 followed by a third in the Sun Chariot Stakes (G1). She didn't start in the U.S. until this year, running third in the May 4 Beaugay Stakes (G3T) at Aqueduct Racetrack and third in the on division of the July 10 De La Rose Stakes at Saratoga.
Clay said that a suspensory injury kept Heredia away for the extended period.
"The owners are very, very patient people," he said. "They gave her a year off, and she rewarded them."
St Albans Bloodstock bred Heredia from the Mastercraftsman mare Nakuti, a group 3 winner at Sandown Park. Nakuti ended her career with four races in North America, three under Motion's care; her best effort was a third in the 2016 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine. Nakuti is a half sister to Amade, an international stakes winner who in her only U.S. start won the 2019 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational Stakes (G2T).
Heredia is one of eight black-type winners sired by Dark Angel this year worldwide. He stood for a 2025 stud fee of €60,000 at Yeomanstown Stud in Ireland.
