You’ve seen the finish lines. The photos. The trophies. But I’ve always been curious about what no one tells you about the time after the spotlight fades.

That’s why I wanted to sit down with Brian and Jamie Hernandez. Brian had just pulled off one of the biggest wins of his career—but what stuck with me wasn’t the race. It was everything that came next. The drive home. The shift from jockey to dad. The way he and Jamie navigate a life built around fast horses, full calendars, and a deep commitment to each other and their family.

In this conversation, Brian and Jamie opened up about the emotional highs, the everyday tradeoffs, and the behind-the-scenes partnership that makes it all work. It’s a story about staying grounded while chasing something big—and building a life that matters even more than the win.

What You’ll Discover:

• What it actually felt like to win the Derby… and then head home to real life (10:37)
• Jamie’s view from the home front, and what she wishes more people understood (18:14)
• How they’re raising kids with a rhythm shaped by both racing and presence (19:40)
• The invisible labor behind the public spotlight (22:05)
• What keeps them connected while chasing something big  (37:10)

There’s something about Brian and Jamie’s story that reminds me of all the quiet, unsung moments that happen off-camera. The balancing acts. The family dinners. The deep love that doesn’t make headlines.

If you’ve ever wondered how to stay grounded while chasing something big, this one’s for you.

Connect with Brian

Follow Brian on Instagram

Bonus Feature: D Wayne Lukas

Also, do not miss a special clip (41:18) with the horse trainer whose name has become synonymous with greatness, D. Wayne Lukas. And to see more about the special part of his life he revealed to me in when we talked, check out this amazing blog post made possible by his wife, Laurie, who shared with some of Lukas’s work with us.

If you’ve ever wondered how to stay grounded while chasing something big, this one’s for you.

See More about D. Wayne Lukas

Check out my blog post, “Horse Trainer D. Wayne Lukas’s Unexpected Poetry and Perspective.”

For a full transcript and more, check out our blog post: https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/brian-and-jamie-hernandez-01 

To watch the video version on YouTube, click here: https://youtu.be/FKSZ875cbKs

[00:00:24] Lindsay: Hey everybody. I'm Lindsay Czarniak, and this is Things No One Tells You. This is a podcast about the behind the scenes moments that shape who we are, those things that also are really relatable and really connect us. So each week I'm gonna talk with newsmakers, trailblazers in the worlds of sports, entertainment, all things, but also everyday folks, people who are talking about the real stuff that no one intends to share.

[00:01:15] If you're not, if you have kids, if you're not. Everybody is hectic at this time of the year. It ebbs and it flows. And I don't know about you, but I've been thinking a lot lately about why I'm waking up in the middle of the night being like, oh my gosh, I forgot this. I'm not doing that. For me it's a lot about this time of year with my kids because school is wrapping.

[00:02:01] And for me, this is something that I came up with because I love adventure and I love to just do fun things. My mom does this too, and she calls it her Woo. We love to make sure that we're celebrating the holidays the right way, that we're making the milestones matter. And sometimes I think the biggest thing is making sure that you're actually just in the moment.

[00:02:50] I've got a little levity for you today. All right. For those of you who follow along on social media, you know that I like to do a joke of the day. It's something that I started during the pandemic because I was honestly trying to get my kids to pay attention when I was going through homeschooling.

[00:03:29] Not this past year, but the year before. You guys know I love horse racing. It's something that my dad covered as a journalist, and so when I was given the opportunity to do that a few years ago, I just loved everything about it. My favorite time at a racetrack is in the morning. I really love understanding.

[00:04:02] If you haven't seen it, they went on a deep dive behind the scenes with all different people in horse racing, including jockeys. Brian Hernandez is one of them. Last year Brian won the Derby. He also won The Oaks, which happened the day before, which was a massive feat, a huge deal. But my backstory with Brian is the day after that Kentucky Derby, when he won on Mystic Dan, my dad and I took my dad to the race.

[00:04:40] And we saw a big gaggle of people over there and my dad's look, it's Brian Hernandez. So Brian had come back early in the morning just to see the horse, to see the trainer, to chat, assumingly about the big victory. And I was like, this is so awesome. And people were taking pictures of him and he had the front page of the paper that showed his derby win and they were snapping photos.

[00:05:22] And I know that's key. Whether it's LeBron James hitting the basket because the basket at that point looks like a massive hula hoop to him. It's huge. or a horse. Barreling down the rain track racetrack. So I wanted to know more about that and flash forward to Brian being cool enough this year to sit down with me along with his wife, Jamie, because what I also love is understanding not just the sports Xs and nose of what his job as a jockey is but what that's like for them.

[00:06:08] So Brian and Jamie, thank you guys so much for joining. Not like you have anything going on this weekend. Tell me we're outside the jocks room. Can I just start there and can you just tell me exactly what goes on inside the jocks room? Brian, for folks that haven't maybe been around horse racing a lot.

[00:06:39] 'cause we're out there racing in close quarters. So you have to have that mutual respect for one another and just go out there and trust that guy next to you is gonna make a decision. When we come back into the jocks room here, like I said, you just have to have respect for one another and, it's more of comradery, re and friendship.

[00:06:56] Brian: We come in here between each race and we change our silks and we have Vals and guys that take care of all our equipment and we have to turn around and check our weight, make sure our weight's correct, and then they turn around and saddle the next horses and it's all done within 20, 25 minutes per between each race.

[00:07:17] Jamie: Yeah. Why are you laughing? It just seems so, it's probably for the outside, it's wow, that's a lot that happens. But it's a routine and they do it less. There's 10 races a day, 10 times a day.

[00:07:35] They probably don't always love each other. No, but they do have a mutual respect, I think, and that's a good thing. Yeah. What do you think has, what has it been like returning to Churchill Downs? After the winning Kentucky Derby jacket?

[00:07:52] So we never really got to sink in. And I. Really let it set in that, hey, we won the Kentucky Derby and then coming back this week with, Derby weekend and all the fans here coming on the backside and stuff like that, and people recognizing us and knowing who you are after winning the Kentucky Derby, I think this week is when it's finally set in that what a magical weekend we had last year.

[00:08:18] Jamie: It’s nonstop. His phone doesn't stop. Yeah, it's really great though. Texting. Just the calls, phone calls, interviews.

[00:08:30] Jamie: I think I mostly love, I love when little kids come up. We were at an event the other night and a little kid came up and said, “I have your autographed” and he saved last year's program and came up. Oh my gosh. And I just think those moments are so cool. but you get that a lot. There's a lot of young fans. I think you even had somebody at the kids' school yesterday, a little boy, come running up and obviously people, the school know that he's a jockey and he won. But this little, one little boy came up and he said “could you sign this for me?” And I love that because it's like…

[00:09:00] Jamie: Yeah. What's that like for you?

[00:09:11] Lindsay: Yeah. And so for people that aren't aware, not only did you win the Kentucky Derby, obviously the marque race the weekend last year, but you also won the Kentucky Oaks, and you were the first jockey to do that since 1952,

[00:09:25] Lindsay: But no, to make that, to do that, and I loved watching The Netflix show, right? Race for the Crown. When you guys were talking just about the moment after and taking the time to let it sink in and how you wouldn't let yourself be in that space. But then once you won and you went there and it started to hit you, how, what has that year been like after?

[00:10:03] I'd never step in there until we actually were able to win the derby and to be able to do it last year and walking up those steps, that was like that. I think that was the pinnacle of horse racing, just to be able to. Be on that podium and see the crowd. once you get out there on the info and you see how massive this crowd is here at Derby Day. It's something you'll never forget.

[00:10:27] Jamie: I don't know. It was so emotional. Brian. when we were walking up to the podium, he actually, I thought he was gonna pass out. I thought he needed water. And I'm like, can somebody gimme some water? I think he's gonna pass out. And he was. Just got really emotional and I'm like, are you okay? Do you want some water? And he was like, no, I just, I wanna soak this moment in. And he looked up, he's won the Kentucky Derby. And for him to pause and actually take that moment, it was like, it was really special.

[00:11:05] Brian: I think one of the coolest scenes from the Netflix episode was when they had Jamie on camera and she's hugging one of her friends jumping up and down and she just goes, I'm just so happy right now.

[00:11:34] they weren't even filming us, but somehow they got the footage, of, I was hugging his dad and his mom and, I didn't get to, we didn't get to see that we're living, we lived that moment. Yeah. But it seemed like it all happened so fast. I don't even remember that happening. So then to be able to see that, I just thought that was so special.

[00:12:09] It's just, and I think people on the, who aren't professional athletes who don't, live in this space. Yeah. It's like you don't think about the fact that, yeah. You just keep going. Yeah. And so, to me, my eyes have really been open to that too. Just how in this job, in this sport, like you're never stopping.

[00:12:37] Brian: Fortunately for me, I have Jamie in my corner, she's home taking care of the kids most of the time because.

[00:12:59] But she's, she's in charge of the kids and she bounces 'em around between school and baseball and everything else. And, like we did a Race for Grace thing the other night, a fundraiser and. Like I told the crowd, I was like, if it wasn't having Jamie in my corner, we wouldn't be a quarter of a successful as I've been.

[00:13:25] Jamie: Somewhat. I try, I'm a little bit of a hot mess express. I sometimes say no, you're not. And hopeful boy, that I really am. But I'm just, yeah. it is what it is. I feel like some of those little details don't really matter. I'm like, oh, it's okay. You guys didn't brush your hair today. No big deal. We're surviving.

[00:13:43] It's oh, my child is at school and your pants are three inches too short. Yes.

[00:14:03] Like I would never want my kids to miss the derby. And I'll say I was happy and proud of him, but in the moment, like he didn't forget about them. Like he said hi to them on the cameras. Yes. And they showed that on the thing. And that just still makes me tear up because I, even before the show, Netflix, the Race for the Crown came out.

[00:14:35] Lindsay: What is their take on what Dad does for a living?

[00:14:39] Lindsay: They love it?

[00:14:45] Brian: they understand the whole concept of it now. They ask every day what race, what horse we're riding in the derby and they are just kind and they know. It's kinda sad though.

[00:14:58] Brian: You think you gotta come up with a good strategy?

[00:15:14] And we were like, why wouldn't you want him to win the derby? That's like the highlight of a jockey's career. And he is dad, you were gone so much after dating. Oh no. It was like a heartbreaker. He was like, you traveled all year, you were never home. And for me, it was heartbreaking.

[00:15:49] Lindsay: Of course,

[00:15:54] They understand, but they don't understand. They get it. And he's how old? He's eight. Yeah, no,

[00:16:11] This is fantastic. Yeah. but no, it's of course your right. The mind knows this is amazing. Not only everything that we're giving them, but also just like this, what they're seeing and the values that they're learning from both of you. Yeah. It is incredible. But I get it. Like our children.

[00:16:40] Jamie: Yeah. When can they get that bonding time,

[00:16:51] Brian: I know that for sure. I don't know how she does it. I don't, when I'm home sometimes I'm like, how do you keep track of all this? Between the baseball schedule, then everything else, I’m like, how do you do this?

[00:17:12] So like with our kids, I like wanted, make sure that they get to do everything they want to do. They, whether it's sports or whatnot. I will say I'm trying to get it to where, tone it down to where they're like in one sport. But my son's playing. He's has basketball second season. He's on a soccer team.

[00:17:55] I swear you're good, you're fine. Like just, let's go to these events. Like we have all this to do. I just don't know when I'm gonna have time to sign her up. And I keep saying I really gotta get her into gymnastics, but I'm like, I don't know when I have an hour in my day to drive her to gymnastics.

[00:18:26] Jamie: We just, we stay so busy. The kids stay in their same routine. They have a bedtime, they're in bed at eight o'clock. They have school. We stay busy, but we do take a lot of trips to New Orleans. We try, he comes home. I just like to keep a good routine. I think a bedtime's really important.

[00:18:56] Brian: Luckily.

[00:19:01] Brian: Yeah. It's just, it gets tough when you're gone, especially when I'm sitting down there by myself in New Orleans after work, and you get home at night and you're just sitting around the house and Yeah. Knowing Jamie and the kids are back home and come about February. It's okay, I am ready to get outta here. It's time. It's time to get back home. This is a little too quiet.

[00:19:23] Brian: Yeah.

[00:19:31] Brian: I'll come back after three months and back. When you're by yourself, you know the house is clean and everything else. When you walk back into the tornado den and she's got the kids and the dogs running everywhere. It's, oh man…

[00:19:41] Brian: And 15 horses, five dogs, five cats.

[00:20:08] Lindsay: When my husband's feeling that way, he'll, I will find a random piece of new art that's hung somewhere in the house and he's like we've just gotta get more art on the walls.

[00:20:35] Like what is your process and your routine for

[00:20:53] Don't worry about, don't worry about, you could have had a great day and we'll celebrate it at home. But a lot of days are rough. When you're competing at a game that is hot, if you're winning at 15%, that's considered successful. So there's gonna be a lot more long days than there are good days.

[00:21:19] Lindsay: Can you describe what that process is that you touched on about when you come in here between races?

[00:21:38] And I change and do it all over again. And in our case, like my ballad here, he's got a, he's got four other riders as well, so he's gotta stay on top of that. And he's got a sheet there where it shows all the races. We ride all day long and he makes sure all the helmets and saddles are all, all in the right places and just.

[00:22:07] Jamie: Yeah, I was gonna say, so they've been together for how long?

[00:22:12] Jamie: Yeah. Like these are guys that he chooses to work for him. Yeah. Okay. This is like a really good relationship. He's been there as long as Brian's agent. Yeah. And like coming in here, he is very comfortable. Shane has, whether it's things that they like or He knows them from top to bottom, all of his jockeys and especially Brian and, but they're friends.

[00:22:48] Lindsay: I think that it also takes a very unique person/skillset to really thrive in that. Like the people that can work well with the systems like that in place and who nail it, I think are the ones that are most successful. That's a gift could be successful and that's what

[00:23:10] Lindsay: And a valet, real quick for people who dunno a valet is.

[00:23:18] Jamie: Brian's dad is actually his ballot in New Orleans. In New Orleans, yeah.

[00:23:24] Jamie: So he has Shane here, and then he has his dad in New Orleans, okay.

[00:23:37] Jamie: Yeah, longer than we've been there.

[00:23:43] Lindsay: Yeah. And then, so that's you getting ready for a race, part of that process you said is weighing in?

[00:23:48] Lindsay: Can you explain that? A lot of people have questions about that 'cause they're not sure about how it works.

[00:24:08] So you'll put three or four pounds of lead weights, and then all your vest and your helmet and stuff like that, and your silk, and then the valve, he has to make sure that's gonna be correct when you step on the scale for the clerk.

[00:24:24] Brian: I'm fortunate enough to where I don't really have to worry about it, but guys that have to hit the hot box every day and they have to consistently stay on it. Fortunately, I left enough in my case, I just maintain, watch what you eat and just, on the dark days or the days, you can take it easy. But other than that, it's a strict, normal diet that we just hold onto and keep it rolling.

[00:24:53] Jamie: I don't have a ton of nerves on normal race days. I think because the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby are of that caliber, those make me extremely nervous. Or for example, like he's been riding the Torpedo Anna since last year's. Or before last year's Oaks even. And now that she's gotten to where she's gotten in her career, bigger races make me nervous.

[00:25:31] Or, and that has happened, like he won the Breeders Cup the one year and the very first race back on his horse, it fell out of the gates and he fell off and the horse won without him. And I'm like, oh, the horse fished without him.

[00:25:44] Jamie: And I'm like, oh my gosh, that just happened.

[00:25:52] Jamie: Okay. yeah. So he literally just outran everybody without Brian. And Brian was just standing at the, with the gates like, oh my gosh. Like he just cut a flip and yeah, like those things happen.

[00:26:21] Lindsay: What's it like the moment that you're waiting for those gates to open,

[00:26:34] So you wanna, you want the horse to be standing there good and making sure he is standing on the racetrack because if they get in there and they start fidgeting around and stuff like that, then you miss the break just a little. Especially in big races, if you miss the break just a little, it can cost everything.

[00:26:59] Lindsay: How about when you're coming down? I. That final stretch. I think I asked you this, 'cause I remember talking to you the morning after the Derby last year, and it was just, it blew me away with the way that you were describing Mystic Dan.

[00:27:19] Brian: It's probably one of the most adrenaline-filled things you can do. Like when you turn for home and you know that horse is really running and he has a really good chance of winning.

[00:27:48] Lindsay: What about, what's the most exciting part for you?

[00:28:12] I was like, oh my gosh, is this happening? Like these are things you dream about. I dream about him crossing the finish line first, and I'm like, did that just happen? I don't even think I yelled. I just was like, oh my gosh. I do. I like, I really enjoy watching the kids now, seeing it through their eyes and I.

[00:28:37] Lindsay: I love it. You said last year Mystic Dan, I remember you described him as a cool customer, but Oh, but you said this is what I love so much.

[00:29:02] Oh yeah. Or was it you doing what you do?

[00:29:19] Yeah. And his ears perked up, but he didn't, it didn't phase him at all. He was like, whoa, this is good. But then really, like going to the gate, he was bouncing around a little bit, but then as we were walking into the gate, he just, he picked his head up and he was you can sense that he knew what was going on.

[00:29:57] Lindsay: And the relationship also that I love, between you and Kenny McPeak. Yes. The trainer who you guys have been working together for so long.

[00:30:09] Like he goes out there, he doesn't tell me how to ride 'em. And in the morning, everybody's just there doing their job and just keeping it as simple as possible. And that's been the key to our success. It's just keeping things simple and keeping it cruising along.

[00:30:27] Brian: True. It's two we'll talk about, we'll talk about races before and then, but if I go out there and ride a bad race before I can get off the horse, my phone's blowing up.

[00:30:46] Brian: 90% of the time, she's right. She'll send me something and I'll watch her reply.

[00:30:57] Brian: It’s like, “that was a horrible ride” and then I'll watch a replay and I'm like. Yeah, she's right. But I'm like why? Just, why?

[00:31:08] Brian: But if it wasn't for her in some of those spots… it makes you, it's that extra help. 'cause then it makes you sit back and think about it and you're like, you know what? She was right. We need to do something different. And it's always great to have a second person. We can have opinions, we can talk like that.

[00:31:42] I feel like it's good banter. You know, it's like harmless, too, or, and there's sometimes he is “Nope, you're wrong today. Sorry. That's not how I see it.” And I'm like, “Okay, you're right. Maybe. I’ll text you too soon.”

[00:31:59] Yeah.

[00:32:01] Lindsay: I love this bigger, biggest superstition. Are you superstitious?

[00:32:10] Jamie: Are you? I'm not, no. I feel like the only thing some, actually, one of our girlfriends who was riding with us to the track today, they asked this exact question and I'm like, no, not really.

[00:32:35] Yes. So that's probably like the only thing on my end. I'm like, don't you can't say that until we like cross the line.

[00:32:42] Jamie: just not saying he's a winner because I'm like, there's just so many things that could happen from halfway down the stretch to the wire, right?

[00:32:51] Jamie: I feel like that kind of jinxes us. But other than that, I don't have any superstitions.

[00:32:57] Brian: Yeah. Before that. Yeah. Yeah. But no, that's more of just you really wouldn't do that. You wouldn't.

[00:33:02] Brian: Perspective, like it's more of the respect of the derby winter circle that you don't wanna be there unless you belong there.

[00:33:15] Brian: Sometimes you'll get on horses that you've never been on before, especially young horses that you. You've never seen before, so you go into it a little more cautiously than you would if the horse had been riding it because you don't know, you don't know their tendencies and what to expect from 'em.

[00:33:31] Lindsay: Okay. are there, sorry, my glasses. This is the other thing that's happened to me. I have five pairs of breeders. please ask him, how often does he get hit with another jocks stick? They're so close..

[00:33:49] So you'll get hit on the arm or the shoulder every once in a while just by accident, and it'll leave a little red mark, but nothing bad. It doesn't hurt. just go on along with it and as part of the job.

[00:34:05] Brian: Yeah.

[00:34:31] Brian: Probably just the hectic lifestyle that I have to live, but then on top of that. Just having the support of each other, I think, is the biggest thing. being able to know that with my travel schedule and everything, she's always in the back corner. She's always there rooting for me and it makes it a whole lot easier knowing that I have Jamie back home and just that extra support more than anything. It's definitely, I've said it before, I wouldn't have a quarter of the success I've had if it wasn't for her.

[00:35:06] Jamie: No, but I'm really proud of him. So I think both us coming from small towns and small racing circuits, and then this imploding too.

[00:35:41] And, I think you've stated like, you want your legacy to be for the kids, moving forward, and I'm proud of that. So I would say talking to kids watching this or something, like you can do it too. You work hard, you get up every morning, you follow your dreams and yeah. Good things happen.

[00:35:59] Jamie: I should write a book, should do a parenting book. I know about that. That's what I said. No, seriously. I'm reading. I think it's so cool. Like it's, yeah, it's cool. Like it's, we both come from smaller circuits and it's things you dream about.

[00:36:33] Lindsay: Not to sound funny, but I started in local news and so did my husband and our dreams were to get to do the big thing. And now my husband has a big right. And I will tell you, it is so funny to me. It's and it's probably really simple and obvious, but going through that when he was named as the Today Show host in January, I was numb.

[00:37:05] Brian: Yeah.

[00:37:07] Brian: Yes.

[00:37:28] Jamie:Yeah. Definitely change, but you stay humble and you keep working and do your thing. Live on deep thoughts. I, we tell each other, people are like, oh, how is this? How's that? And I'm like, we are very normal people, just with a busier lifestyle. Yeah. People probably think you're nuts, but you're like, this isn't who we really are.

[00:37:53] Lindsay: Thank you guys. This been awesome.

[00:37:58] Jamie: Thank you. Thanks for having us.

[00:38:18] Okay. So my dad, like I said, covered horse racing for years. He did so for USA today, and one of the legends that he would always talk about that he followed closely in his day was Hall of Fame Horse Trainer D. Wayne Lukas. D. Wayne Lukas is 89 years old, but back in the day he really brought the Hollywood vibe and the standard of excellence to the race track.

[00:38:57] To be able to do that has been really meaningful. So I saw him the morning before the Derby and I asked him, as I was doing a short interview with him for America's Best Racing, I asked him at the end of that, what's something that no one tells you? And he shared something that no one had ever told me about, a fun fact about him.

[00:39:20] D. Wayne: That's simple. Nobody knows. I write poetry. Really? Yeah. In fact, they're the guys in that little, I wish I could tell you this. Luke Irwin has put one of 'em through music and it's gonna be out, I think Derby week. It's called Lot of Time poem.

[00:39:53] Lindsay: So you're a real softy.

[00:39:57] Lindsay: Great.

[00:40:02] Like I wrote the lyrics to that song in less than five minutes. It just fell into place.

[00:40:10] D. Wayne: Oh, lots for years and years. Problem is, I don't save many of 'em now. Lori, my wife is starting to save them now, but,

[00:40:23] D. Wayne: Yeah. About, I wrote, On unconditional love. I don't know. The last verses, can a simple dog teach us how to kneel and pray? I found unconditional love today. A yellow dog showed me the way. See stuff like that? That's good.

[00:40:48] D. Wayne: Surprise you?

[00:40:57] D. Wayne: I don't have to be tough and, on top of everything.

[00:41:06] Are you kidding? When he recited his poetry, I just… it was such an awesome moment and I loved that he writes a lot of it about his wife, Lori.

[00:41:31] I think the biggest thing that I took from the conversation overall with D. Wayne Lukas, and frankly also with what I just shared with you about D .Wayne, is the sacrifice of time. but also the acknowledgement that sometimes it doesn't get easier and you just have to keep doing it. And I think with Brian, when he was sharing about his son not wanting him.

[00:42:10] Attention that is paid to hitting the big marks and sometimes it's just being present. So my dad always would say to me, you know what? When things are hectic, and he would say this early on when I was looking for marriage advice, you might be pulled in a million different directions between the two of you, but what matters is that when you're together, you're really making the time important.

[00:42:49] And please be sure to tune in every Thursday to hear new episodes. And if you're loving this show, I would love it. If you please take a minute to subscribe. Also, rate and review things no one tells you. We'll see you next week. Thanks so much for joining me. I can't wait to see you back here next week.

[00:43:19] See you next time.