Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

Jockey Hugo Herrera, who has turned the Humboldt County Fair race track into his own personal playground, will attempt to reach a record-equalling achievement at the upcoming 128th Ferndale horse race meet, which gets under way on Friday.

Herrera has his sights set on an eighth Humboldt race riding title, matching the modern era mark set during the span of 1996-2008 by the legendary Danny Boag.

“Capturing an eighth jockey title to equal the mark of Danny Boag would be a feat I would be very proud of,” Herrera said. “Because I have so much respect for Boag. And to win an eighth belt buckle (awarded to the leading jockey each season) at my favorite race track would make that achievement that much sweeter. 

“But I am not taking anything for granted and I plan on working as hard as ever in the mornings at Ferndale and giving my all in every race in the afternoons.”

The 128th Humboldt race season will feature eights days of racing, including Friday, Saturday and Sunday next weekend.

Racing will also be held over Labor Day weekend, before concluding with two days on Sept. 7 and 8.

Any price maker would make “Hurricane Hugo” an odds-on favorite to claim another Humboldt crown based on his Ferndale resume. 

He captured overall titles in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023. 

Hugo has posed for 74 winners’ circle pictures during those title-winning Humboldt seasons.

Boag captured his Humboldt titles in 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2008.

Herrera’s premier season at Ferndale was 2021 when he notched 18 victories from his total of 40 meet mounts (a phenomenal 47 win-percentage) that included a pair of five-win afternoons. 

Hard work in the mornings has paid dividends in the afternoons, along with the fact he has the “Einstein” of jockey agents in Rusty Greiner.

But Herrera will not be a one-man show. The Humboldt meet will be blessed with one of its most talented group of riders. 

That group also includes Jake Samuels, who is currently the leading rider on the Oregon fair circuit and has also been a familiar figure in the Ferndale winners’ circle. 

Samuels is fresh from capturing overall (thoroughbred and quarter horse combined) riding crowns at Grants Pass, Crooked River Roundup at Prineville and Tillamook, where he won six consecutive races on Aug. 7. 

The 31-year-old Samuels has won more than 475 thoroughbred races and over 100 quarter horse races in his career. 

He won 11 races as the leading thoroughbred rider at Humboldt in 2015, and he and his wife Kassie recorded California horse racing history in 2017 at Ferndale when they each won two races on the same program.

Barrington Harvey also returns to the local fair this summer.

The ageless 61-year-old is nicknamed the “Marathon Man” for piloting Come Back Native and Steel Blue to Humboldt Marathon wins in 2010 and 2011, respectively. 

This will be Harvey’s 22nd season at Ferndale where he has found the “Fountain of Youth”, and has become a fan favorite.

Cristobal Herrera, meanwhile, will be making his Ferndale debut after recording a three-win afternoon on June 28 at Pleasanton, Herrera finished ninth in the final meet at Golden Gate Fields with 20 victories and has recorded 385 career wins.

Other jockeys slated to compete this year include Epifanio Garcia, Jose Rodriguez, Micah Meeks, Adrian Castellanos, Julian Couton and Leonel Camacho-Flores.