NEWS
J P’s Gusto earns hard-fought win in Hollywood Juvenile
Posted: Monday, July 05, 2010 8:50 PM
J P's GUSTO (inside) NARROWLY DEFEATS WESTERN MOOD AT HOLLYWOOD
Benoit & Associates photo
To view a video replay of the Hollywood Juvenile Championship, click here.
by Ed DeRosa
In a mad dash for the finish line that commenced as the pair of two-year-olds spun wide off the turn, J P’s Gusto outgamed Western Mood to win the $100,000 Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes (G3) by a neck on Monday at Hollywood Park.
The Hollywood Juvenile Championship was the second consecutive win for J P’s Gusto, a Successful Appeal ridgling who won the Williard L. Proctor Memorial Stakes as a maiden on May 31 at Hollywood. J P’s Gusto finished sixth as the 9-to-5 favorite in his career debut with Joel Rosario aboard but Joe Talamo has been aboard for both stakes wins.
Rosario rode Western Mood, who battled J P’s Gusto just to his inside throughout the length of the stretch. J P’s Gusto was just able to hold his foe at bay, thanks in part to rigorous urging from Talamo.
"For being so young he's so mature and very, very professional,” Talamo said. “He was beat by a head or a neck then he really fought back. You really like to see that in a young horse.”
The pair had tracked pacesetter River’s Chapel through an opening quarter in :22.06 and a half-mile in :45.41 before J P’s Gusto made the lead through five furlongs in :58.05. The winner finished the final eighth in :12.43 to complete six furlongs in 1:10.48 on the synthetic Cushion Track surface.
"He showed some heart and fought back,” winning trainer David Hofmans said. “He's always been a confident horse, but I think this will give him more confidence, especially the way he came back.”
WinStar Farm bred J P’s Gusto after acquiring his dam, the multiple stakes-winning Caller I. D. mare Call Her Magic, for $95,000 at the 2007 Keeneland November breeding stock sale while in foal to Successful Appeal. Gem Inc. acquired J P’s Gusto as a yearling for $52,000 at the 2009 Keeneland September yearling sale.
J P’s Gusto has won two of three starts and earned $97,360. Call Her Magic’s winning half sister Pacific Spell, by Langfuhr, is the dam of champion Proud Spell.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Ed DeRosa is news editor of Thoroughbred Times
