Photo: Hollywood Park
After
a stretch long battle, 7-10 favorite J P’s Gusto was able to defeat Western
Mood by a neck in the $100,000 Hollywood Juvenile Championship.
A
little more than five weeks after a decisive 4 ½ length victory in the Willard
L. Proctor Memorial on May 31, J P’s Gusto had to work much harder to get the
best of the runner-up in a Grade III in which the top two betting choices were
dominant.
Owned
by Gem, Inc. and trained by David Hofmans, J P’s Gusto, a 2-year-old son of
Successful Appeal and the Caller I.D. mare Call Her Magic, won for the second
time in three starts. The $60,000 payday increased his earnings to $97,360.
Bred
in Kentucky
by Winstar Farm LLC, J P’s Gusto, who was purchased for $52,000 at the
Keeneland September sale in 2009, was ridden by Joe Talamo. The win was the
first in the Juvenile for both Talamo, who had finished second two of the
previous three years, and Hofmans.
The
final time for the six furlongs was 1:10.48. The winner returned $3.40, $2.20
and $2.10.
Western
Mood, who was 7-5 after a come-from-behind win over maidens in his debut on
June 12 for trainer and co-owner Jerry Hollendorfer, paid $2.40 and $2.10.
Minutesandtouches,
the only non-winner in the Juvenile Championship after two starts at Golden
Gate Fields, rallied for third at 25-1. The show price on the Rockport
Harbor
colt, who finished 5 ¾ lengths behind Western Mood, was $4.60.
It
was another four lengths back to Edgewick
Road, Leon
Ayala, River’s Chapel, who tired after having a 3 ½ length advantage in the
opening half mile, Tappin Tough and Marvin’s Magic.
J
P’s Gusto and Western Mood made their moves in tandem in pursuit of the
faltering front runner and took over with about an eighth of a mile to run.
Racing inside Western Mood, J P’s Gusto got the job done under left handed
urging from Talamo.
“For
being so young, he’s so mature and very, very professional,’’ said Talamo. “He
was beat by a head or neck and then he really fought back.
“You
really like to see that in a young horse. He was really finishing the last
part.’’
Although
he missed with Western Mood, Joel Rosario continued his hot streak. The meet’s
leading rider won three more Monday, giving him 13 victories from 29 mounts
since July 2.
With
seven days left in the spring-summer season, Rosario
has 67 wins, three more than Rafael Bejarano, who won twice Monday.
Racing
will resume Friday. Post time is 7:05 p.m.
At
the conclusion of the eight race program – approximately 10:30 p.m. – a concert
starring The Wailers will begin at the North Park Lawn.