ROSARIO EDGES BEJARANO BY ONE TO TAKE RIDING TITLE AT SEASIDE TRACK

(Edited Del Mar Thoroughbred Club report)

DEL MAR, Calif. – Gem, Inc.’s J P’s Gusto, the 4-5 betting choice ridden by Patrick Valenzuela, staked his claim as one of  America’s best two-year-olds with an impressive triumph Wednesday in the Grade 1 $250,000 Del Mar Futurity before a crowd of 12,252 on the final day of Del Mar’s summer season of Thoroughbred racing.

Prominent from the start of the seven-furlong sprint for juveniles, J P’s Gusto, winner of the Best Pal Stakes early this season, shook loose at the top of the stretch, responded generously to Valenzuela’s urging and pulled away authoritatively to win by  4 1/2 lengths in 1:22.95.

“What a runner he is! I had so much horse under me I couldn’t believe it. David (trainer David Hofmans) had him ready. I was just lucky to be on him. It was just a question of when. At the end, I think I still had a little bit more in the tank. If a horse had come up next to me, I think I’m still the winner. Can he go on? I think so. And I sure hope so,” Valenzuela said.

Jaycito, a 19-1 longshot, rallied strongly to be second, 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Riveting Reason and Indian Winter who deadheated for third in the field of eleven.

Martin Garcia, who was aboard Jaycito had these thoughts about his colt.”Today I wasn’t the best horse, but he might be the best horse. Wait until the distance (races) come. Then look out.”

J P’s Gusto, a son of Successful Appeal conditioned by David Hofmans, was scoring his fourth victory in five starts, all in stakes. His only loss came in his career debut, a maiden race at Hollywood Park. First money of $150,000 increased the colt’s earnings to $337,360. He was purchased for $52,000 at the 2009 Keeneland September Sale of Yearlings by Dr. John Waken of Gem, Inc.

“This was his best effort. I think the mile and a sixteenth [of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile] is within his reach, mainly because of his attitude. He’s very smart and he waits for the rider to give him his cues. When I saw him inside on the turn and his ears were up, I was pretty comfortable. It was obvious he was waiting for Patrick [Valenzuela] to give him his cue. The more I train him, the more I think he’ll go on. He’s very smart, probably smarter than me,” Hofmans said,

J P’s Gusto, whose other stakes wins were in the Willard Proctor Memorial and Hollywood Juvenile Championship, returned $3.60, $3 and $2.40. Runner-up Jaycito paid $14 and $7.80, while the deadheaters Riveting Reason and Indian Winter returned $4.60 and $2.40 to show, respectively.

For Valenzuela, J P’s Gusto capped an incredible comeback. Absent from California racing since the end of 2007, the 47-year-old jockey won 29 races at Del Mar this summer, outdone only by the dueling Joel Rosario and Rafael Bejarano. He won the Del Mar  Futurity 20 years ago aboard the great California-bred gelding, Best Pal, a Hall of Fame inductee this summer. 

The stakes win was the third of the meet for Valenuzela and his second in the Del Mar Futurity. He now has 62 stakes wins at Del Mar, tying him with Kent Desormeaux for ninth best on the track’s all-time list for riders.

The stakes win was the second of the meet for Hofmans and his first in the Del Mar Futurity. He now has 26 stakes wins at Del Mar, tying him with Mel Stute for 11th best on the track’s all-time list.

Rosario, who began closing day trailing Bejarano, 54-53, booted in four winners Wednesday to clinch his second straight title at the seaside track. Into the tenth and final race of the season, the two were tied at 56 as Bejarano had doubled earlier in the afternoon.

The championship came down to the final strides of the mile and one-sixteenth turf race as Rosario got favored Tiz Argent up to edge out Sammartino and Valenzuela by a head with Bejarano only another half-length back in third place aboard Papa Lev.

In supporting features Wednesday, Fund Raiser, ridden by  Rosario, scored by a half-length in the $78,175 C.E.R.F. Stakes for older fillies and mares, while Gato Go Win, with  Bejarano in the saddle, won the $80,175 Pirate’s Bounty Stakes for older horses.

Fund Raiser, owned by Arnold Zetcher and trained by Bob Baffert, ran six furlongs in 1:10.01 and returned $8.80 while earning $46,905. Holding Her Ground was second and Minute Limit third.

Gato Go Win, representing owners Joey Platts and Jack Sims and trained by Robert Troeger, scored by a half-length over Spaniard, with Truest Legend third Dancing in Silks, making his first start since winning the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, was fourth as the 6-5 favorite.

Gato Go Win earned $47,295 and paid $11.20 for his upset.