P-Val back in Grade 1 groove with JP's Gusto
Report: USA, Wednesday
Del Mar: Del Mar Futurity (Grade 1) 7f, AW, 2yo
PATRICK VALENZUELA capped a remarkable California comeback on Wednesday when 4-5 favourite J P's Gusto (David Hofmans) rubber-stamped his status as the leading two-year-old on the west coast with an authoritative victory in the Del Mar Futurity.
Always prominent in Del Mar's closing day highlight, J P's Gusto shook loose at the top of the stretch before drawing away to score by 4½ lengths over 19-1 longshot Jaycito.
J P's Gusto, a son of Successful Appeal, has won four of his five starts, all of them stakes races.
Pat Valenzuela: had a lot of horse
PICTURE: Getty Images"What a runner he is!" said Valenzuela, 47, winning his second Futurity after Best Pal's victory 20 years previously.
"I had so much horse under me I couldn't believe it," added the rider. "David 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."
Former Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Valenzuela, best known in Britain as Arazi's riderin that unforgettable Breeders' Cup victory, had not ridden in California since the end of 2007.
The jockey known as P-Val received a supposed life ban having been imposed after his latest alcohol-or substance-related transgression ina career dogged by such problems.
Having surprisingly been granted a new licence to ride at Del Mar this summer, he partnered 29 winners to finish third in the jockeys' title behind Joel Rosario and Rafael Bejarano.
A ‘four-bagger' on the closing card was enough for Rosario to edge out his rival, although it came down to the tenth and final race of the final card, before which the pair were tied on 56 apiece.
Rosario took the concluding event on the favourite Tiz Argent to land the title with his 57th win of the meeting.
Leading trainer for the fourth time was Doug O'Neill with 31 winners compared to runner-up John Sadler's 22.
However, O'Neill's latest triumph was besmirched amid accusations of 'milkshaking' after one of hsi horses, Argenta, tested positive for a high amount of total carbon dioxide.
Argenta finished eighth in a race at Del Mar on August 25.
The offence carries a minimum 30-day ban; no date for the hearing has yet been released.
O'Neill served a 15-day suspension earlier this year for a similar infraction after Stephen Got Hope tested positive following the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne.
Also on Wednesday
Del Mar: Pirate's Bounty Stakes 6f, AW, 3yo+
Having his first outing for six months, Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Dancing In Silks could finish only a moderate fourth behind 4.6-1 shot Gato Go Win (Bobby Troeger/Rafael Bejarano).
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