J P's Gusto romps in Red Legend

Gem Inc.'s J P'S GUSTO (Successful Appeal) made a winning return to

competition Saturday night at Charles Town when posting an easy 6 3/4-length

victory in the $400,000

Red

Legend S. under jockey J.D. Acosta. The bay ridgling was sent off the 8-5

favorite in the 10-horse field and ran to his odds while finishing seven

furlongs on the fast main track in 1:25. He paid $5.40, $3.80 and $3 for the

score.

J P's Gusto pressed the pace through the :23 1/5 opening quarter set by Der

Meister (Out of Place), but had overtaken that rival and opened up a half-length

advantage by the time he reached the half-mile point in :46 3/5. The Michael

Hushion trainee merely extended his margin from there, pulling off by as much as

seven lengths in the stretch before gearing down to cross under the wire a

much-the-best winner.

Loranger Native (Good and Tough), hero of Charles Town's Blue and Gold S. on

April 16, just nosed out Nacho Saint (Yes It's True) for second, with Little

Drama (Burning Roma) finishing another 1 1/2 lengths back in fourth.

Yankee Passion (Yankee Gentleman), Decisive Moment (With Distinction), Vee's

Accolade (Proud Accolade), B G Suavecito (Suave), Black N Beauty (Devil His Due)

and Der Meister completed the order under the wire.

J P's Gusto was considered a Kentucky Derby (G1) contender following wins in

the Del Mar Futurity (G1), Best Pal S. (G2), Hollywood Juvenile Championship

(G3) and Willard L. Proctor Memorial S. as a juvenile, but didn't fare too well

on the Triple Crown trail. The bay opened his sophomore season with a second in

the Southwest S. (G3), but then suffered unplaced finishes in the Rebel S. (G2)

and Arkansas Derby (G1). He was removed from Derby consideration and had been

off since that latter contest in mid-April.

Also owning placings in the CashCall Futurity (G1) and Norfolk S. (G1) from

his two-year-old campaign, J P's Gusto improved his career line to 12-5-3-0,

$811,760, with the Red Legend win.

There were five other stakes taking place at Charles Town Saturday evening,

and R J G Racing Managment's WINK AT THE GIRLS (Halo's Image) just got up

between rivals to take the $100,000

Wild and Wonderful S. Trained by Murray Rojas and ridden by Oscar Flores,

the five-year-old gelding ran seven furlongs on the dirt in 1:25 1/5 to add a

first stakes win to his resume, which stands at 41-12-12-5, $501,946.

Grade 3 winner and last year's Red Legend victor Comedero (Posse) was the 3-5

favorite in the Wild and Wonderful but suffered his first loss this season when

checking in sixth.

Robert Abbo Racing Stable's IMMORTAL EYES (Greatness) vindicated his favorite

status in the $75,000

Charles Town Invitational Dash H. earlier on the card, successfully

defending his title in the 4 1/2-furlong contest when crossing under the wire a

3 1/2-length winner. Travis Dunkelberger piloted the Damon Dilodovico-trained

six-year-old to a final time of :50 3/5 in the race. The bay gelding was exiting

a neck runner-up effort in the Maryland Sprint H. (G3) and now boasts a

24-7-6-3, $315,147 record.

Following the Dash, Kathleen Jacovino's GRAND KISSES (Grand Reward) wired the

$75,000

Lady Charles Town S. when just keeping her neck in front of the dead-heating

duo of Sweet Susan (Wiseman's Ferry) and Moonlit Malibu (Malibu Moon). The

Timothy Kreiser pupil ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:19 3/5 under Flores to push her

line to 11-3-3-2, $109,430.

Last year's Lady Charles Town winner, DOWN TOWN ALLEY (Windsor Castle), got

the stakes action off to a good start when scoring a 2 1/4-length gate-to-wire

victory in the $51,000

Fancy Buckles S. With Mathew McGowan aboard, the four-year-old stopped the

clock in the 4 1/2-furlong affair in :52 for owner/breeder/trainer John Casey.

The bay lass was making her seasonal debut in the race and sports a 17-10-3-1,

$416,257, scorecard following her win.

Longfield Racing's AARON'S WAY (Yes It's True) moved his line to a perfect

four-for-four when pulling away to a five-length triumph in the $51,300

Coin Collector H. The bay sophomore, trained by Christopher Keller and

ridden by McGowan, finished up 4 1/2 furlongs in :52 1/5 to add this one to a

win in the Henry Mercer Memorial S. last August. Aaron's Way has banked $93,060

in his career thus far.