Racing


Sharper Start Leads To Victory For Joe Legacy In John Ward Handicap
Joe Legacy, under jockey Carlos Huerta, winning the $16,000 John Ward Handicap on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

© Scott Martinez
Sharper Start Leads To Victory For Joe Legacy In John Ward Handicap

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—OCTOBER 27, 2018—After running third in the Blane Schvaneveldt Handicap on October 7, Greg Torgerson’s Joe Legacy beat a similar group of horses this time around to win the $16,000 John Ward Handicap on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

Seven of the eight horses that raced in the 400-yard John Ward had faced each other in the 400-yard Schvaneveldt. Joe Legacy threw his head before the start of the John Ward, but still finished nicely to run third. In the John Ward, Joe Legacy made no mistakes.

He flew out of the gate from post number eight and went to win by neck over 2017 Schvaneveldt Handicap winner Jess A Cowboy. Corona B Gone finished third with Love To Reason BR, the winner of this year’s Schvaneveldt, running fourth after bumping at the start.

Ridden by Carlos Huerta for trainer Jose Hernandez, Jr., Joe Legacy covered the 400 yards in :19.888, a sharp improvement from his :20.15 clocking at this distance when running third in the Schvaneveldt earlier this month.

"The last couple of times we’ve had a little trouble getting him to leave the gate," said Hernandez, Jr. "He threw his head a couple of times, especially the last time, and it cost him a better placing. He ran a nice third (in the Schvaneveldt), but when he threw his head we knew that the inside horses would be tough to beat. Tonight, he drew the outside and we made a couple of changes with him. It really worked out. Once he left, he really showed his talent at the end."

Bred in Utah by The Running A LLC, the Brookstone Bay gelding out of A Diamond Legacy improved to nine wins in 35 starts. He earned $8,800 for the win to take his career earnings to $94,076. This was his first win of the year at Los Alamitos, but his third in 2018. He won a pair of races in Utah before traveling to southern California. Hernandez, Jr. is hoping that the John Ward is the first of two big races for his barn this weekend.

"(Owner Greg Torgerson) is such a great guy," the trainer said. "He’s a good friend and great person to work for. We’re having a pretty good year together. We have a horse in the Wild West Futurity (on Sunday night) and hopefully we have the same luck."

Hernandez, Jr. will saddle Y Paint Linda for the owner in the Wild West. She’ll start from post number one and will look for her second victory in seven starts this year.

Larry Stark’s Jess A Cowboy earned $3,600 for the win to take his lifetime earnings to $189,879. Matt Fales trains the Dejon gelding, who was ridden by Erasmo Gasca.

Ruben Magallanes’ Favorite Cartel gelding Corona B Gone earned $2,000 for running third.

After Love To Reason BR, Oh La, SP Four Square, Ticke Ur Fancy, and VVR Dazzling Corona complete the field. Tickle Ur Fancy was the only horse in the John Ward that did not race in the Schvaneveldt three weeks ago.

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.