Valenzuela wins first Del Mar stakes in 5 years in Best Pal aboard J P’s Gusto

Valenzuela wins first Del Mar stakes in 5 years

DEL MAR, Calif. — Jockey Patrick Valenzuela won his first Del Mar stakes in five years with a typical front-running victory aboard J P’s Gusto in the $150,000 Best Pal Stakes on Sunday at Del Mar.

The 47-year-old jockey and the 2-year-old colt beat favorite Sway Away by a half-length.

Valenzuela, who won his first Del Mar Stakes as a teen 30 years ago, was granted a probationary license late last month by the California Horse Racing Board. The group revoked his license in 2008 after he was arrested for drunken driving and he had been riding in Louisiana the past two years.

On Sunday, Valenzuela pressed the pace as he constantly did in his prime, going straight to the front of the field of five 2-year-olds and never yielding, covering 6½ furlongs in 1:16.61.

In 1990, Valenzuela was the regular rider of star gelding Best Pal when he won this same race, then known as the Balboa Stakes. Horse and rider paired again to win the inaugural $1 million Pacific Classic in 1991.

“Being here today and doing this almost makes me want to cry,” Valenzuela said.

Valenzuela returned to riding in California on July 28 and won his first race two days later.

J P’s Gusto paid $6.80, $3.20 and $2.40. Sway Away paid $3 and $2.10. Western Mood was a distant third and paid $2.20 to show.

A son of Successful Appeal bought for $52,000 by John Walken, J P’s Gusto earned $90,000 for the win, his third in four starts, for a lifetime total of $187,360.