J P’s Gusto, Sway Away drill five furlongs for Arkansas Derby

J P’s Gusto last visited the winner’s circle in the Del Mar Futurity (Benoit Photos)

After two less than successful trips in the three-year-old series at
Oaklawn Park, J P’S GUSTO (Successful Appeal) will now team with the
meet’s leading jockey, Cliff Berry, in the final leg — the $1 million
Arkansas Derby (G1) on April 16.

The two got reacquainted Thursday morning with a bullet five-furlong
breeze in :58 3/5 over the fast track for trainer Joe Petalino. J P’s
Gusto galloped out in 1:12 2/5, which was the fastest six-furlong time
of the morning as well. Berry had also worked him prior to the Rebel S.
(G2), but the mount was given to Ramon Dominguez for that race.

“That’s what I was looking for,” Petalino said. “I was hoping the
horse would be closer to the front in his last race. Hopefully this time
we can get that trip.”

Petalino was referring to the ridgling’s seventh-place finish in the
Rebel on March 19 when Dominguez opted to rate J P’s Gusto off the pace
set by free-wheeling front runner and eventual winner The Factor (War
Front).

Sway Away (left) will face The Factor for the third straight time in the Arkansas Derby (Benoit Photos)

Also expected to appear in the Arkansas Derby is transplanted California colt
SWAY AWAY (Afleet Alex), who returned to the worktab Thursday morning for the
first time following his sixth-place effort in the Rebel.

The dual Grade 2 runner-up sped five-eighths under jockey Luis Quinonez,
breaking off for his workout seconds before J P’s Gusto set out on a similar
five-furlong move. Sway Away charged to the wire in :59 3/5 and didn’t appear to
let up in the gallop out, although clockers did not get an official time for the
final furlong.

“It was just a maintenance work, but Luis said he didn’t have to put any
pressure on the horse,” trainer Jeff Bonde said by phone from Santa Anita Park.
“Luis said he just sort of let the horse do it on his own and my guy said the
gallop out was like 12 and 2.”

Luck was not on the side of Sway Away in the Rebel. The three-year-old bay
rushed the starting gate and broke a tooth before finding some trip trouble in
the first turn. The worm may have turned for Bonde, though, last Saturday as the
trainer sent out Twice the Appeal (Successful Appeal) to a 25-1 upset of the
Sunland Derby (G3), giving him another horse on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail.