Artie B Good impressive in winning Jess Jackson Juvenile

Odds-on favorite Artie B Good ($3.40), coming off an impressive debut victory, was even more impressive Sunday as he won the $55,225 Jess Jackson Juvenile Stakes at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa.

Although last down the backstretch, the Artie Schiller colt was always ridden confidently by jockey Frank Alvarado.

“Frank’s always liked this colt so I just left it up to him,” winning trainer Billy Morey said. “If you were concerned about him being last, it didn’t take long before he moved up.”

Walk On Water set a comfortable pace, but Alvarado always seemed to have him in his sights as he began to move on the second turn. He swung outside a tiring Irish Sky and then got back on the rail.

As the field turned for home, Artie B Good went inside Holy Yodeler and Byebye Mr Swiss, then moved out for room and quickly gobbled up Walk of Water as he pulled away from Mesa Jones, who was making a good move outside of runners.

Both pulled away from Walk On Water with Artie B Good beating Mesa Jones to the wire by one length in 1:10.81. Walk On Water, who overcame a slow start in quickly taking the lead, was third another 3 1/4 lengths back.

Morey has no plans yet for his budding star but says he ultimately wants to run him long on the turf.

The only disappointment for Morey was when stakes-placed Jacks Masterpiece came down with a temperature in the morning and had to be scratched.

Artie B Good, owned by the Joseph P. Morey Jr. Revocable Trust, earned $32,000 for his second straight victory and has now earned $47,600.