Baffert, Talamo team to win Bob Hope with Mucho Gusto

DEL MAR, Calif. – Over the past few months, jockey Joe Talamo has become an increasingly larger presence in the Bob Baffert barn, and his future looked even brighter after Saturday at Del Mar, for Talamo rode a pair of 2-year-old colts to victory, including Mucho Gusto in the featured Grade 3, $100,000 Bob Hope Stakes.

Mucho Gusto’s victory came several hours after an impressive debut win from Coliseum, who beat maidens by nearly seven lengths in the day’s opener. Both races were at seven furlongs, both with Talamo up. Both colts look like they have promising futures, as both appear as though more ground will suit them.

Baffert said Talamo started getting more work after persistent inquiries from his long-time agent, Scotty McClellan, and it came at a time when Baffert was looking to put additional jockeys into his starting rotation. Talamo was eager to work horses in the morning, and it paid off on Saturday, because he has been aboard both Mucho Gusto and Coliseum for morning drills.

“He’s been helping out. He’s a good horseman. He works really hard,” Baffert said. “I thought I’d throw him a bone. It looks like he got a couple of filets today.”

Mucho Gusto won his first start back on Sept. 20 at Los Alamitos, but missed some training time after that when a virus went through Baffert’s barn early at the fall Santa Anita season. But he got back on the work tab and had six drills over the past five weeks to ready himself for his stakes debut on Saturday.

He needed to be at his best, because Mucho Gusto was tested. He was bumped solidly at the break by Savagery, set a solid pace – 22.36 seconds for the quarter, 45.36 for the half – while pressured throughout, but turned back all challengers and won by 1 1/2 lengths over Savagery, who beat Sparky Ville by a head for second.

“I like how when he made the lead he relaxed,” Baffert said. “You find out what they’re made of second time out.”

Extra Hope was fourth and Owning trailed in the five-horse field. Metropol and Sueno were scratched.

Mucho Gusto ($3.60), the favorite, completed seven furlongs on the fast main track in 1:23.51. His time was slower than the 1:23.13 turned in by Coliseum, who was able to get away with an opening half in 46.11 seconds before powering home.

Mucho Gusto, a son of Mucho Macho Man, was purchased as a 2-year-old in training in May by owner Michael Lund Petersen for $625,000.

Baffert said Mucho Gusto would be pointed to the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 8. He has another colt, Improbable, pointing to that race, too.