Favorite Jesshawk's sharp start powers him to Golden State Derby triumph
A near-perfect start propelled Favorite Jesshawk to his second six-figure stakes win in Saturday’s $197,300 Golden State Derby at Los Alamitos.
Favorite Jesshawk had the sharpest beginning of the nine runners in the 400-yard race, quickly taking a half-length lead. Ridden by Ricardo Ramirez, Favorite Jesshawk ($6.20) extended his advantage to as much as a length before winning by a half-length over a fast-closing Defending Champ, the 3-5 favorite.
Favorite Jesshawk, owned by Enrique Gonzalez and trained by Jesus Nunez, was timed in 19.74 seconds.
Defending Champ, who beat Favorite Jesshawk by a nose in a division of the Golden State Derby time trials on Aug. 16, finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher Beach Walk, a 13-1 chance.
Defending Champ and Favorite Jesshawk were first and second in the $170,400 Governor’s Cup Futurity in July.
Favorite Jesshawk, a colt by the Favorite Cartel stallion A Mere Felix, has won 6 of 15 starts and earned $385,167. The Golden State Derby was Favorite Jesshawk’s first win since the $30,000 Los Alamitos Two Million Juvenile last December, and his first win in a major race since the $275,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity in July 2024.
Favorite Jesshawk was winless in his first five starts this year before Saturday’s race.
Both Defending Champ and Favorite Jesshawk are likely to return in the Los Alamitos Super Derby trials on Oct. 19. The final is Nov. 9. The Super Derby is the leading race for 3-year-olds at Los Alamitos and is expected to draw participants that have raced in New Mexico and Oklahoma this year.
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