Fresno: Life Is a Joy remains unbeaten by taking Charlie Palmer Futurity

Life Is a Joy set a legitimate pace, withstood a strong challenge by stablemate Hirschy, and improved his record to 3 for 3 by winning the $67,400 Charlie Palmer Futurity by six lengths at the Big Fresno Fair on Saturday.

Life Is a Joy ($8.20) broke sharply and was put on the lead by jockey Leslie Mawing as Hirschy settled into second behind through fractions of 23.60 and 47.85 seconds in the one-mile race for 2-year-olds.

Hirschy, who won the Cavonnier Juvenile at Santa Rosa, moved up inside Life Is a Joy on the second turn, closing to within a head at the quarter pole.

Though Life Is a Joy drifted out to the four path swinging for home, he found another gear and began to pull away. He was six lengths in front at the finish line with Mawing wrapping up on him.

The winning time was 1:36.88. Hirschy was 5 1/4 lengths in front of longshot El Sacrificio, who rallied for third despite a troubled trip after being forced wide going into the first turn by a rank Tizouttasight.

Life Is a Joy is a 3-year-old Cal-bred gelding by Globalize out of the Indian Charlie mare Tadita. He is the younger brother of stakes-placed Life Is a Stone and multiple stakes-placed Life Is a Rock. All three are owned and bred by trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, his wife Janet, and Dr. George Todaro.

“He’s certainly done nothing wrong yet,” Hollendorfer said before the race. And he did nothing wrong again Saturday.

Life Is a Joy earned $41,650 to increase his career earnings to $85,330.