Go Joe Won scores emotional victory in Shared Belief

DEL MAR, Calif. – Eric Hurst decided to name his young Protonico ridgling Go Joe Won after his ailing friend, Joe Wesling, a fellow chauffeur.

Wesling died of cancer before Go Joe Won ever raced, and on Saturday at Del Mar, Go Joe Won provided Hurst and trainer Paula Capestro with an emotional victory when he held off High Connection, then survived a stewards’ inquiry, to post a 21-1 upset in the $125,000 Shared Belief Stakes for 3-year-olds.

Go Joe Won ($44.80), the longest shot in the field of five, battled with High Connection right from the start, and the two drew away from the field through the lane while drifting out. Go Joe Won prevailed by a nose, and minutes later the stewards ruled unanimously that contact between Go Joe Won and High Connection, the 4-5 favorite, was mutual.

Hurst – who races as Hurst Racing Stable – said after naming Go Joe Won, he presented Wesling with the colt’s new halter eight days before Wesling died.

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Hurst said Wesling, for whom he worked, was nicknamed Go Joe. He combined that, with a vanity license plate Wesling had for work that incorporated the number one, to come up with Go Joe Won.

Go Joe Won was coming off a victory against maidens earlier this meet Aug. 4, going the same flat mile as the Shared Belief. He drew the rail that day, as he did in the Shared Belief, and prevailed both times in photo finishes.

“He just doesn’t give up,” said Capestro, whose small stable has won 3 of 14 starts here this meet.

Go Joe Won, hounded by High Connection, set wicked fractions of 21.89 seconds for the quarter and 45.14 for the half. Though the race was fast early, slow late, they drew away from their three rivals through the lane. Go Joe Won, under Jose Valdivia Jr., was best by a nose over High Connection, who was 10 1/4 lengths in front of third-place Newgrange. Il Bellator and Armagnac completed the order of finish.

Go Joe Won was timed in 1:37.69 for one mile on the fast main track.

Juan Hernandez, who rode High Connection, said, “There was a little contact, but he wouldn’t go by.”

Go Joe Won has now won two straight after losing his first three races. He is by Protonico – who also sired last year’s Shared Belief winner, Medina Spirit – and out of the More Than Ready mare Behavioral Finance. He earned $75,000 on Saturday, more than the $70,780 he’d made in his first four starts combined.