Hebbronville by a neck in Jersey Shore

Blame Jim, the heavy favorite in the Grade 3 Jersey Shore Stakes at Monmouth Park on Sunday, gave up the ghost rather easily in upper stretch of the six-furlong sprint, but Hebbronville and W V Jetsetter came to fight and put on a good battle, with Hebbronville prevailing by a neck.

Hebbronville broke sharply in the Jersey Shore, but Trevor McCarthy got him to settle, and he dropped back to last in the six-horse field. Conversely, W V Jetsetter couldn’t keep up with the front-runners out of the gate but moved up along the inside once he got his feet under him.

On the far turn, Hebbronville moved up right behind W V Jetsetter. Nearing the stretch, McCarthy swung Hebbronville outside the two leaders while Joe Bravo sent W V Jetsetter up to challenge inside the top pair.

W V Jettsetter made the lead and looked like he had the upper hand, but Hebbronville continued to battle and was up in deep stretch.

“It just set up real nice for him,” trainer Lynn Whiting said. “It looked very advantageous for us to sit off them. This horse had a real fine turn of foot last year at 2, and then he just kind of lost his speed a little bit. This was a big race for him.”

Hebbronville paid $11.80 as the second choice in the field of 3-year-olds behind 1-2 favorite Blame Jim. He was timed in 1:09.65. W V Jetsetter, the 5-1 third choice, completed a $2 exacta worth $62.

Hebbronville broke a six-race losing streak in an optional-claiming race at Ellis Park in Kentucky in his start prior to the Jersey Shore.

Joe Franklin cut out a quick pace of 21.50 seconds and 44.14 in the Jersey Shore while being pressed from the outside by Blame Jim but could not go with the top pair in the stretch. He finished third, 6 3/4 lengths behind W V Jetsetter.

Blame Jim dropped back in upper stretch and finished fourth, three-quarters of a length behind Joe Franklin.