Jeansonne the “Chalmation Sensation” Enjoying Fair Grounds Success

By Kevin Kilroy —-

● Lecomte winner Instant Coffee tops the list of early Risen Star possibles

New Orleans, La (Feb. 3, 2023) – Friday’s races began with another win from the Justin Jeansonne barn. Claimed after finishing second on Dec. 16, Stealing Apriority has now won his next two for Jeansonne, who has started 2023 out as hot as they get, winning with 6 of his 17 entries (35%).

At nine wins, Jeansonne is tied for ninth in the trainer standings. At 25%, the young trainer has the fifth-highest winning percentage of all trainers who have entered at least 30 runners, trailing only Brad Cox, Bret Calhoun, Tom Amoss, and Mike Stidham.

Jeansonne is keeping good company, and he’s also having fun doing it.

A horseman who readily knows every detail about all of his horses, Jeansonne is always in the mood to smile and joke with anyone around the backside. Ask him how another two-time winner at the meet got the name Pseudoscience, got her name, and get a lesson in how it’s supposed to be done – responsibly and creatively.

Jeansonne purchased the Real Solution filly out of the Ghostzapper dam Ghost on the Run for $4,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

“Jeff Reaves was at the house one day and we were trying to work with Real Solution and Ghost on the Run,” Jeansonne said. “I tried Ghostbusters, Who Are You Going to Call. We pulled up all the characters from Ghostbusters but (The Jockey Club) wouldn’t take any of it. Then I looked it up and saw that ghost hunters are referred to as pseudoscientists. It’s the artificial science of searching for a ghost. People love her name.”

There you have it.

Pseudoscience stretched out to win at second asking, from way off the pace. Then facing winners, she made it two in a row, this time on the lead. One of the more curious runners of the meet, the 3-year-old filly breaks sharp, sets to run, and then slows up in the turn. You think she’s done, but down the stretch, she gets to running with a vengeance.

“In each of her races she stops in the turn,” Jeansonne said. “In the morning she doesn’t do it. She’s sound as a dollar. I think when she switches her leads, mentally she’s getting confused. But when she switches back over, she takes off. I’m thinking about stepping her up a bit into an allowance for her next race.”

And that’s not his only claim this meet that keeps winning.

After claiming Romantic Beast in December, Jeansonne sent this Florida-bred to the winner’s circle twice in January. In total, the barn has three two-time winners at the meet.

Jeansonne does fantastic with babies. Over the past five years, he’s trained 60 2-year-olds who have run 171 times, winning 33 (19%). One of his 2-year-old winners this meet, JB Gray has the distinction of being the 2-year-old by sire Jay Gatsby to win. Jay Gatsby 2-year-olds were 0 for 22 until trainer Jeansonne got hold of one. JB Gray won at second-asking on Dec. 1, 2022.

With the encouragement of fellow trainer Ron Faucheaux, Fair Grounds track announcer John Dooley has given the Chalmette-native the nickname the “Chalmation Sensation”. The way this young trainer is winning, we’ll hear Dooley calling Jeansonne’s name first across the wire many times more and for years to come.

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The 51st running of the $400,000 Risen Star (G2) is slated for Saturday, Feb. 18, one of six stakes on the “Louisiana Derby Preview Day” program. The 1 1/8 miles Kentucky Derby prep race is the first in the next stage to offer 50-20-15-10-5 qualifying points to 1st through 5th place finishers.

With the draw set for Feb. 11, here is an list of possible runners (with current Derby points) is starting to take shape: Instant Coffee (32), winner of the Lecomte (G3) and Kentucky Jockey Club (G2); Curly Jack (17), the Iroquois (G3) winner and 2nd place finisher in the Kentucky Jockey Club; Red Route One (13), place-finisher form the Southwest Stakes (G3); Two Phil’s (10), the runner-up in the Lecomte and Street Sense (G3) winner; Verifying (4), second in the Champagne Stakes (G1) and last-out allowance winner at Oaklawn Park; Sun Thunder (4) who finished fourth in the Southwest Stakes (G3); Determinedly (3) third-place finisher in the Gun Runner and last-out local allowance winner; Disarm, unraced since breaking his maiden going seven furlongs at Saratoga, but training locally at Fair Grounds; Banishing, Godolphin’s impressive maiden winner from the Brendan Walsh barn; and Tapit’s Conquest who last out finished second to Determinedly on the “Road to the Derby Day” undercard.

A full list of nominated horses can be found on Equibase: https://bit.ly/3kJ4xdf. Following the Risen Star is the $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) on March 25. It is the only North American Derby prep race run at 1 3/16 miles.

Hodges Photography

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About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, LA, Fair Grounds, which is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN), also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 15 off-track betting parlors throughout Southeast Louisiana. The 151st Thoroughbred Racing Season – highlighted by the 110th running of the Louisiana Derby – will run from Nov 18, 2022 through March 26, 2023. More information is available online at www.fairgroundsracecourse.com.