3 year old colt, JOHNNY HOP was a $350,000 OBS March juvenile. He dueled for command early then took over into the stretch and drew clear while resolutely holding off the late bid of a rival in deep stretch.
“He broke really sharp today,” winning jockey Trevor McCarthy said. “I was surprised. I didn’t think he’d break that sharp and that wasn’t the key. trainer Graham [Motion] just wanted to see him run a good race. He was in a bit of a hurry there. I would have rather have covered him up and teach him a little something. But he did everything so easy. At top of stretch I wasjust hand-riding him and he moved up easy on his own. That [Honor the Fleet], I was working that horse before. When he kind of hooked me I just gave him a little encouragement and he was pretty game for me.”
JOHNNY HOP is owned by Three C Stables, West Point Thoroughbreds & Robert Masiello and was bred by Northwest Farms LLC (KY).