Jeansonne the “Chalmation Sensation” Enjoying Fair Grounds Success
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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