Cousin Larry making steady progress, faces well-bred Gershwin

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Cousin Larry, the namesake of trainer Larry Jones, will start as one of the top choices in Thursday’s seventh race, which also drew Gershwin, a half-brother to leading Dubai World Cup entrant Mystic Guide.

Cousin Larry is a half-brother to Proud Spell, the 2008 Kentucky Oaks winner that Jones trained for former Kentucky Gov. Brereton Jones. The men are not related.

“Cousin Larry belongs to the governor, and ever since Proud Spell, I have been an honorary member of their family,” Larry Jones said. “I have become Cousin Larry. We are honorary cousins.”

Cousin Larry is a son of Cairo Prince. He was second by a head at this first-level allowance condition March 5 at Oaklawn. He earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 78.

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“He came closing really nice, and just lacked about a jump getting there,” Larry Jones said. “He’s coming along every race. He’s getting better. His numbers are picking up every time. He’s just taken a little longer to come around than Proud Spell did.”

Cousin Larry also is a half-brother to the multiple stakes winner No Distortion.

“No Distortion, it took him until about the middle of his 3-year-old season before he became a stakes horse,” said Jones. “I think this horse has a future.”

Cristian Torres has the mount from post 6.

Gershwin, a son of Distorted Humor, ships in from Fair Grounds, where he won a maiden special weight over 5 1/2 furlongs in his last start Feb. 6. His half-brother Mystic Guide shipped up from New Orleans last month and won the Grade 3, $600,000 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn. Both horses are out of the multiple Grade 1-winning mare Music Note and are owned by Godolpin and trained by Michael Stidham.

◗ My Favorite Uncle, a 3-year-old out of the champion racemare Storm Song, makes his two-turn debut in Thursday’s third race, a maiden special weight.