'Cowboy' Jones still rolling at 71
A cowboy is expected on the track Saturday at Ellis Park – specifically the 71-year-old jockey R.A. “Cowboy” Jones.
Jones, virtually a yearly fixture at Ellis Park since he began riding there in 1959, is named aboard the first-time starter Texas Holdem in the fifth race Saturday – which would mark his first ride since Aug. 31, when he was fifth aboard Tuffer in a $5,000 claiming race at Ellis Park.
Speaking of firsts, that’s what Jones covets: one more first-place finish. Another win for him would mean he would have ridden winners in seven consecutive decades, with those victories having come in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990, and 2000s. The only decade missing: the 2010s.
At his age, Jones is realistic enough to know his window of opportunity is limited. And he said if he is lucky enough to win one more, he will most likely call race riding a career.
“That’s in the back of my mind,” Jones said.
Although Jones has won three riding titles at Ellis Park, coming in 1962, 1966, and 1972, he has ridden infrequently and with little success there over the past 10 years. Since winning three races in 2004, he has gone 0 for 54 since 2005.
He still remains a favorite among local fans and horsemen, and a sign in the jock’s room marks it as the “Home of R.A. ‘Cowboy’ Jones.”
Even if Texas Holdem doesn’t win Saturday, Jones said he has some potential “live” mounts coming up next week that should give him some chances.
In the meantime, he is, as he always seems to be, enjoying himself. On Wednesday, he said he got on “four or five” horses that morning.
He speaks with pride of a new book that chronicles his career, titled “The Legendary R.A. ‘Cowboy’ Jones: Over 50 Years as a Jockey,” written by Evansville, Ind., author Angie Karcher.
Last week at Ellis Park, he signed copies of the book, the cover of which features a smiling Jones wearing his familiar cowboy hat.
On Saturday or perhaps later this meet, he hopes with another victory to write the unofficial conclusion to his tale.