Gibson battling for Louisiana Downs trainer title

Jonas Gibson is making a major push to win the training title at Louisiana Downs and heading into the final stretch of the meet has a narrow lead over three-time defending champ Shane Wilson.

The title would be a first for Gibson. He had won 25 races from 64 starters through Sunday – including six consecutive races from July 3-15. Wilson was sitting second with 22 wins through Sunday, while Joey Foster was third with 21.

“They have more horses than me, they have quantity,” said Gibson, 41. “I just have to worry about my stable and keep focus and run horses in the right spots.
“I’m really excited. It’s almost the end of the third quarter and I’ve got a lot of plays that I haven’t called yet.”

Louisiana Downs, which opened May 4, runs through Sept. 26.

Gibson, who has leading contenders in the third and fourth races Wednesday, currently has 34 horses in training at Louisiana Downs.

“I’m claiming every day and I’m buying privately,” he said. “I’m reaching. I’m really going after it. I’m grateful for the clients I have for giving me an opportunity.They’re really excited. Everybody’s winning. My owners are wanting me to win, so they’re allowing me to run horses aggressively.”

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Gibson was one of the trainers that owner Staton Flurry utilized this past season at Oaklawn, where Flurry won his first title. He’s now helping Gibson in his pursuit, the trainer said. Some of the horses they raced at Oaklawn will be active soon at Louisiana Downs.

“They were given a break and they should be making their way back to the races the end of the month, the first of September,” Gibson said.

Glynn Puryear Jr., who ranked second in the Louisiana Downs standings through Sunday, is another owner who has bolstered Gibson’s title chase, with 16 horses. They include a promising 2-year-old named Karnes. He is a son of Tapwrit and the Grade 3-winning mare Full Ransom.

“He’s a promising Louisiana-bred,” Gibson said. “He’s showing so much talent. I’m excited about what the future holds. He’s up to five-eighths working. Hopefully, in the next few weeks he’ll make his debut.”

Gibson said after Louisiana Downs he plans to race at Delta Downs and Oaklawn.

Duhon back in saddle

Trainer Joe Duhon is moving closer to a milestone of 1,000 career training wins with 938 through Sunday, but he reached a much more significant milestone the other morning at Louisiana Downs.

Duhon rode his pony onto the track for training for the first time since he cracked his pelvis in three places, fractured eight ribs, and cracked a disc in his back in a Jan. 10 training accident at Fair Grounds.

“It’s the first day that I rode my horse on the racetrack,” Duhon said Sunday. “It was kind of a shaky thing, kind of a mind thing, because I liked to die. I took a real bad spill. I was on a ventilator for 12, 13 days.”

Duhon was injured when a loose horse spooked his pony during morning training hours. Duhon was hit by his saddle horn several times before being thrown to the ground. He had surgery Jan. 11.

“A lot of things go through your mind when you recover, because I’m pretty active,” he said. “I couldn’t even walk. They had to teach me how to walk on the walker. I lost 40 pounds, gained 20 of it back. I’m recovered. I feel like King Kong. God’s been good to me.”

Duhon has been able to train horses, and has three starters on Wednesday’s card. He has won 11 races from 60 starters this meet at Louisiana Downs.

◗ Trainer Joey Foster, who has starters in three races Wednesday at Louisiana Downs, is approaching a milestone of 1,000 wins. He was at 993 through Sunday.

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