Larry Jones is best known to the racing public as the trainer of a Horse of the Year and three Kentucky Oaks winners.
But to insiders who have marveled at some of his practices through the years, Jones also is known as the 185-pound trainer who exercises his own horses. And that, finally, has come to an end.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario announced two more positives for the Class 2 drug capsaicin, bringing the total number this year in Ontario to 11, nine on the Thoroughbred side and two Standardbreds.
Capsaicin is the active ingredient in chili peppers that makes them hot. Trainers have used it to stop horses from chewing on things such as bandages and cross ties.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – For a rookie trainer, Rodney Barrow has a wealth of experience, which helped him make quite a splash during the early portion of the Woodbine meet.
Barrow has won with 5 of 16 starters here in his first training stint, good for a 31 percent win average. Last Sunday, he sent out Forester’s Fortune to win his second race in a row in an Ontario-sired allowance. Last year at 2, Forester’s Fortune bolted at the top of the stretch before ending up a distant third in each of his first two starts, against maidens and in the Victoria Stakes.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Caracaro, narrowly defeated by Country Grammer following a stirring stretch duel in the Peter Pan here on Thursday, could be a candidate for the Grade 1 Travers, according to Gustavo Delgado Jr., whose father, Gustavo Delgado, trains the 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo.
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said that even though Tonalist’s Shape hit the rail “pretty hard” in the run to the first turn in Saturday’s Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga, she came out of the race well and is still being pointed for the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on Sept. 4.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Sistercharlie completed preparations for her highly anticipated return to the races in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Ballston Spa Stakes by working a half-mile in 50.66 seconds Sunday over the turf course at Oklahoma.
Sistercharlie, the female turf champion of 2018, went in company with Eliade, with the pair going their first quarter in 26.48 seconds and galloping out in 1:03.03.
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The champion Midnight Bisou worked a strong six furlongs in 1:12.69 Monday morning over Saratoga’s main track, her last serious move before she seeks a repeat victory in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Stakes here on Aug. 1.
DEL MAR, Calif. – The cancellation of racing last weekend at Del Mar has resulted in 11-race cards for Friday and Saturday, with seven stakes now to be run Friday through Sunday, and a Monday card added for July 27.
Friday’s stakes are the $125,000 Fleet Treat going seven furlongs for California-bred 3-year-old fillies, including Been Studying Her and Smiling Shirlee, and the $65,000 Daisycutter at five furlongs on turf for female sprinters, including Stealthediamonds and Tomlin.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Authentic is in in the Kentucky Derby. Uncle Chuck is trying to get there. Two days after his colt Authentic won the Haskell to earn the right to move on to the Derby, trainer Bob Baffert on Monday morning here at Del Mar sent out Uncle Chuck for an eye-catching workout as the exciting, late-developing colt continues to progress toward the Travers on Aug. 8 at Saratoga.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Michael Trombetta got his Saratoga meet off to a perfect start going 2 for 2 the first week. He won on opening day with the first-time starter Escape Fund ($71) and came back Friday to win a starter allowance with Universal Payday ($11.80).
“Pleasant way to get going,” Trombetta said.
Trombetta said he liked Escape Fund, a daughter of Lea, but was concerned whether she could overcome the inside post sprinting in her debut.
