Jeff Mullins No Jordan, but He's Starting One
Updated: Friday, November 1, 2002 7:44 PM
Posted: Friday, November 1, 2002 7:44 PM
Jeff Mullins was a mainstay in Arizona for years, but the 39-year-old trainer recently moved his base of operations to Southern California, where he has been a frequent visitor to the winner's circle.
Mullins shares his name with a well-known former NBA player. Saturday, he'll be starting a horse in the California Cup Juvenile named for NBA great Michael Jordan – Hair Jordan.
He is winning at a highly respectable 21 percent this year, with 35 wins from 167 starts through Thursday.
"We're holding our own," Mullins said. "I've been in California permanently for over a year now. If California can get the workmens' comp situation straightened out, we'll be OK, but even with that, there's more opportunity to excel here than there is in Arizona. You're not going anywhere over there."
On Saturday, Mullins will saddle his first California Cup starter when he sends out Hair Jordan in the Juvenile at 1 1/16 miles for 2-year-olds.
To be ridden by Danny Sorenson, Hair Jordan is 15-1 on the morning line. He'll start on the outside in the field of eight.
"He won for $25,000 at Pomona," Mullins said of the son of Run On the Bank, owned and bred by Patrick Woodlington of Nampa, Idaho. "Then I ran him back in the Gateway to Glory going long first time and he ran third. He's got as good a shot as anybody, I guess."
Woodlington, 45, is a plumbing contractor in Nampa, a town outside of Boise. He is a Michael Jordan fan, which explains the horse's name.
"I wanted to name the horse Air Jordan," Woodlington said, "but couldn't infringe on the rights to the name, so Hair Jordan was as close as I could come."
Hair Jordan broke his maiden in his debut at Boise on June 15. He has a 2-1-1 record from five starts with earnings of $34,658.
$125,000 Budweiser California Cup Juvenile, 1 1/16 mile PP. Horse, Jockey, ML Odds
1. Martinblestme, Victor Espinoza, 3-1
2. Crackup, Tyler Baze, 2-1
3. Seemore Seemore, Barrington Harvey, 30-1
4. Global Games, Matt Garcia, 30-1
5. Oberwald, Laffit Pincay Jr., 6-1
6. Excessive Barb, Kent Desormeaux, 9-5
7. Bold N Broke, Alex Solis, 15-1
8. Hair Jordan, Danny Sorenson, 15-1
All carry 118 pounds.
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