Trainer Larry Jones will offer a stiff one-two punch in the $400,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap (gr. I), with stablemates Joyful Victory and Believe You Can both entered for the May 27 event at Belmont Park.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Rosie Napravnik remembers galloping horses at Pimlico Race Course before she even earned her jockey's license. On May 18 aboard Mylute, she'll become just the third woman to ever ride in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Saturday, May 18, 2013Fletcher and Carolyn Gray's Icon Ike, two-for-two this year with stakes wins in turf sprints, will face seven foes in the $125,000 Churchill Downs Turf Sprint (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs May 4.
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Nearly one year after securing a victory in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), Brereton Jones homebred Believe You Can returns to racing at Churchill Downs in the $300,000 La Troienne Stakes (gr. II) May 3.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
In her sixth try at the grade I level, Joyful Victory finally broke through with a front-running trip under Rosie Napravnik to capture the $294,250 Santa Margarita Stakes in style March 16 at Santa Anita Park.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Joyful Victory, shipping to Southern California from New Orleans, has a golden opportunity to secure her first grade I victory in the $300,000 Santa Margarita Invitational Stakes March 16 at Santa Anita Park.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Believe You Can blew away the competition in the $150,000 New Orleans Ladies March 9 at Fair Grounds, posting her second straight win off the layoff; the $150,000 Duncan F. Kenner went to Delaunay for owner Maggi Moss.
Saturday, March 09, 2013
Believe You Can looks to parlay a Feb. 2 tally at Fair Grounds into victory in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes March 9; Louisiana Derby winner Hero of Order will wheel back in the Duncan F. Kenner on the same day.
Wednesday, March 06, 2013
Mineshaft victory was his first since the 2012 Peter Pan Stakes.
Brereton Jones' homebred Mark Valeski overcame traffic troubles and ran down a cavalcade of horses in the stretch of the $148,500 Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 23.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
After a hard-fought finish in the Louisiana Handicap, Mark Valeski and Infrattini will face off once again in the $150,000 Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III) Feb. 23 at Fair Grounds.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Demoiselle Stakes (gr. II) victress Unlimited Budget has been pegged the 5-2 morning line favorite for the $200,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes (gr. III) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 23, in her season debut.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Believe You Can is likely to make her next appearance in the March 9 New Orleans Ladies Stakes while stablemate Mark Valeski will aim for the Mineshaft Handicap, and other Larry Jones contenders are on the move.
Wednesday, February 06, 2013
Brereton Jones' homebred Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Believe You Can returned from a layoff of more than seven months to capture the $94,000 Tiffany Lass Stakes by 10 1/4 lengths Feb. 2 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Saturday, February 02, 2013
Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Believe You Can returns to Fair Grounds Feb. 2 to make her 2013 debut in the $75,000 Tiffany Lass Stakes against five other older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
A freshened Joyful Victory was too much to handle for her rivals in the inaugural $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston Race Park on the night of Jan. 26, setting a track record while drawing away for an easy win.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
The inaugural running of the $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic -- -the richest race run at Sam Houston Race Park since it opened in 1994 -- -will feature round three for rivals Joyful Victory and Brushed by a Star.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Z Thoroughbreds' homebred Infrattini earned his fourth straight victory, accomplished over four different tracks, by outfinishing odds-on choice Mark Valeski in the $100,000 Louisiana Handicap Jan. 19 at Fair Grounds.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Believe You Can took a step toward her 4-year-old racing debut on Jan. 18 when she breezed five furlongs in a minute flat on a fast track at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, earning the bullet for the distance.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Less than three weeks after hooking up for a thrilling stretch duel in the Chilukki Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs, Brushed by a Star and Joyful Victory will meet again Nov. 22 in the Falls City Handicap (gr. II).
Monday, November 19, 2012
The sale of Havre de Grace for the third-highest price ever for a broodmare or broodmare prospect highlights a sale that saw gross receipts nearly double.
Monday, November 05, 2012
Fox Hill Farms' Joyful Victory, a multiple graded stakes-winning earner of more than $625,000, heads a competitive field of 11 fillies and mares entered for the $150,000 Chilukki Stakes (gr. II) Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Brereton Jones' homebred Believe You Can, who had been working toward a start in the Aug. 18 Alabama Stakes (gr. I), will instead be given some time off at Jones' Airdrie Stud near Midway, Ky.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Believe You Can had her first workout at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 6, breezing over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for the Alabama Stakes (gr. I) on Aug. 18.
Monday, August 06, 2012
Havre de Grace, 2011's Horse of the Year, is "doing terrific" in retirement, according to her owner, Rick Porter, and he's planning to send her to a November mixed sale in Kentucky.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Fair Grounds Race Course has boosted the purses of eight open-company races on its 2012-2013 stakes schedule released June 28, marking the third straight year the average stakes purse has increased at the New Orleans oval.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Live Oak Plantation's Zo Impressive took the $300,000 Mother Goose Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park June 23 when 1-2 favorite Contested faded badly and Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Believe You Can failed to menace.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Grade I event at Belmont Park is filly's first start for trainer Larry Jones since Oaks score; Acorn winner Contested challenges with four-race win streak on the line.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II) winner Mark Valeski will be sidelined the remainder of the year after undergoing surgery for a small chip in his left knee.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Connections were rewarded for their patience when Mark Valeski, making only the sixth start of his career, produced a decisive victory in the Peter Pan Stakes.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Brereton Jones' homebred Mark Valeski probably won't compete in the June 9 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), trainer Larry Jones told Daily Racing Form May 21.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Larry Jones has been a looming presence on the backside of Pimlico Racecourse during the week leading up to the May 19 137th Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Thursday, May 17, 2012
With more than an inch of rain in the Louisville area and more coming down Sunday morning, trainer Dale Romans opted to postpone a work for Preakness Stakes (gr. I) contender Cozzetti.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Following a bullet work May 7, trainer Larry Jones had Mark Valeski ready to go in the Peter Pan. After a stalking trip while wide into the lane he put away pacesetter Right to Vote for his first stakes victory May 12.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Trainer Larry Jones revealed May 11 he would likely point Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Believe You Can to the 1 1/16-mile Mother Goose Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park June 23.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Louisiana Derby (gr. II) runner-up Mark Valeski arrived at Belmont Park from Kentucky May 6 in advance of his scheduled start in the upcoming $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II).
Sunday, May 06, 2012
Trainer Larry Jones comments on Believe You Can's victory in the 2012 Kentucky Oaks.
Brereton Jones' homebred daughter of Proud Citizen runs past Broadway's Alibi to win the grade I Kentucky Oaks by three-quarters of a length.
Friday, May 04, 2012
Brereton C. Jones' homebred Mark Valeski was declared out of the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) the morning of May 1.
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
Trainer Larry Jones did not commit to a potential start in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) for Brereton C. Jones' homebred Mark Valeski after the colt breezed five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 at Churchill Downs.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Rick Porter of Fox Hill Farms said in a telephone interview the afternoon of April 23 he would entertain private offers for 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Brereton Jones' homebred filly Believe You Can, winner of the Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II) in her most recent start, posted a bullet five-furlong workout, covering the distance in :59 over a fast track the morning of April 22.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Brereton Jones' Mark Valeski, runner-up in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) and Risen Star Stakes (gr. II), drilled five furlongs in :59 3/5 at Churchill Downs April 23 for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Monday, April 23, 2012
Havre de Grace, pointing for the $300,000 La Troienne Stakes (gr. II), worked five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 over a fast track early on the morning of April 22 with exercise rider Jen Brasser aboard.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
The next edition of the live podcast Talkin' Horses with The Blood-Horse.com will feature trainer Larry Jones, who conditioned Havre de Grace to a Horse of the Year title in 2011.
Friday, April 13, 2012
This year's Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) picture is shaping up nicely, with a talented cast of fillies poised to contend on the first Friday in May at Churchill Downs.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Ron Mitchell interviews Larry Jones on location, about Havre de Grace, Mark Valeski, and more!
Saying that weight assignments for the Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) were "unfair," owner Rick Porter and trainer Larry Jones will bypass the April 13 race at Oaklawn Park with Horse of the Year Havre de Grace.
Monday, April 09, 2012
Horse of the Year Havre de Grace tuned up for a possible defense of her 2011 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) title with a five furlong breeze in 1:02 1/5 under jockey Jenna Joubert.
Saturday, April 07, 2012
Trainer Larry Jones said April 4 that despite rumors that Mark Valeski came out of the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) with lameness, the horse is doing fine and is still being pointed toward the Kentucky Derby.
Wednesday, April 04, 2012