Havre de Grace, owned by Richard Porter’s Fox Hill Farm, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 July 4 at Delaware Park in preparation for her start in the $750,000 Delaware Handicap (gr. II) on July 16.
“All is well,” said trainer Larry Jones, who won the Delaware Handicap in 2005 with Island Sand. “She worked this morning. It was just a little move forward towards her work next week, but all is well, and she is right on schedule.”
Since being turned over to Jones at the end of her campaign last year, the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Saint Liam is unbeaten in three starts this year. In her most recent she posted a 2 1/4-length triumph in the $150,000 Obeah Stakes (gr. III) June 11 at Delaware.
Previously, Havre de Grace won a pair of Oaklawn Park stakes. On March 19 she beat Blind Luck by 3 1/4-lengths in the Azeri Stakes (gr. III) and she followed by scoring the Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) on April 15.
She has a career record of six wins, three seconds, and two thirds from 11 starts with earnings of $1,371,175.
Jones ranks Havre de Grace as possibly the best horse he has ever trained.
“I even said that before we actually raced her the first time,” said Jones. “I thought she was showing me signs of being a very special horse. Hard Spun was very, very nice. Unfortunately we do not know how good Eight Belles was going to get, but she sure was good. Proud Spell and Kodiak Kowboy both won Eclipse Awards and they were both special. But I think Havre de Grace is as good or better then anything we have ever had.”
