Kenneth T. Jones Jr., owner of Domino Stud of Lexington, died Oct. 30 in his native North Carolina. He was 90.
Jones, a prominent businessman in Guam, bought Domino Stud in 1989 for $10 million and nearby Mt. Brilliant for $3 million. Domino once had been a part of historic Dixiana Farm. Jones’ wife, Elaine, saw that Domino was for sale while reading Estate magazine.
Under Jones’ ownership, Domino bred about 20 stakes winners, including two in partnership. They included homebred grade II winner Sir Cherokee, plus such other graded winners as Belong to Sea, Holywood Picture, Kiss the Devil, Regal Thunder, Soto, Swing and Miss, and Wesley. The last-named won this year’s National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga.
Jones served in the Marines in the Pacific theater during World War II. In 1945, the year the war ended, he teamed with Segundo Guerrero to form a modest importing outfit, with Jones transferring jewelry from North Carolina and Guerrero selling it in Guam. Their business interests grew and came to include department stores, grocery stores, automobile dealerships, hotels, shopping centers, golf courses, construction, logging, and shipping.
In addition to his wife, Jones is survived by five daughters.