Jones Ecstatic Over Hall of Fame Induction

Del Mar resident, 1993 Del Mar training champion and conditioner of horses like Best Pal and Turkoman, was understandably overwhelmed by his induction into the National Thoroughbred Racing Museum and Hall of Fame Friday morning.

“It was wonderful, I’m like ‘Pinch me,’ “ Gary Jones said by telephone from Saratoga Springs, N.Y.  “There were so many (racing) greats here for it. I’m standing here right now looking at Manny Ycaza.”

Jones estimated his acceptance speech lasted 8-10 minutes. “There were about 20 people I wanted to thank and I probably got in about two of them,” Jones said. Among those he missed, that would be well known to West Coast racetrackers, he said, were the late Arthur Martin, a longtime exercise rider, and Jake Mullins, colors room superintendent on the Southern California circuit.

“The main point I wanted to make was, you don’t get here by yourself. It’s thanks to a lot of other people,” Jones said.