Jones Seeks Another Monmouth Oaks Victory

Trainer Larry Jones is certainly no stranger to the Monmouth Oaks winner’s circle.  From 2008-2010 he and his wife Cindy have won every running, and they’ll look to add to that tally this Saturday when Cassatt heads to the post for America’s oldest Oaks.

“We just love this race, and always hope to have a horse good enough for it,” said Jones from his Delaware headquarters.  “We’ve loved this filly ever since we got her as a 2-year-old.  She’s a big horse, and with young horses it can be tough getting them to the races early.  When she debuted she ran big, but got in trouble and we had to stop on her right after that.”

That debut was on Sept. 30 last year at Churchill Downs.  After showing good early foot in that race Cassatt was impeded in the lane where she appeared to hit the fence and finished third, only to be placed second via disqualification.

Fast forward 3 ½ months and Cassatt broke her maiden very easily sprinting six furlongs at Fair Grounds, winning by better than four lengths.

“She came back from that and just wasn’t 100%,” Jones said.  “We know how good she is so we wanted to give her time to make sure she was perfect before brining her back.” 

Her third start was at Delaware Park in an off the turf five furlong entry level allowance race, where she drew off to an impressive four length score on July 16.

“I know its tough when you have a horse that you know will do good going long and I run her short,” Jones said.  “But we needed a race in her to get ready for this one, so we ran her and she ran great.” 

A beautifully-bred daughter of Tapit from the Giant’s Causeway mare Justenufftime, Cassatt was a $300,000 yearling purchase for owner Fox Hill Farms Inc.  She will once again be reunited with jockey Kerwin Clark, who was aboard for her last win, when the duo break from post five in the Monmouth Oaks, which goes as Saturday’s 11th race.

Cassatt has been installed as the third-choice on the morning line at 9-2 for the mile and a sixteenth Oaks, with last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Ria Antonia the 5-2 favorite followed by Size, winner of the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks last out.

Dating back to 1871, the Monmouth Oaks is the oldest Oaks run in North America and has seen 17 champions and five Hall of Fame members participate in its 89 runnings.

MOMMA’S FAVORITE AMONG 10 ENTERED IN SUNDAY’S COLLEEN STAKES

Sunday’s $60,000 Colleen Stakes at Monmouth Park has drawn a competitive group of 10 2-year-olds, eight of whom will be making their turf debuts when the latch springs for the five furlong test.

Among those making their grass bow is Momma’s Favorite, who goes for trainer Kathy Mongeon with a return ride by jockey Forest Boyce.

“We know she’s superior on the grass,” said Mongeon.  “We breezed her on the turf in Ocala and she was real impressive.”

Her affinity for the turf should prove no surprise being by Sky Mesa from the Chester House mare Tres Dream, who was a two-time stakes winner on turf.  Tres Dream sold in foal to Momma’s Favorite for $270,000 at the Keeneland November sale of 2011.

Even with her known affection for the lawn, Momma’s Favorite made a very nice impression in her debut race on Aug. 2, finishing second in the slop.

“We could have breezed her again, but we decided to run her,” Mongeon said.  “We know she likes the grass, but now we know she also likes the slop.  It was a real good race for her.  She didn’t seem to like the mud kicked in her face, but when she got to the outside, it was like a light bulb went off and she really kicked it in the final sixteenth.”

A private purchase by Peter D. Kelly, Momma’s Favorite has drawn post four in Sunday’s Colleen, which goes as race eight on the 11-race program.