Trainer Larry Jones looking forward to Delaware Park meet

For the last 12 years, trainer J. Larry Jones has made Delaware Park his spring and summer home with tremendous career success.  With Opening Day for the 80th season of live racing slated for June 3rd, Jones is looking forward to another promising and successful meet. 

 

“Delaware Park fits us.  There is no reason for us to be any other place,” said Jones, who will have approximately 55 horses stabled at Delaware Park.  “This is our spring and summer home.”

 

In 2005, the 60-year-old native of Hopkinsville, Kentucky won the Delaware Handicap with Island Sand. The following year, he moved his entire operation to Delaware Park and since then, he has developed filly and mare superstars like Believe You Can, Eight Belles, Lovely Maria, Proud Spell and Havre de Grace at the historic Stanton oval.  Last year, he won the Delaware Handicap for a second-time with the recently retired I’m a Chatterbox.

 

“We come back to Delaware Park every year because we have had a lot of success,” Jones said.  “It is pretty simple - it is a great spot to run and train.  We can get to a lot of tracks from here, the surface is exceptional every year, the racing is great every season and we love the Delaware Handicap.  Whatever has been good to you, you just keep doing it again and we do not have a reason to be anywhere else.”

 

Jones went on to elaborate about one of his expectations for this season.

  

“We do have our sights set on the Delaware Oaks.  Of course we got Jenda’s Agenda, but we also got another filly who is a half-sister to the Grade I winner Hard Aces named Astrollinthepark,” Jones said.  “She has won three in a row and was an impressive winner of a stake in her last race.  Rick Porter of Fox Hill Farm also has a filly named Americana, who although still a maiden, is stakes-placed in California. We think she has plenty of promise.” 

 

Others making preparations for the 2017 season at Delaware Park include Tim Ritchey,  Sam Cronk, Randy Nunley, Joseph Arboritanza Michael Gorham, Anthony Pecoraro, Louis Albertrani, Jonathan Sheppard, Thomas Proctor, Mark Reid, Arnaud Delacour, Scott Lake, Ronald Alfano and Keith Nations.   

 

NOTES –

 

2017 LIVE RACING DATES - The 80th season of live racing at the Stanton oval will feature 81 days with the meet starting on June 3rd and concluding on October 21st.  Live racing will be conducted Saturday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, with the first race post time at 1:15 p.m