farrell jones | Horse Racing Free Tips

News regarding the passing of retired Hall of Fame trainer Gary Jones hit hard at Santa Anita Monday morning, as word circulated that Jones had passed away following a lengthy illness at age 76 at his home in Del Mar.

The son of one of California's all time training greats, Gary Jones was born June 16, 1944 in Long Beach and he was unquestionably destined for a life at the racetrack, which he certainly made the most of.

After an extended apprenticeship with his father, the legendary Farrell “Wild Horse” Jones, Gary Jones took over the Jones Stable in 1974 and from there, took it to new heights, as the barn produced an incredible 104 stakes winners over the next 22 years, including 1986 Eclipse Award winning Older Horse, Turkoman.

A trainer who redefined hands-on horsemanship, Jones operated a split stable between Santa Anita and Hollywood Park for several years and he had a bushel basket full of speeding tickets to prove it.

“I gotta seem 'em go myself,” he once said, when asked why he felt compelled to watch a set or two of his horses train in Inglewood prior to blasting up the Harbor Freeway back to Arcadia in time to oversee the training of his Santa Anita-based charges. “I've got good people, but I just can't take somebody's else's word for it. I want to see them myself.”

A two-time winner of the Santa Anita Handicap—in 1992 with eventual Hall of Famer Best Pal and in 1994, via disqualification, with Stuka, Jones ranks eighth on Santa Anita's all time Winter/Spring win list with 576 victories and he is currently ninth in Santa Anita stakes-won with 72.

Jones, who was a fierce advocate for California racing, trained an incredible 104 stakes winners prior to his retirement in 1996 that included Kostroma, Quiet American, Time to Explode, Lakeway and Wishing Well, who would go on to become the dam of 1989 Horse of the Year Sunday Silence.

Gary Jones is survived by his wife Joanie and two sons, trainer Marty and David, who is a Los Angeles-based attorney.

Services are pending.

The post Hall Of Fame Trainer Gary Jones, Conditioner Of Turkoman, Passes At Age 76 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Veteran trainer Rafael Becerra was all smiles Saturday morning, as his talented California-bred juvenile Touchdown Brown ran lights-out in his debut in Friday's fourth race, demolishing seven Cal-bred rivals by 5 ¼ lengths while getting 4 ½ furlongs in 52.81 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

“He's really good this morning, he pulled up great,” said the popular Becerra, 65. “The owners told me they're already getting a lot offers, but the good news is, they're not selling. I got this horse in mid-March and from day one, he acted like a good horse. We went to the track with him right away and he galloped perfect and he's got a very good mind.

“You could see he's got a nice way of moving and my exercise rider really liked him right from the start. When we started breezing him, he did everything easy and outworked a good horse of mine in company.”

A homebred colt by Cairo Prince out of the Cherokee Run mare Chicalelee, Touchdown Brown, who is owned by Edward J. Brown, Jr., Alan Klein and Phillip Lebherz, was off as the 3-2 favorite and paid $5.00 to win.

Breaking alertly from post position seven, Touchdown Brown, who was ridden by Evin Roman, was on the move while third, about 1 ½ lengths off the lead approaching the quarter pole. From there, he entered the stretch three-deep and when he switched to his left lead, forged to the front approaching the sixteenth pole winning under a hand ride in a tremendous effort.

Becerra, who started on the racetrack at age 16 in 1971 with the legendary Farrell Jones and his Hall of Fame son, Gary, has been training on his own since Gary Jones' retirement in 1996 and has long been regarded as a hard working, no-nonsense horseman who helped develop multiple graded stakes winner Kingdom Found, a California-bred gelding, foaled in 1990, who banked $810,863 in a career that spanned seven racing seasons.

What's next for Touchdown Brown?

“With all the money that's available, the owners agree that we're going to stay with Cal-breds for now,” said Becerra. “We're going to run him in the Graduation Stakes (5 ½ furlongs, Aug. 2 at Del Mar) and we'll see where we go from there.”

If yesterday's result was any indication, Touchdown Brown figures to go a long, long way indeed.

The post Becerra Hoping To Score Big With Touchdown Brown After Sharp Debut Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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