Havre de Grace Energetic Following Beldame Romp

10/2/2011 7:57 PM  | horseracingnation.com
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Havre De Grace wins the 2011 Woodward Trainer Larry Jones reported Sunday morning that his star filly Havre de Grace came out of her 8 ¼-length victory in the Grade 1, $350,000 Beldame Invitational in excellent shape.

"Everything looks good," Jones said of the 4-year-old Saint Liam filly. "She is still quite spry. All is well."

After her 1 ¼-length score against the males in the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga Race Course on September 3, Jones said there were a number of people suggesting he should train Havre de Grace up to the November 5 Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs.

"There were a lot of people, because everyone has an opinion, that said we shouldn't have run yesterday and should have gone straight from the Woodward to the Classic," Jones said. "They said that we were going to knock her out. So yesterday was the kind of race we were looking for. She was able to come home the last eighth of a mile very much in control and in a gallop."

Owned by Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms, Havre de Grace has put together quite an impressive 4-year-old campaign, with victories in the Grade 1 Beldame, Grade 1 Woodward, Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap, Grade 3 Obeah, and Grade 3 Azeri. Her only loss of 2011 came by a nose to rival Blind Luck in the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap, a race in which she spotted the winner two pounds.

Jones is excited at the prospect of settling Horse of the Year in the Breeders' Cup Classic, although he doesn't necessarily think that his filly has to win to be considered for the award, based on the strength of her schedule this year.

"[Horse of the Year] could be determined in the Classic," Jones said. "That's where it should be determined, on the racetrack. It shouldn't just be bound to someone's opinion. If she wins the Classic, then definitely it's a no-brainer that she is Horse of the Year. But I don't think for us to still be considered for Horse of the Year we necessarily have to win the Classic. But we have to show up and run big."

Jones also had high praise for Uncle Mo, eye-catching winner of Saturday's Grade 2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont, who his filly figures to face at Churchill Downs.

"Uncle Mo ran freakishly well yesterday," Jones said. "That final time, if that clock wasn't lying to us, he was rolling. I thought he could be in trouble turning for home. I thought that Jackson Bend was starting to get himself in a position to work with him, but it showed that Uncle Mo still had a lot left."

Jones, who also saddled the 2-year-old filly Believe You Can to win Sunday's Grade 3 Tempted at Belmont, said that both she and Havre de Grace will ship to Delaware Park Sunday afternoon and then on Monday morning van to Keeneland, where they will train up to their respective Breeders' Cup engagements.


 

 

What the Nation is saying about Havre de Grace Energetic Following Beldame Romp...

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