|
"Proud
Spell bounces back in Oaks"
STANTON, Del. -- One way or
another, trainer Larry Jones
knew he was going to win the
Delaware Oaks.
Jones had jockey Mario Pino
put 29-1 longshot Maren's Meadow
on the lead, while Gabriel Saez
sat patiently in third with
1-5 favorite Proud Spell.
"I liked my spot with either
horse," said Jones. "I
just didn't know which one was
going to win."
Proud Spell, coming back just
two weeks after enduring a horrible
trip in the Mother Goose at
|
Belmont Park, dug down and put away
a stubborn African Violet to win Saturday's
Grade 2, $500,300 Oaks by three-quarters
of a length and pay $2.60.
Well aware that Weathered had stolen
the local prep for the 57th Delaware
Oaks last month, Jones instructed
Pino to go full speed ahead with Maren's
Meadow, winner of the Grade 3 Bourbonette
at Turfway Park.
"If anybody was going to steal
the race this time," Jones said,
"it was going to be Maren's Meadow."
Jones said his only concern was whether
Saez would be able to find room for
Proud Spell to launch her rally.
"I was worried we might get shut
down," Jones said. "That's
what happened at Belmont. We had no
place to run."
Proud Spell stumbled at the start,
finished second, and was disqualified
and placed third in the Mother Goose.
"That race was a meltdown,"
Jones added. "He was actually
lucky to stay on her after she stumbled
so badly."
This time, Saez had no traffic problems.
As Maren's Meadow gave way to African
Violet, fading to fourth, Proud Spell
moved three wide to challenge, got
within a head of African Violet at
the eighth pole, and edged away late
while completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.34.
Shes All Eltish finished third, two
lengths behind African Violet.
Jones said that unlike his other star
3-year-old filly, the late Eight Belles,
Proud Spell has to work a lot harder
to get the job done.
"Eight Belles won because she
had exceptional talent. Proud Spell
is my blue collar horse. She wins
because she's so intent on winning."
Any doubts Jones had about bringing
back Proud Spell on short rest were
erased when he galloped the daughter
of Proud Citizen the day before the
Oaks. "If I wasn't planning on
running her before, I knew I had to
after I got on her [Friday] morning.
She breezed so well."
Jones said Proud Spell will be pointed
to the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama on
Aug. 16 at Saratoga.
Delaware Park, 8th Race - July 12,
2008
|
