Larry Jones' Horses Lead Kentucky Derby Trail
Freisan Fire and Old Fashioned Get Early Prep Race Wins
Mar 9, 2009
Nearly wrecked last season when his talented filly Eight Belles broke down and was immediately euthanized after her gallant Kentucky Derby run, trainer Larry Jones has rebounded from that tragedy. Jones has two colts in training that have won twice in impressive fashion in traditional Derby prep trail races.
On Fire -- Friesan Fire and Old Fashioned
While early Kentucky Derby favorite Midshipman, the juvenile Breeders' Cup winner in 2008, is already off the Derby and Triple Crown trail with a soft tissue injury to his leftfore leg, Friesan Fire fired up on the four-month prep trail with wins in the Lecomte Stakes January 10 and the $200,000 Risen Star Stakes February 7, both at Fair Grounds. In addition, Jones' Old Fashioned is running at a four for four clip. His last outing was a win at Oaklawn Park in the $250,000 Southwest Stakes February 16.
Rick Porter-owned Old Fashioned is pointed to the March 14 Rebel Stakes, following the same path favored by Smarty Jones' connections in 2004 when that Elusive Quality colt entered at Churchill Downs as the unbeaten favorite.
Old Fashioned fashioned his Southwest Stakes victory for Porter's Fox Hill Farms by running the one mile trip in 1:37.41, beating Clarence Scharbauer, Jr.'s Silver City by 3-1/4 lengths and Buzzin and Dreamin, owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Lewis G. Lakin, and D. Wayne Lukas. Buzzin and Dreamin finished a length behind Silver City.
Pedigrees for Old Fashioned and Friesan Fire
A Kentucky-bred gray/roan colt, Old Fashioned is distinguished by a solid white stripe down his face. His pedigree is a solid one, too. His sire is Unbridled's Song (1993), by Unbridled (1987), by Fappiano (1977), by Mr. Prospector. His dam, Collect Call (1998), is by Meadowlake (1983), whose dam, Suspicious Native (1972), was sired by Raise a Native. His second dam, Negative Pledge (1989), traces to Bold Ruler.
Friesan Fire, with two Triple Crown champions in his breeding corral, captured the Risen Star by 2 lengths over breeder-owner James C. Spence's Flying Pegasus and Cathy and Bob Zollars and Mark Wagner's Uno Mas, who finished third another 1-3/4 lengths back. Owned by Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farms, Friesan Fire is a dark bay, or brown colt by top sire A.P. Indy.
A.P. Indy's boy put space between himself and the rest in the $100,000 Lecomte when he flew home in the final quarter mile in :24.14, after running through medium early fractions in third position. A.P. Indy, a classic champion, was sired by 1977 Triple Crown champion Seattle Slew. Secretariat, 1973 Triple Crown winner, sired A.P. Indy's dam, Weekend Surprise.
Saez Riding Friesan Fire
Gabriel Saez, who rode Eight Belles last season, has the mount on Friesan Fire for trainer Jones. Ramon Dominguez guides Old Fashioned.
