Cindy Jones

LEMON CHIFFON EYES GRADED GLORY AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Trainer Sean McCarthy had a choice to make with Lemon Chiffon: Stay at home in California and run in the Grade I Matriarch on Nov. 28 at Hollywood Park, or ship east to Churchill Downs for Saturday’s Grade III Cardinal Handicap over the Matt Winn Turf Course.

“I’d like to get her a graded stakes win and in the Matriarch she would have to face the Grade I and Grade II horses she has been fighting all summer and fall,” McCarthy said. “Not that this is going to be that much easier, because any time you put a grade in front of a race, you know it is going to be tough.”

For Lemon Chiffon, who arrived here Tuesday night, it will be her second start of 2009 at Churchill Downs.

“She ran well here in the spring,” McCarthy said of a third-place finish in the Distaff Turf Mile (GII). “Plus the distance (1 1/8 miles in the Cardinal) is good for her.”

Owned by Ron Beegle, Lemon Chiffon is a lightly raced 6-year-old daughter of Lemon Drop Kid who did not make her racing debut until she was 4.

“I got her when she was 2 and we were getting ready to run her at the end of the year and she had a hairline fracture of her tibia,” McCarthy said. “She won the first time she ran and then the same thing happened to her other tibia after her first race.”

The second injury kept Lemon Chiffon away from the races for 15 months. Since returning in April 2008, Lemon Chiffon has compiled a record of 3-1-2 in 13 races and since running third in last fall’s Las Palmas Handicap (GII) has not been beaten by more than 2 ½ lengths in mainly graded-stakes company.

“She’s pretty honest and she’s just had some bad luck running with some good horses,” said McCarthy, who has 10 horses in his barn on the Southern California circuit.

Jon Court, who rode Lemon Chiffon in her debut win at Santa Anita in 2007, has the riding assignment on Saturday.

McCarthy also nominated Lemon Chiffon to the Falls City Handicap (GII) at 1 1/8 miles on the main track.

“She won on the dirt on the bullring at Fairplex,” McCarthy said. “I train her on the main track at home and I nominated her to both races in case it rains and the Cardinal comes off the grass. I would not be afraid to race on the dirt.”

GET STORMY PROVES HE CAN GO THE DISTANCE – Trainer Tom Bush was confident that Get Stormy could win going 1 1/16 miles. Turns out he was right … by a nose.

That’s the margin Get Stormy hung on by to win Sunday’s Commonwealth Turf (Grade III).

“I don’t know what it is, but he loses focus a little bit in the stretch,” Bush said. “But when that horse (Street Move) came at him, he saw him and dug in again and fought back and he galloped out strong, which leads me to believe there is more there.”

Sunday’s race was the final one for the year for Get Stormy, who left Churchill Downs to return to New York on Tuesday.

“He has been going all year,” said Bush, who keeps his stable in New York during the winter. “We haven’t firmed up plans yet whether to send him to Florida and give him a couple of months at the farm or to Camden (S.C.). But that was definitely it for the year. He won’t run in January or February.”

Sunday’s payday of $66,027 gave Get Stormy a two-race haul of $141,027 for his forays to Kentucky. Last month, he earned $75,000 for winning the Bryan Station (GIII) at Keeneland.

Bush is planning to come back to Churchill Downs in search of another big check.

“I’m sending Banrock down for the River City Handicap (GIII),” Bush said of the 6-year-old New York bred who is a four-time stakes winner in 2009. “He’ll get there Monday.”

Runner-up Street Move headed back to Florida on Monday along with stablemates Florentino (Jpn) who finished eighth and Bluegrass Princess, who had finished fifth on Saturday in the Mrs. Revere (GII).

“We got him earlier this year and Kiaran noticed he didn’t move as well on dirt,” said Neal McLaughlin, brother of and assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. “He was a little better on the turf and in his grass races he has really come along.

“But we’ve got to try the Poly with him. He never has been on Polytrack and he has that great closing kick that suits Polytrack. Plus, he’s a half-brother to Furthest Land who won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI), so we are looking forward to bringing him to Keeneland next spring.”

CINDY JONES GETS FIRST TRAINING WIN AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – No Such Word gave Cindy Jones her first training victory at Churchill Downs in the Friday nightcap. However, for the wife of recently retired trainer Larry Jones, it was not her first victory.

“The first year we were at Ellis Park in 1988, Larry did not get enough stalls and he put some horses in my name,” Cindy said. “My first winner was a little horse named Prizado. He was only 15 hands and he won his first race by eight lengths and then the 2-year-old stake there by 5 ½.”

No Such Word is a 2-year-old daughter of Canadian Frontier and owned by her breeder, former Kentucky Gov. Brereton Jones.

“Brereton called right after the race and he was so excited,” Cindy said of No Such Word, who was the last horse Larry galloped on final day as a trainer on Nov. 7.

Larry Jones continues to gallop horses for the barn with No Such Word as one of his morning regulars.

BARN TALK – Distinctive Dixie, one of two winners on the Sunday card for trainer Wally Dollase, is headed for a Dec. 19 stakes race at the Fair Grounds according to Aimee Dollase, assistant to her father. Owned by the Robert and Beverly Lewis Trust, Distinctive Dixie was coming off a five-month layoff into her victory over seven furlongs. …

With 10 racing days remaining in the Fall Meet, several Churchill Downs milestones are within reach for jockeys and trainers. Robby Albarado, who is tied for third in the rider standings with nine victories, has 848 wins all time beneath the Twin Spires. Julien Leparoux, second in the standings with 11 wins, needs 10 victories to become the 15th jockey with 400 Churchill Downs triumphs. Trainers Rusty Arnold (248) and Ken McPeek (247) are closing in on the 250-win plateau.

WORK TAB – Acoma, one of the likely favorites for Saturday’s Cardinal Handicap (GIII), worked a half-mile on Monday in :48.80 over a fast track for trainer David Carroll. Also working a half-mile for Carroll was Denis of Cork (:50.40), his second work since returning to the barn from injury. … On Tuesday, over a track labeled as “wet-fast” Iroquois (GIII) winner Thiskyhasnolimit worked six furlongs in 1:12.60 for trainer Steve Asmussen in preparation for the closing-day Kentucky Jockey Club (GII). Also working for the Kentucky Jockey Club was Gleam of Hope who covered five furlongs in 1:01.40 (wet-fast) for trainer Tony Reinstedler. Prepping for a possible start in the Thanksgiving Day Falls City Handicap (GII), Whirlie Bertie worked a bullet five-eighths in 1:00 (wet-fast) for trainer Steve Margolis. ... Decelerator, winner of the Debutante (GIII) here this summer and second in the Pocahontas (GIII) on Nov. 1, worked a half-mile in :53.60 over a “muddy” track Wednesday morning ahead of an expected start in the Grade II Golden Rod on Nov. 28.

JONES GOES AROUND THE TRACK ON LAST TIME – It was business as usual Saturday morning at Barn 43 at Churchill Downs with trainer Larry Jones in the saddle and galloping his horses during training hours.

But the game, and Jones’ life, will change on Sunday.

"I am sleeping in that morning,” said Jones, who is turning over the training of his 23 horses to his wife Cindy. “I’m gonna tell Cindy that I’m sick.”

Jones, a 53-year-old native of Hopkinsville, Ky., who began training in 1982, is retiring as a trainer after the Saturday card in which he will send the 3-year-old Payton d’Oro out to face older foes in the $150,000-added Chilukki (Grade II).

Jones galloped four horses Saturday morning, the final one being No Such Word.

“That’s it, I’m done,” Jones said with a laugh after he got off the 2-year-old filly.

“I’m gonna keep on galloping. I think I’m on the gallop list tomorrow, but on the late, late ones. I think tomorrow will be my first day as an exercise rider because I have always had a trainer’s license when I have been galloping my horses.”

Jones owns one stakes victory at Churchill Downs, where he saddled his first starter. That winner was Proud Spell in the 2008 Kentucky Oaks.

But it was another filly that really kick-started Jones’ career, Island Sand, who finished second to Ashado in the 2004 Oaks.

“She was right here in this barn and she was the one that really put us on the map,” Jones said. “We drove back to Ellis Park with her in the trailer that afternoon after the race. We stopped at a McDonald’s for a bite to eat and she went through the drive-through with us.”

Jones, who saddled Hard Spun and Eight Belles to runner-up finishes in the 2007 and 2008 runnings of the Kentucky Derby, still has that trailer.

“It is in Maryland with all my stuff in it that has to get to Oaklawn Park,” Jones said.

Cindy Jones will oversee the barn operations through the end of the Churchill Downs meet on Nov. 28 and then the couple will head home to Henderson, Ky., for the holidays and Christmas with the grandchildren.
Longtime assistants Deirdre Jackson and Cory York will handle the stable’s move to Arkansas and continue to work with Cindy.

DEMARCATION COULD RETURN CLOSING WEEKEND – Trainer Paul McGee already had one horse in his barn targeting the Nov. 27 Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GII) in Dubious Miss.
He may have picked up a second on Friday when the Amerman Racing Stables’ Demarcation rallied to win the Ack Ack Handicap (GIII) in his first main track start since February 2008.

“The way Mr. (John) Amerman was talking last night, he was thinking about the Clark,” McGee said. “We will talk about it, but Demarcation could come back and defend his title in the River City (Handicap, GIII). He is fine this morning.”

The victory by Demarcation was his first since dead-heating with Karelian in last year’s River City Handicap. Jesus Castanon, who was aboard Demarcation on Friday, also was aboard in the River City to account for the rider’s two Churchill Downs stakes victories.

TAPITSFLY COMPLETES FRIDAY GRAND SLAM FOR ROMANS – If there was any lingering doubt that Friday was Dale Romans’ day, Tapitsfly erased it in Southern California.

Romans was not at Churchill Downs yesterday to see each of his three starters reach the winner’s circle. First up was Bobby B. Goode ($8.80) in the second, followed by Buckwild ($11.60) in the fourth and Sir Jock ($5.80) in the fifth.

The trio of wins gave Romans five through the first four days of the 21-day meet and lifted him into the top spot in the race for “leading trainer” honors.

But the crowning achievement of the day came at Santa Anita when Louisvillian Frank Jones Jr.’s homebred Tapitsfly won the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf under Robby Albarado.

The victory by Tapitsfly, Romans’ only horse in the 2009 World Championships, was Romans’ first Breeders’ Cup win from seven starters.. It was the second Breeders’ Cup victory for Albarado, who won the 2007 Classic on “Horse of the Year” Curlin.

Albarado nearly doubled up in the next race, the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI), finishing second on Beautician for Churchill Downs-based trainer Ken McPeek.

Baldemar Bahena, assistant to Romans, said that Tapitsfly was scheduled to return to Churchill Downs on Sunday.
 
FUND ESTABLISHED TO ASSIST INJURED RIDER BRIMO – Cindy Werner, wife of trainer Ronny Werner, has set up a fund at Fifth Third Bank to assist with the cost of rehabilitation for jockey Julia Brimo who was injured in an Oct. 30 spill at Keeneland.

“They have taken the respirator out and she is breathing on her own,” Cindy Werner said of the 33-year-old Brimo, who remains hospitalized in serious condition at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. “She has some movement in her extremities.”

Brimo’s mount, Golden Stride, clipped heels and feel in the first race on the Polytrack surface at the Lexington track.

“She has been galloping horses for us and rode some for us at Turfway Park,” Cindy Werner said.

Brimo had been a regular fixture at Churchill Downs the past few years as an exercise rider for trainer Mark Casse and among the horses she had galloped here was Sealy Hill, Canada’s Horse of the Year in 2007.

Werner said donations to the fund would be accepted at any Fifth Third Bank or can be mailed to Werner at 1116 Flat Rock Road, Louisville, KY 40245.

BARN TALK – Five-time Churchill Downs riding champion Julien Leparoux was the riding star of the first day of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita on Friday with two victories. Leparoux guided She Be Wild to victory in the $2 million Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies (GI) and Informed Decision in the $1 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI). Leparoux also finished third on Forever Together in the $2 million Emirates Airline Filly & Mare Turf (GI),

She Be Wild is trained by Wayne Catalano, who has 22 horses stabled in Barn 42.

Three-time Churchill Downs graded-stakes winner Pure Clan atoned for her last-place showing in last year’s Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf by running a fast-closing second to Midday (GB) for veteran trainer Bob Holthus.

The 1-2 finishers in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, Life Is Sweet and Mushka, both spent time here in the Spring of 2008 in Barn 19 for trainer Bill Mott.

“Mushka spent some time between here and Keeneland after she wintered at Payson Park,” said Kenny McCarthy, Mott’s Churchill Downs assistant. “Life Is Sweet was here after she ran at Keeneland (fourth in the Grade I Ashland), but the owners (Pam and Marty Wygod) saw that she liked the Polytrack and sent her to John Shirreffs in California.”

Former jockey Joe Deegan, who spends the first part of each morning galloping horses at Churchill Downs, picked up a training victory Friday when Pop Tarrt posted a $101.80 upset in the eighth race.

“We have some horses at the High Point Training Center in LaGrange,” Deegan said. “I gallop here until 7:30 and then go out there. We can train as long as we want out there.”

Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Four Gifts overhauled favored Just Jenda to win the $113,300 Eight Belles (Grade III) for 3-year-old fillies by three lengths on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

The race was formerly known as the La Troienne but changed this year to honor Eight Belles, the ill-fated runner-up to Big Brown in the 2008 Kentucky Derby who suffered a fatal injury a quarter-mile past the finish of that race.

Ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, Four Gifts gave the Heiligbrodt Stable and trainer Steve Asmussen their second victory in the race with the other score coming in 2002 with Cashier’s Dream.

Auspicious, another Asmussen trainee, and Lady Laughter led the field of eight down the backside through the first quarter-mile in :23.34 with Just Jenda and Four Gifts sitting in a stalking position.

Lady Laughter disposed of Auspicious leaving the backstretch, but was soon challenged by Just Jenda, who swooped to the lead turning for home with Four Gifts right behind. Bridgmohan swung Four Gifts out at the eighth pole and drew clear for her fourth victory in nine starts.

Four Gifts, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Even the Score out of the Service Stripe mare Agiftfromservice, covered the 7 ½ furlongs on a “sloppy” main track in 1:30.94. The victory was worth $68,139 and increased Four Gifts’ earnings to $483,168.

Four Gifts returned payoffs of $9.60, $4.20 and $3. Just Jenda, owned by Cindy Jones and trained by her husband Larry Jones who trained Eight Belles, paid $3.40 and $2.80 under Gabriel Saez. The Jones-trained Warrior Maid took third another two lengths back under John Velazquez and paid $5 to show.

EIGHT BELLES QUOTES

SHAUN BRIDGMOHAN (rider of winner Four Gifts) – “I had a phenomenal trip. She settle really nice behind. She did everything I wanted her to do. The speed set up very good. I was able to watch the horse (Just Jenda) that I wanted to watch and got her on the outside of me. I just got her in the right spot that I though she needed to be, and the rest was up to her and she did it. She ran a really nice race for me.

“At the top of the stretch, I even thought about splitting (Just Jenda), and then Gabe (Saez) went to the right and drifted in a bit. So I had to alter course. Once I got on the outside of her, she just accelerated went on about her business along pretty nice.”

STEVE ASMUSSEN (trainer of winner Four Gifts) -- “I think the distance is the key with her. She’s been a very special filly, seven-eighths to a mile. I think the prep for the Fair Grounds Oaks, she ran a good race, but it put it in your head that that might have been a step too far because she made a great punch and then just backed up the last sixteenth.

“I think the off track and the company in the Fair Grounds Oaks definitely solidified what we need to do with her. I thought this was an ideal spot for her timing-wise as well as all the experience she had backing into it.

“The major targets for her going forward are the Acorn and the Test.”

GABRIEL SAEZ (rider of second-place finisher Just Jenda) – “That winner -- she was tracking me. I knew she was there, but we couldn’t stop her. My filly handled the track well and she ran hard. We just had to settle for second today.”

JOHN VELAZQUEZ (rider of third-place finisher Warrior Maid) – “Perfect trip; good run from my filly. Can’t ask for much more than that. She tried hard.”