Trainer Larry Jones returns to his old Kentucky home to run Hard Spun, winner of the Lane’s End Stakes, in Saturday’s 133rd Kentucky Derby. This week, he shares his thoughts about training the once-beaten colt with Post readers. As told to Ed Fountaine.
LOUISVILLE – Hard Spun was spectacular in his workout yesterday. We put a horse out there with him who can run, Wildcat Bettie B, not to get him to go fast. We just wanted a good, solid effort out of both horses. He made short order out of her.
For 200 yards, he can just explode. He’s got super-fast acceleration, and that’s what he did with that filly when it was time to go. You’ve got to realize, she’s a Grade 1 winner.
It shows me he’s getting across the track very well. He would not have gone that fast if he just didn’t skip across it, because we did not ask him to do that. That gives me a lot of confidence going in.
Hopefully, some day he’ll show us he’s a really special horse. We feel that he is already. I laugh and tell people he can run really fast in spite of his training. He has a brilliant future ahead of him.
A big crowd of media came by the barn after the work. I’ve been here a lot during Derby weeks in years past, so I know what to expect. Hopefully we will do it as well as the people in the past and not come across as being a big jerk from western Kentucky.
It really is my first time on the receiving end of all the attention. It’s part of the job, and it’s a good problem to have. And now my cell phone isn’t ringing as much, because everyone is here. They can ask me in person. That really helps.
If I’ve been here as many times as some of the other trainers have, it may get old. But right now, we’re going to try and enjoy this as best we can.
The only other Derby trainer I got to be really close to was John Servis, when he had Smarty Jones. I thought John did an excellent job handling the press.
The time I got closest to him was at Belmont Park before the Belmont Stakes (when Smarty Jones bid for the Triple Crown). Needless to say, it was in full force. I had Island Sand at the time, and we were in the same barn at Belmont, the only two that were there.
So I got to watch him, and hopefully I will conduct myself in as high-class a manner as he did.