Trainer Larry Jones’ return to his old Kentucky home nearly came up smelling roses. His horse, Hard Spun, led for most of the race before Street Sense caught him in final furlong in yesterday’s 133rd Kentucky Derby. Hard Spun finished second. During the week, Jones shared his thoughts with Post readers. As told to Ed Fountaine.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The only thing I can say is, thank good ness good horses can overcome bad training. Apparently that fast workout didn’t do him in.
To quit kidding about it, Hard Spun was telling us what we hoped he would. That’s one reason we didn’t want another prep. We felt he was sitting on a breakthrough race. I didn’t want to tax him that hard before the Derby.
With that fast work, he was trying to tell us, “I’m OK with Churchill’s track, guys, and I’m ready to peak.” When you have a horse that can run those fast fractions and do it at a relaxed rate, that is his knockout punch. Why take that part of his game away?
When Street Sense came running, Hard Spun had already started waiting on horses. When Street Sense came to him, he dug in, but Street Sense just came by so freaking fast, we couldn’t get tied on. If Street Sense had any traffic in his way, we win the race. And Street Sense loves Churchill, he’s the hometown boy. We just got beat by a better horse on that day who had a perfect trip as well.
We’re very happy. Mario Pino rode a wonderful race. He just kept inching away, making the people chasing him use their horses enough that it was taking the run out of them.
We were getting excited, I’m not making any bones about it. When we came around the far turn, we kicked free. I knew one horse was coming, I figured it was Street Sense. I said, “Oh shoot, it’s Calvin [Borel].”
I just wish those boys had stayed on rail and blocked it up for Street Sense. We didn’t get any help from the remainder of the field. You’d think with 20 horses in there, somebody would be riding the rail other than us.
At least we didn’t let him through. We made no bones about it. I told Calvin, “If you pass me on left-hand side, you better plan on being on the turf course. You’re not coming through. When you see the back of Mario, he’s the one with the flashing yellow light on his helmet pointing to the outside.”
Right now, it’s our gameplan to go to the Preakness. Hard Spun looked fine coming out of the test barn last night, but we’ll definitely know more this morning. But I don’t see any reason not to go to Pimlico.