Larry Jones, who trained this year’s Kentucky Derby runner-up Eight Belles, says he will retire after the 2009 Breeders Cup.
“I’m just physically tired, and it seems like I have a hard time keeping everybody happy,” Jones said. (Kentucky.com)
Jones fell under intense scrutiny after Eight Belles’ tragic collapse and death at this year’s 2008 Kentucky Derby, criticism that he told the AP, “took a toll on his life.”
This coming year’s run for the roses will be Jones’ last shot at the Kentucky Derby victory that has eluded him throughout his career. Along with Eight Belles, Jones trained Kentucky Oaks winner Proud Spell and Derby runner-up Hard Spun.
Made it home in one disheveled piece from Louisville. Go check out my post on Yahoo! Sports about the journey from New York to Louisville by way of Columbus, OH. I didn’t get it to Jamie at Yahoo! until late Monday afternoon due to my demented state.
I’ll be posting on Yahoo! again for the second leg of the Triple crown at the Preakness in two weeks. If there is any conceivable way you can get to Baltimore on Saturday, May 17, it would be irresponsible for you not to go.
We posted up at Ohio State (a mere 2.5 hours from Louisville) for the weekend.
I thought I knew about college partying…these kids make me look like a seminarian. As you can see, their football stadium seats a few people. According to my hosts, tickets for an Ohio State vs. Youngstown State game will go for $200.
In my four years at Fordham University, I went to one football game. That game, I’m pretty sure the highlight for everyone there was me and my buddy Bob facing off in the field goal competition at half time. After he put three 20-yarders through the up-rights, I went an embarrassing 0-3, kicking in bare feet. People. Were. Booing.
My advise to those of you still and college. Don’t graduate in four years. Stay for like eight, nine. Fail a few classes, immediately.
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In reading up on the Derby going into the weekend, I noticed that they love to report on the lineage of the horses. For instance, they were giving Recapturetheglory a fighting chance because he was sired by a relative of Secratariat. And that is the term they always throw out: sired (it sounds sort of evil, right?). You don’t hear about siring in any other sport…except maybe bull-riding.
Sometime in the near future Ken Griffey Jr. is going to hit his 600th home run. And you heard it here first, Junior was sired by Ken Griffey Sr. – a ballplayer who himself had over 150 home runs and averaged just under .300.
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I’ll let these videos speak for themselves. As you will realize, I had a much better view of the mud soccer game than I did of the Derby race.
Marisa Miller. HERRRREAHAARARAH (is that how you spell that sound?). She’s 29; strangely (obviously) I’m still into it.
Moderately Cerebral Bias plays paparazzi on the J. William Leitch esq. book tour. According to MC Bias, the goober riding shotgun in most of the photos is a Deadspin commenteur named Rascalnikov (sp.) or something like that.
Eight Belles, with Trainer Larry Jones
