December 23, 2024

Havre de Grace beds down at Fair Grounds

Last updated: 1/5/12 1:45 PM


by Brisnet.com

Fox Hill Farms’ Havre de Grace, the leading candidate to be named Horse of
the Year 11 days from now, arrived at Fair Grounds at 5:30 a.m. (CDT) Thursday
after an overnight van ride from the Vinery farm near Ocala, Florida.

“She’s just sleeping right now,” trainer Larry Jones said a few hours later
during the daily renovation break. “We haven’t even had her out walking. We just
walked her right to her stall and let her sleep. She looks good.”

The five-year-old daughter of Saint Liam last raced in November’s Breeders’
Cup Classic, finishing fourth against several of the world’s top older horses.
She won five of seven starts in 2011, including a victory against older males in
Saratoga’s Grade 1 Woodward.

Jones confirmed earlier this week that the $100,000 New Orleans Ladies on
March 17 was circled for Havre de Grace’s 2012 debut. However, the trainer said
he has “no clue” as to when the three-time Grade 1 winner might have her first
official breeze over the Fair Grounds track.

“They’ve been doing a little something with her,” Jones said, referring to
the staff at Vinery. “They jogged her for a couple weeks and then they loped her
for a week, and I think they’ve been Aquatreding her, as well. It probably won’t
take long to get her ready.”

The Aquatred is an underwater treadmill that allows horses to exercise in a
controlled environment with minimal impact on the legs.

Jones, who personally exercises most of the horses in his barn, said Havre de
Grace will visit the Fair Grounds track most mornings either right at the start
of training hours at 6 a.m. or immediately after the renovation break, which
ends at 8:30 a.m.

Several Horse of the Year winners and contenders have spent part of the
winter at Fair Grounds in recent seasons, including Curlin (2007 and 2008 Horse
of the Year), Rachel Alexandra (2009 Horse of the Year) and Blame (2010 Champion
Older Male and runner-up in Horse of the Year voting).