Jones Big Weekend Starts Saturday at Ruidoso Downs

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Jones Big Weekend Starts Saturday at Ruidoso Downs



RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—SEPTEMBER 1, 2007—What could be a record-setting weekend for 5-time defending national champion trainer Paul Jones starts on Saturday afternoon when he sends out the favorites in the Grade 3, $40,000 All American Gold Cup and the $40,000 Brigand Handicap.
Jones also has fastest-qualifier and favorite Separate Bet in Sunday’s Grade 1, $504,000 All American Derby and outsider SF Royal Bank in Monday’s Grade 1, $2 million All American Futurity finals. If he wins the All American Futurity, he will be the first trainer to win three consecutive runnings of the Labor Day classic.

First post time on Saturday and Sunday is 12 noon while there is an 11:30 a.m. first post time on Labor Day.

Jones will have an excellent chance to win the 440-yard All American Gold Cup with Ketel Won, an R.D. Hubbard-owned colt who is a top prospect for horse of the meet honors. The superbly conformed son of All American Derby winner Stoli was a very impressive winner of the Higheasterjet Handicap and then nearly won the Mr Jet Moore Stakes on Aug. 4. In the Mr Jet Moore, Ketel Won made a stunning late run to get within a head of 440-yard world record holder A Long Goodbye and finish second.

The All American Gold Cup runs as the 11th race and Ketel Won breaks from the sixth post position with Freddie Martinez aboard.

Joan Dale Hubbard’s Tricky Dust carries highweight of 126 pounds in the 870-yard Brigand Handicap, the ninth race, in his quest for his second-straight distance horse of the meet title.

The 7-year-old Favorite Trick gelding won last year’s Brigand Handicap when it was held at 1000 yards by more than five lengths and comes into this year’s Brigand off a front-running victory in the Master Salls Handicap.

Tricky Dust drew the inside post position and if he goes to the lead on Saturday afternoon under Martinez he could, once again, be difficult to catch.