Trainer Jones on Fast Track to Top

Paul Jones finds himself in a position only one other person has occupied since 1989. He’s the front-runner among quarter horse trainers at Los Alamitos Race Course.

That other person is Blane Schvaneveldt, who had won 11 consecutive training titles going into the 1998 season. But Jones, 33 shocked the establishment with a record 155 victories last year, breaking the mark of 148 set in 1995 by Schvaneveldt.

Jones’ accomplishment was no small miracle. Schvaneveldt, 65, a hard-working veteran with a solid strategy of stocking his barn with everything from claimers to prize horses, dominated Los Alamitos for most of the last three decades. He won 38 titles (including several split-season titles) dating back to his first trainer standings victory in 1973.

Jones had only marginal success in major stakes races last season, but he grabbed an early lead in the trainers’ standings. Schvaneveldt finished third with only 55 victories. Charles Treece was second with 66 wins.

Jones is the first to admit he has benefited this year from his accomplishments last year. He has increased the number of horses in his barn from a high of about 70 last season, when he earned $977,446, to more than 90 this year. And the quality is better too.

“Once you get successful,” Jones said, “you attract new clients and better horses.”

With better horses, Jones said, defending his title should be easier.

“It seems like the pressure to repeat is off now,” he said. “Everybody thinks there will be a little more pressure to hold the title, but I think it is tougher trying to get it. Once you get it, it makes it a little easier.”

Jones is particularly solid in his stock of 2-year-olds.

“My goal this year is to do well with those 2-year-olds,” he said. “A lot of them are entered in bigger races.”

Jones figures to get stiff competition from Schvaneveldt this meet, but other trainers, including Connie Hall, Jaime Gomez and John Cooper, figure to be in the hunt too. Helping to bring more quarter horses and their trainers to Los Alamitos have been the larger purses, which track owner Edward C. Allred has increased several times the last couple years.

“I think all of the trainers here are looking to have good years,” Jones said. “I think everyone is real happy with the higher purses this year. That’s helping fill the races.”

A lot of attention has been paid to trainers like Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas, who moved into thoroughbred training after beginning their careers at Los Alamitos; however, Jones said he presently has no such aspirations.

“I’ll never say never,” he said. “But as of now, I’m happy with the horses I have.”

GOOD BABY-SITTER

Trainer Donna McArthur seems to have a special way with 3-year-olds, particularly under-performing fillies.

In 1996, she took Dashing Folly, who many considered washed-up, to 10 consecutive victories and the world championship. A year later, the McArthur-trained Champagne Lane won the La Primera Derby. Last season, McArthur trained Corona Cash, who won the Governor’s Cup Derby and Los Alamitos Derby on the way to being named 1998 American Quarter Horse Assn. champion 3-year-old.

She is at it again this season. In the La Primera Del Ano Derby on May 1, McArthur sent out filly IB Dasher to her first major stakes win and sixth victory in nine starts.

Many trainers believe male and female quarter horses approach races differently, so what’s McArthur’s secret?

“I just give my fillies lots of sugar and try to keep them happy,” she said.

McArthur was named national trainer of the year in 1997 for her efforts with Dashing Folly, who had never finished higher than fourth and had been bothered by leg problems.

GOOD OPENING

Opening night at Los Alamitos on April 16 brought in $1,725,960. That’s about $29,000 more than the best one-night take in 1998.

The on-track handle was $485,901 and attendance was 3,634. The figures are more than 65% higher than the 1998 average. For the three-day weekend that opened the 142-night meet, total handle was $4,042,680, which was better than track officials hoped for, a spokesman said.

A new wrinkle this year was switching from Thursday night to Wednesday night racing in an effort to boost the total handle.

However, after complaints by owners, trainers and jockeys who prefer to have the nights consecutive, the spokesman said the track will switch back to Thursday through Sunday racing at the end of the month, pending state approval.

CLOSING POINTS

Retired jockey James Lackey has moved to Oklahoma and is training a stable of about 20 horses. He says he may bring a few to race at Los Alamitos in the fall. Lackey was in the saddle for 23 years and from 1982-92 won 782 races, including 41 stakes events, at Los Alamitos. . . A New Mexico track partially owned by Los Alamitos’ Edward C. Allred has received long-awaited approval by state officials to open a gambling casino next to the grandstands. The 16,000-square foot casino at Ruidoso Downs will feature 300 slot machines and a simulcast betting area, which will most likely feature races from Los Alamitos and Hollywood Park. . . . Los Alamitos-based jockey Joe Badilla rode the nation’s top-ranked quarter horse, Blushin Bugs, to victory at the recent 440-yard New Mexico Challenge. It was the fourth consecutive victory this year for the 5-year-old gelding, which is stabled at Los Alamitos and training under Jose Flores. . . . The annual Vessels/Schvaneveldt Sale is scheduled Aug. 10 at the Vessels Stallion Farm in Bonsall. Late entries close Saturday. For information, call (714) 827-8462 or (760) 414-3300.