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BEN right and JIMMY JONES Jones Seeking Third Straight Derby Jones Seeks Third Derby Tally in Row Late-Developing On-and-On Reminds of Ponder! Observe 20 Years With Calumet Farm By JOE HIRSCH CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 1. — On September 1, Jimmy Jones and his noted father, Ben. A. Jones, will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their notably successful association with Calumet Farm. However the younger Jones is at the moment, much more interested in tomorrow — May 2 — than in any late summer celebrations. For theres a Kentucky Derby to be run here, and to the Joneses that has always been serious business demanding full and undivided attention. That this attention has not been unproductive is, of course, hardly a secret. Ben Jones, now 76, has the unparalleled distinction of being the only trainer in American turf history with six Derby winners to his credit. And son Jimmy, 54, who saddled Iron Liege and Tim Tarn to win the 1957 and 1958 editions of the world-famed Run for the Roses, is faced with the opportunity of adding still another unique record to Derby lore. Should Calumets On-and-On score tomorrow, it would mark the first time that any trainer has been responsible for three consutive triumphs in this most demanding of U. S. classics. One of Americas Finest Horsemen Win or lose, however, Jimmy Jones reputation as one of Americas finest horsemen has long since been assured. Few sons of famous fathers have ever shown the tremendous drive and grasp of subject and delicate touch and devotion to duty that has made Jones the dominant figure he is in his profession today. Jimmys work, patience, resourcefulness and perseverence in bringing On-and-On to tomorrows Derby is almost a classic example of the highly skilled art of horsemanship, recalling in some aspects the fine job he and his father did in readying Ponder to win the 1949 running. Like On-and-On, Ponder had shown little in the winter of his three-year-old season, and it was only in the final days before the Derby that the Joneses knew they had a chance at all the money. Unlike Ponder, On-and-On gave every early evidence of being a brilliant two-year-old. Even last May, as Jimmy Jones was putting the final touches on Tim Tarn, he pointed to this well-made son of Nas-rullah and Two Lea as the best of his young horses. That same month, May 29 at Garden State, On-and-On made his first start for experience. One month later, he ran again at Washington Park in Chicago, and finished a good second. Jones was taking dead aim at Ben Lind-heimers rich futurities at Arlington Park when On-and-On lashed out at something in his stall one July day, injuring a hind ankle. The ankle filled and failed to respond to a wide variety of treatments for almost six months. This past winter at Hia*-leah, Jimmy got the colt cranked up again, and after an easy first outing, On-and-On came through with an electrifying victory at seven furlongs. Won at Keeneland Meeting Even at this late date, the Florida Derby appeared within reach, but in succeeding races, On-and-On showed little "punch." So Jones wisely stopped on him, and noticing his awkward action behind, began a daily series of diathermy treatmnts. In his first race at Keeneland, the colt won but seemed lackadaisical about his work. Again Jones had the right answer, this time in a pair of blinkers. Wearing the hood, On-and-On stood a savage duel with Dunce to win like a good horse in the sparkling time of 1:09% for 6 furlongs. Now there was a chance at the Derby. Whatever the problem with On-and-On, Jones seemed to have the solution, just as he has had since he officially took over the training of the Calumet horses in 1947, when Ben Jones retired to the less demanding post of general manager of the racing stable. Jimmy Jones record over the last 12 years is an imposing one. He developed the mighty Citation, handled Armed, Coal-town, Bewitch and the other great ones with high skill, worked long hours to get such delicate horses as Fabius and Princess Turia up to win the Preakness and Delaware Handicap, cut corners when time was running short to prepare Barbizon for The Garden State, and won a Derby in 1957 with a substitute — Iron Liege — when the brilliant Gen. Duke fell by the way-side at the final hour. Hard work and a feeling for the thoroughbred have always been a part of the Jones makeup. Jimmys boyhood was spent learning all phases of the business at the side of his father, now immortalized in racings Hall of Fame. Growing up at the family farm in Parnell, Mo., Jimmy frequently accompanied B. A. in campaigns t . i through the midwest, and to Jaurez in Mexico and the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. An excellent athlete, Jimmy excelled at baseball, but had many other interests — auto engines, books, etc — which he still retains. He would complete his chores around the farm, dash to make the 9 oclock school bell, play ball in the afternoons, and finish off the day with more work around the farm. At times, while Ben Jones was off to the racing wars, Jimmy was in charge of all the breeding activities at the famed Jones Stock Farm. Jimmy attended Northwestern Missouri State Teachers College with the thought of becoming a veterinarian, but the call of the track was insistant. He left school to join the racing stable after a couple of years, saddling his first winner, Nose Dive, at New Orleans in 1926. Among his activities since then, he served as Mayor of Parnell — a town founded by the Jones family — and put in several years with the Coast Guard during World War H., buying horses with Humphrey Finney for the Beach Patrol. As trainer of the extensive Calumet racing interests, the versatile Jones, who flies his own light plane and is equally at home among dirt farmess and stock brokers, is faced with the weighty responsibility of keeping the stable on a paying basis. It has been estimated that it costs well over 00,-000 a year to cover expenses for the farm, the stable and the tremendous payroll of both. Since Jones assumed command, Calumet has been the leading money-winning stable seven times, and almost invariably takes down close to ,000,000 in purses during the course of a season. Jones holds the all-time money-winning record for trainers — ,334,805 — established in 1947, and and Calumet has never been in the red since he and his father went to work for the late Warren Wright on September 1, 1939.
