Havre de Grace beds down at Fair Grounds

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).