Jones looking forward to Exodus' second career start at Fair Grounds

Jones looking forward to Exodus' second career start at

Fair Grounds

Fox Hill Farm's Exodus looks to fulfill his considerable

promise and lofty pedigree when he embarks on his second outing Sunday afternoon

in the

7TH race at Fair Grounds -- an open juvenile maiden going six furlongs.

By Medaglia d'Oro out of multiple Grade 1 heroine Stop Traffic, Exodus sold for $600,000 to Fox Hill

principal Rick Porter at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Sale in August 2013.

The swift

half-brother to 2013 Grade 1 Whitney Handicap winner Cross Traffic signaled his

readiness with a bullet work on November 18, negotiating five furlongs in a :59

4/5.

"He's in on Sunday and he's doing very well and coming into

this good," trainer Larry Jones said. "He's really coming along. He just got a

little tired in that Keeneland race, which I must say kind of surprised me. I

thought that once he made the lead he would go on with it, but at Keeneland you

can hook up with some very good horses."

In his October 3 debut at that Lexington, Kentucky, track, the bay colt

showed good speed throughout, took the lead midrace and proceeded to finish a

game third, beaten 2 1/4 lengths by highly regarded Ambidextrous Alex in a sharp

1:10 2/5. The effort earned Exodus an 82 BRIS Speed figure.

With an eye on the lucrative sophomore graded stakes

program that commences at Fair Grounds in January, Jones is optimistic that his charge will be

up to the challenge.

"We expect him to be one of our classic contenders down

here, but only time will tell," he explained. "We're pretty high on him and have

a lot of expectations.

"I don't think he'll have any problem getting two turns. I have two

half-sisters to him and one wants to go long and the other (allowance winner

Thirteen Arrows) acts like she wants to be a little bit of a sprinter, but she's

by Indian Charlie. The way he trains, he'll definitely stretch out."

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