Doubling his pleasure

Jones looks for 2d win with filly

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Maybe Larry Jones can pull off his own daily double this afternoon at the Kentucky Derby.

Jones, who trained Hard Spun, who finished second, third, and fourth in last year's Triple Crown races, had two fillies he wanted to run this weekend at Churchill Downs: Eight Belles, who Jones feels is so good she'll go up against the boys in the Derby, and Proud Spell in yesterday's 134th running of the Kentucky Oaks.

And through the rain and slop, Proud Spell scored a solid 5-length victory in the Grade I $581,650 Oaks ahead of Little Belle and Pure Clan, much to the delight of jockey Gabriel Saez, who will ride Eight Belles today.

Proud Spell, the favorite, returned $8.80, $4.80, and $3.20.

"You never figure it's going to happen," said Jones, who will attempt to become the first trainer to win an Oaks-Derby double with two fillies. "We felt we knew what it would take to get here. I'm looking forward to tomorrow. We're proud to get the first half done. You can't get it done if you don't have the first half."

Now, he does.

Not so awesome

Awesome Chic, a filly with Suffolk Downs connections, finished ninth in the 10-horse Oaks field . . . The last jockey to win an Oaks-Derby double was Jerry Bailey in 1993 aboard Dispute in the Oaks and Sea Hero in the Derby. Ben Jones was the last trainer to have an Oaks-Derby double, in 1952 with Real Delight in the Oaks and Hill Gail in the Derby . . . Trainer Nick Zito, who has two horses in the Derby - Anak Nakal and Cool Coal Man - said he expects an early speed duel between Recapturetheglory and Big Brown in the outside posts. "I think it's going to be very interesting," said Zito, "because Recapturetheglory is just inside Big Brown and I don't see him not going to or trying to get the lead." . . . Big Brown's trainer, Rick Dutrow, said his horse will wear wraps on his front legs today as a precaution.

Chelokee breaks down

No one should be surprised if trainer Michael Matz takes six weeks off during the Triple Crown racing season in the future. Two years ago, Matz's horse, Barbaro, suffered an eventual life-ending injury in the Preakness Stakes, two weeks after winning the Kentucky Derby. Yesterday during the Grade III Alysheba Stakes, Matz's horse, Chelokee, suffered a life-threatening condylar fracture in his right front leg. Chelokee is owned by Massachusetts-based Centennial Farms.

"That's amazingly similar to what Barbaro had," said track physician Larry Bramlage, as Chelokee was transported to the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital.

Whiteley dead at 93

Frank Whiteley Jr., the Hall of Famer who trained ill-fated filly Ruffian, died yesterday in Camden, S.C. He was 93.

Although Whiteley saddled many champion horses, he's probably remembered most for training Ruffian, the filly who began her career with 10 victories.

Ruffian's last race was with Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure at Belmont Park July 6, 1975. The horse shattered her right front ankle and did not survive the injury.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.