Jones Wins $40,000 Keeneland Handicapping Challenge in Tournament Debut

By Jude T. Feld

When the stars align, about as often as Halley’s Comet rolls through the sky, magnificent things happen – just ask Tony Jones, the winner of Keeneland’s $40,000 Handicapping Challenge contested on Saturday, July 28.

Introduced to the Thoroughbred sport by high school friend Roger Gover, Jones has been visiting Keeneland since the mid-eighties. Although now an avid horseplayer, the Ashland, Kentucky resident had never played in any handicapping tournament not to mention a qualifier for the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship.

“Roger called and asked if I was free last weekend,” Jones said. “We’ve been friends a long time but it’s not too often anymore that we can spend a Saturday together. Roger said he thought we should try playing in the tournament at Keeneland. I said, ‘Sure. Why not?’ Who wouldn’t enjoy being at Keeneland?”

Jones buys the Daily Racing Form, “Just like I buy the paper – every day.” He reads handicapping books and watches TVG, like many other devoted horseplayers around the country.

“I’m a conservative handicapper,” Jones says. “I’m more old-fashioned. I don’t use speed figures much. I look more at trainers and jockeys. I like the ones who win a high percentage of the time. I like horses who are consistent too. There are certain horses I know from watching races and if they are entered, they usually catch my eye.

“Everybody looks at speed figures and the horses with the top ones are usually the favorites. Even though I had never played in a contest before, I knew that if we all played favorites, we’d all have the same score. I knew I had to differentiate myself somehow. I think that’s where my unique handicapping style helped.”

Jones studied the races the night before and was aided by the contest track selections which included Saratoga, Arlington and Ellis Park, tracks he usually plays.

“I didn’t overdo the handicapping Friday night,” he stated. “Sometimes you can do a little too much. Saturday was definitely overwhelming, especially at first. You’ve got to keep track of mandatory races and optional races at six tracks and keep an eye on the tote boards. It’s not that easy.”

Ninth on the leaderboard after his first wager, Jones likes to strike early.

“I fired at ‘em right off the bat,” Jones said. “That’s the way I usually play, but after I was ninth, I slid to 24th and then 62nd. I really had to struggle not to lose focus. I think that is the hardest part – staying focused.”

“Once I make a decision, I go bet. I don’t want to listen to somebody else’s handicapping theories. You know how it is, if you bump into a good handicapper and he likes another horse in the race, you start second-guessing yourself. I don’t want to fall into that trap.”

At 3:37 (EDT) Logold romped in at Ellis Park paying $37.80 to win and $12.40 to place and Jones felt rejuvenated as he moved back up the leaderboard, but he hadn’t hit the top, yet.

Tournament players often talk about “cappers,” a term that refers to price cap on winning wagers in a contest. Usually 20-1 on the win bet and 10-1 on the place, cappers are the Holy Grail of handicapping tournaments – highly sought after but seldom found.

Only 19 minutes after Jones cashed on Logold, he bet on West Coast Coach, a California-bred making his racing debut at Arlington Park.

Opening up an insurmountable lead from the rail, the son of Crafty Prospector cruised home by two lengths, returning $71.80 and $28.20. Jones had his capper and the tournament lead.

“I’ll never forget West Coast Coach,” Jones said. “You can bet I’m gonna follow him the rest of his career.”

Fighting hard to the very end of the tournament, Jones’ final big winner was Ed the Boxer, coincidently another debut winner from the rail, this time at Calder Race Course. He paid $28.80 and $14.40 in one of the final playable races of the event, carving the name Tony Jones on the trophy and inking it on the $15,000 winner’s check.

“It’s really been something,” Jones said three days after his victory. “A lot of people have called to congratulate me. It’s been really nice…very special.”

How did Jones friend Roger Gover do in the tournament?

“He was out of the money,” Jones said. “He is a lot better handicapper than me though. Racing is a real passion with him. We go to the races together all the time and we don’t often agree on who to bet. He has a different system than I do. We did play two pick fours together and hit one, but as far as the contest goes, Saturday was just my day.”

When the stars align for Tony Jones, magnificent things happen.

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