Benjamin A. Jones

Biography

Regarded by his peers as being in the same class as earlier Hall of Fame trainers James Rowe, Sr. and Sam Hildreth, Ben Jones trained six Kentucky Derby winners and 13 champions before turning over all the Calumet Farm horses to his son, Hall of Famer Horace A. “Jimmy” Jones, in 1953.

Jones was born in 1883 in Parnell, Missouri. His father, the town’s founder and owner of the Parnell Bank, had visions of his son someday replacing him as the bank’s president. Jones, however, had other ideas, and instead embarked upon a career that eventually saw him regarded as one of the finest trainers in the history of thoroughbred racing.

Jones recorded his first victory at a recognized track in 1909 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In 1932, he was hired by Herbert M. Woolf as head trainer for Woolford Farm. In 1938, Jones won his first Kentucky Derby with Lawrin.

In 1939, Jones was hired to take over Calumet Farm. During the next 21 years, Jones trained five Kentucky Derby winners for Calumet: Whirlaway (1941), Pensive (1944), Citation (1948), Ponder (1949), and Hill Gail (1952). Both Whirlaway and Citation won the Triple Crown.

Four horses trained by Jones — Whirlaway, Twilight Tear, Armed, and Citation — were named Horse of the Year. During his tenure at Calumet, the farm led all North American stables in earnings a record 11 times. Jones was the leading money-winning trainer four times. In 1947, Jones assumed the title of general manager at Calumet, but continued, along with his son, to train until his retirement.

Achievements

North America's leading trainer in earnings — 1941, 1943, 1944, 1952

Triple Crown Highlights

Won the 1938 Kentucky Derby — Lawrin
Won the 1941 Kentucky Derby — Whirlaway
Won the 1944 Kentucky Derby — Pensive 
Won the 1948 Kentucky Derby — Citation
Won the 1949 Kentucky Derby — Ponder
Won the 1952 Kentucky Derby — Hill Gail
Won the 1941 Preakness Stakes — Whirlaway
Won the 1944 Preakness Stakes — Pensive 
Won the 1941 Belmont Stakes — Whirlaway

Other Highlights

Won the Derby Trial Stakes — 1943, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1952, 1958
Won the Pimlico Special — 1942, 1944, 1945, 1947
Won the Jockey Club Gold Cup — 1942, 1945, 1948, 1949
Won the Arlington Classic — 1944, 1945, 1952