John C. Mabee

He stood by the elevator, at the base of the grandstand at Hollywood Park, and waited. Passing friends asked him what the hell he was doing, hanging around for hours in a suit, instead of the usual jeans and polo shirt. Next day, Sunday, he was back in position; and again the following weekend, and every weekend afterwards, until most people would have long abandoned the siege. Until, at last, the elevator opened and there he was: John C. Mabee. "Mr. Mabee, my name is Randy Lowe," he said. "You...

Trainer Gary Jones, who was inducted into the United States Racing Hall of Fame in 2014, passed away Sunday at his home in Del Mar, California. His son, trainer Marty Jones, said his father had been in hospice care and died of natural causes. He was 76. "He was an amazing person, first and foremost," his son said. "For me, that's the most important thing. On top of that, he was a great horse trainer." Gary Jones was the son of longtime California-based trainer Farrell Jones and took over his...