It's My Show wins the $1 Million Little Brown Jug
It’s My Show Rebounds in the Second Heat to win the $1,000,000 Little Brown Jug
After finishing second in the third elimination and drawing post five for the $850,000 Jug final, It’s My Show and driver Scott Zeron had to come from off the pace and nip Seven Colors (Dexter Dunn) in the final strides to win the 78th edition of the Little Brown Jug in an instant classic.
At the start of second heat, Moment Is Here (Tim Tetrick) battled Cannibal (Yannick Gingras) in the opening eighth of a mile and parked Cannibal through the opening quarter in :25.4 and the half in :53.3.
Moment Is Here opened a little daylight down the backstretch and the three-quarters in 1:22, but was quickly challenged by Seven Colors, who led the field of nine at the top of the stretch.
The eventual winner followed the cover of Seven Colors and swept wide around the final turn and collared Seven Colors by a neck in 1:49. The second elimination winner Ken Hanover (David Miller) was 2 ½ lengths back in third.
The homebred son of Sweet Lou is owned by Richard P. Young and Joanne Young.
With the $450,000 in Jug earnings, It’s My Show now sports $1,137,215 in career earnings.
Scott Zeron and trainer Linda Toscano won the 53rd Jugette on Wednesday with Ucandoit Blue Chip to sweep the Jugette/Jug double – becoming the third driver and trainer to do so.
“It’s been a dream week,” noted the winning trainer. “This a race that eluded me and one that I wanted for so long.”
Toscano became the third female trainer to hoist the Jug – Caroline Lyon (1995) and Casie Coleman (2012, 2013 and 2016).
The Jug win was Zeron’s second as he won the 2012 Jug with Michael’s Power.
The first $50,000 elimination was easily won by Moment Is Here in gate-to-wire fashion in 1:50.1. Hungry Angel Boy (Todd McCarthy) and Blue Hunt (Andrew McCarthy) was second and third.
Moment Is Here is owned by the Robert McIntosh Stables, Al McIntosh Holdings, Frank Baldachino and Mardon Stables.
The middle elimination was action packed from the start. When the dust settled, it was Ken Hanover edging Seven Colors and Thunder Hunter Joe (Tim Tetrick) by half a length and establishing a new stakes record of 1:48.4.
Ken Hanover is trained by co-owner Roland Mallar, Patrick Leavitt, William Jordan and Dennis Osterholt.
In the third elimination, Cannibal went gate-to-wire to score a 1 ½ length win over a fast closing It’s My Show in 1:49.1. Redwood Hanover (James MacDonald) rallied for the third and final advancing spot. The homebred son of Sweet Lou is owned by Diamond Creek Racing and conditioned by Nancy Takter.
One Million Purse Expected
The 2023 Little Brown Jug, 78th pacing classic, held on September 21st is expecting a $1,000,000 purse
Officials of the Little Brown Jug are pleased to announce that the expected purse of the 2023 Little Brown Jug (Thursday, September 21) will be $1,000,000.
“We are extremely excited to announce this purse increase,” said Tom Wright, president of the Little Brown Jug Society. “We are extremely excited to announce this purse increase,” said Tom Wright, president of the Little Brown Jug Society. “We have had tremendous support from our industry partners, the State of Ohio and have significantly increased our sponsorships that have allowed us to do this. We would like to especially thank the Ohio Harness Horseman’s Association and the State of Ohio Legislature for helping us reach this milestone.”
The 78th edition of the pacing classic headlines the Delaware, Ohio Grand Circuit week with five days of racing (Sunday, September 17 through Thursday, September 21).
“It has been our goal and mission to bring the purse to the $1 million mark,” noted Wright. “We have always felt that the Jug deserves to be the richest pacing event in North America. Our fans are the greatest in the sport and we wanted to reward their support with this historic event.”
The Jug eliminations will be raced for $50,000 each and the balance will be handed out in the second heat.
The previous record Jug purse was $677,000 won by Wiggle It Jiggleit in 2015.
Three-year-old pacers not eligible after February 15, 2023 sustaining deadline may, with a payment of $45,000, supplement to the 78th edition of the Little Brown Jug. The stakes conditions and supplement information is available at USTrotting.com.
Fans wanting to be part of this historic Little Brown Jug are encouraged to visit LittleBrownJug.com to explore admission, seating and hospitality options.
Those who can’t attend in person will have the option to watch the Little Brown Jug and some of it’s undercard on Fox Sports’ “A Day at the Races.
Charlie May Makes Easy Work of Riegle Field,
Scores in 1:50
Driver Brett Miller sweeps
top Greenville events;
sits at 9,998 career wins
Brad Conrad Photos
Owner Don Tiger announced that his homebred star Charlie May had ‘unfinished business’ in this year’s Gene Riegle Memorial. When Thursday night (August 24) ended, Charlie May finished the job and scorched the Darke County Fairgrounds in a record 1:50.
When the field of five was sent on their way in the $35,000 open pace, He’s A Dickens (Jeff Nisonger) and the two-time Riegle champ, Sectionline Bigry (Brandon Bates) dualled it out through blistering fractions of :26.1 and :53.
Driver Brett Miller sat patiently in third with the eventual winner and grabbed control of the race down the backstretch well before the three-quarters in 1:21.2.
Charlie May used a :28.3 final quarter to score the 9 1/4 length romp over a rallying Odds On Shaggy (Kayne Kauffman) and Dancin Sancho (Sam Widger).
The final time of 1:50 demolished the previous track mark of 1:51.4 set by Swing City in thebr> Steve Carter trains the gelding whose career earnings are just $11,000 short of the $2 million mark.
Brett Miller also found himself in the Greenville winner circle after the $20,000 Arnie Almahurst Trot with Yo Mister.
The four-year-old gelded son of Dover Dan wore down the pacesetting Swan Fine Lady (Sam Widger) in mid-stretch to score a 1 1/2 length score in 1:55.
The winning time lowered the previous Greenville mark by a fifth of a second.
Yo Mister is trained by Stacie Van Huizen for TheStable.ca.
Miller entered the night with a mathematical chance to join the 10,000-win club and with his five trips to the winner’s circle on the closing night of the Darke County Fair meet now sits at 9,998 career victories.
The partnership of trainer Todd Luther and owner Greg Luther won four times on Thursday, including three divisions of The Parshall Futurity.
Bob Schmitz to LBJ Wall of Fame
Robert “Bob” Schmitz, former Chairman of the Ohio State Racing Commission, has been selected as the 38th Little Brown Jug Wall of Fame honoree by the Delaware County Fair.
Schmitz is an avid supporter of harness racing for over 50 years and has championed the sport in many ways including representing racetracks and the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association (OHHA).
He was appointed to the Ohio State Racing Commission in 2011 by Governor John Kasich and served two terms as Chairman of the commission. During his tenure, the state introduced Video Lottery Terminals (VTLs) at the racetracks and opened two new harness tracks – Miami Valley Gaming and Dayton Raceway.
Schmitz lobbied for the OHHA from 2001 until 2011. He was appointed to the Standardbred Development Fund in 2001 and served until his appointment to the commission in 2011.
He operates Robert K. Schmitz Associates located in downtown Columbus and his knowledge and expertise as a government affairs specialist is extensive. He has more than 50 years of experience working with the Ohio General Assembly and state government.
He has been an owner and breeder of standardbred horses since 1983 and has bred horses with fellow Wall of Famer, Jim Buchy and Midland Acres as part of their 98 Degree Farm.
Schmitz was awarded the Harness Horsemen International’s ‘Person of the Year Award’ in 2013 and he received the OHHA’s Maynard and Stella Hagemeyer ‘Significant Contribution Award’ in 2019.
“I love the Little Brown Jug and have only missed one Jug since my first in 1969. The year I missed, I was clerking in the Ohio Senate and the General Assembly was in session,” said Schmitz. “I am truly humbled by this honor.”
A Columbus Ohio native, Schmitz has been married to the former Jenny Hamman since 1974 and has three daughters and two grandchildren.
He will be honored the Tuesday evening (September 19) before the 78th edition of the $1,000,000 (est.) Little Brown Jug.
Dave Brower passed away on October 7, 2022 at the age of 53.
The 2023 Neville Award to Dave Brower
Dave Brower, the former Little Brown Jug Simulcast host, will be honored as the 2023 Joseph Neville Memorial Award winner by the Little Brown Jug and the Delaware County Fair.
Brower was a graduate of St. John’s University with a degree in Journalism. He served as the oddsmaker, TV host, handicapper and broadcaster for the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, NJ. He started working at the Delaware County Fair and the Little Brown Jug in 2017.
In addition to multiple TV credentials, the native of Passaic, NJ was also a published author, penning “Harnessing Winners” in 2009.
In 2019, Brower was awarded the Phil Pines Award by the Monticello-Goshen Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) for his outstanding media coverage of the sport of Harness Racing.
Brower is currently a finalist for the induction into the Communicators Hall of Fame in Goshen, NY in 2024. He is expected to be a unanimous choice by the members of USHWA.
2023 Lady Pace Honoree
Kathy Parker, Hall of Fame Communicator and longtime editor of The Horseman and Fair World magazine, will be saluted as the 2023 Lady Pace honoree by the Delaware County Fair.
Parker was born into a harness racing family and grew up in Ohio and western Pennsylvania. She graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in journalism and began working for The Horseman and Fair World magazine, the industry’s leading periodical, in 1980. She was named the publication’s editor and general manager in 1995 and served in those positions until the magazine’s closure in February 2021.
She won a John Hervey Award for excellence in harness racing journalism in 1992.
In the spring of 2021, Parker was named the editor of Hoof Beats magazine, the official publication of the United States Trotting Association. She retired from Hoof Beats earlier this year and lives in Lexington, KY with her husband, Dan Coon, one of the industry’s top track construction and maintenance experts.
Parker will be honored in a winner’s circle ceremony on Jug Day, Thursday, September 21.
The award honors the legacy of long-time Little Brown Jug and Hall of Fame publicist, Tom White, who passed away in 2019.
Past Tom White Media Award winners were Paul Ramlow (2019), Brad Schmaltz (2021) and Dean Hoffman (2022).
Editor Dave Briggs to Receive
Tom White Media Award
Hall of Fame Communicator, Dave Briggs has been named the Tom White Media Award winner for 2023 by the Little Brown Jug and the Delaware County Fair.
A native of Windsor, Ontario, Briggs graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a Masters of Journalism degree and began working at the London Free Press. He quickly parlayed an early career story on Western Fair Raceway into a job at The Canadian Sportsman – at the time, Canada’s longest running publication.
Briggs worked for The Canadian Sportsman for 19 years before it ceased publication in 2013. He currently serves as the editor of Harness Racing Update and for Catena Media.
Briggs has won nearly 30 national and international awards – including a record 12 United States Harness Writers Association’s (USHWA) John Hervey Awards and four Standardbred Canada O’Brien Media Excellence Awards.
In 2017, Briggs received the sport’s highest honor, induction into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame’s Communicator’s Corner by the members of USHWA.
Briggs will be presented his award at a ceremony on Tuesday, September 19th in the Delaware County Fair Log Cabin.
Pair Supplement to the Jugette & Little Brown Jug
A pair of filly pacers and a pair of gelding pacers have been supplemented into the 53rd Jugette and the 78th edition of the Little Brown Jug. The owners of Odds On Hail Mary and Beautiful Seaside paid $15,000 to enter the Jugette (Wednesday, September 20). Odds On Hail Mary is coming off a win in the $252,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championships (September 3) in a lifetime best 1:48.2. She is conditioned by Linda Toscano for co-owners Let It Ride Stables and O’Sullivan Racing. Beautiful Seaside is the homebred daughter of Downbytheseaside. She has nine wins on the season, including a 1:50.3 mile at Northfield Park. She is owned by Matt E. Rowe and trained by Melby Ober, Jr. The connections of Huntunthelastdolar and Burnout made the $45,000 supplemental payment to be a part of the estimated $1,000,000 Little Brown Jug (Thursday, September 21). Huntinthelastdolar is co-owned by trainer Gregg McNair, George Kerr and Bradley Grant. The gelded son of Huntsville is the New York Sire Stakes champion and has $457,073 in career earnings.
Burnout is a sophomore son of Racing Hill and will come to Delaware off a second-place finish in the $300,000 Ohio Sire Stakes Final (September 9). He is owned by Greg Luther Racing and trained by Todd Luther. The complete Jugette and Little Brown Jug fields will be drawn on Sunday (September 17) and Monday (September 18), respectively.
For more information, please visit LittleBrownJug.com.
Eleven Enter $305,000 Jugette
The connections of eleven three-year-filly pacers entered the 53rd Jugette to be raced on Wednesday (September 20) at the Delaware County Fair forcing two eliminations. The first elimination will feature Vivians Dream and Earthwindfire. Vivians Dream is the daughter of American Ideal and the winner of $595,756 for Forrest Bartlett. She was the winner $107,000 Empire Breeders Championship on August 27. She is conditioned by Kevin Lare. Earthwindfire has been first or second in all nine seasonal starts. She is owned by Melvin Segal, Kentuckiana Racing Stable and Tulip Racing and has earned $619,365 lifetime. Brett Pelling trains the daughter of American Ideal. The second elimination will feature both of the supplemental entries – Odds On Hail Mary and Beautiful Seaside – and two additional Ohio breds – Hey Hey Mama and Tarapasta. Odds On Hail Mary is coming off a win in the $252,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championships (September 3) in a lifetime best 1:48.2. She is conditioned by Linda Toscano for co-owners Let It Ride Stables and O’Sullivan Racing. Beautiful Seaside is the homebred daughter of Downbytheseaside. She has nine wins on the season, including a 1:50.3 mile at Northfield Park. She is owned by Matt E. Rowe and trained by Melby Ober, Jr. The first four finishers in each $25,000 elimination will come back for the $255,000 Jugette final. Wednesday’s twenty-two race card will start at 12:00 Noon.
First Elimination – $25,000
HD Horse (Listed Driver/Trainer)
1. Bellisima Hanover (Todd McCarthy/Tony Alagna)
2. Vivians Dream (David Miller/Kevin Lare)
3. Daffled Hanover (David Miller/Randy Bendis)
4. Earthwindfire (Tim Tetrick/Brett Pelling)
5. Ucandoit Blue Chip (Scott Zeron/Linda Toscano)
Second Elimination – $25,000
HD Horse (Listed Driver/Trainer)
1. Zanatta (Joe Bongiorno/Jennifer Bongiorno)
2. Hey Hey Mama (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr./Brian Brian)
3. Beautiful Seaside (Brett Miller/Melby Ober, Jr.)
4. Tarapasta (Aaron Merriman/Todd Luther)
5. Southwind Bella (Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke)
6. Odds On Hail Mary (Scott Zeron/Linda Toscano)
Second Heat – $255,000
Top four finishers from each elimination.
A Pair of Stakes Records in Opening Day Action at the Delaware County Fair
Rose Run Zoey (Tyler Smith) cruised to the win in the $137,460 Ohio Breeders Championship for two-year-old filly pacers in a stakes and track record equaling 1:52.2 in Sunday (September 17) action at the Delaware County Fair.
When the gates of the starting gate opened, Rose Run Zoey protected his rail position and rebuffed a challenge by Daisy’s Star (Sam Widger) to go gate-to-wire. The pocket sitting Flyin Bullets (Brett Miller) was second and a late charging Seaside Diva (Chris Page) was third.
The daughter of Lather Up is owned by Miller Racing Stable and Let It Ride Stable and trained by Ryan Miller. Her career earnings are $570 shy of the $200,000 mark.
Sectionline Bigry (Chris Page) took the $34,400 Ohio Breeders Championship for Aged Pacers in a stakes record equaling 1:49.4.
The hometown Sectionline Bigry (Chris Page) sat patiently in third and watched the dueling leaders – Cyclone Union Jack (Dan Noble Gold Digger King (Tyler Smith) – through the first three-quarters in 1:22.2.
Page went three-wide with the eventual winner in the final turn and drew away to equal the mark set last year by Charlie May.
With the first place check of $17,200, the eight-year-old gelded son of Pet Rock’s career earnings surpasses the $1 million mark.
The winning owner is Delaware’s Harold Lee Bauder. He is trained by Steve Bauder.
Dakota Jackson and Louie Louie overcame an objection to win the Tim Fouts Memorial Standardbred Driving Championship in 1:53.4. Rose Run Xiled (Wyatt Long) and Medoland Terror (Tony Dinges) were second and third.
Louie Louie is owned by Tatham Racing Stable and trained by Mark Winters, Jr.
Jackson represented the American Harness Drivers Club.
The 19-race Monday program will go postward at 1:00 PM.
Left Top: Rose Run Zoey (Tyler Smith) establishes a new stakes record of 1:52.2 in the OBC for two-year-old pacing fillies (Brad Conrad Photo).
Left Bottom: Sectionline Bigry (Chris Page) surpasses the $1 million mark in career earnings with his 1:49.4 win the OBC Aged Pace. (Brad Conrad Photo).
Eighteen Enter
$1,000,000
Little Brown Jug
The 25-race card will now go postward at 11:30 AM.
The connections of eighteen three-year-old colt and gelding pacers entered the box for the 78th edition of the Little Brown Jug to be held Thursday (September 21) at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.
The third $50,000 elimination will feature three of the top ranked sophomore colt pacers – Cannibal, It’s My Show and Stockade Seelster.
Cannibal comes into the Jug with $444,978 in career earnings and a lifetime mark of 1:48.1. The $350,000 Adios Final (July 29) winner is owned by Diamond Creek Racing and trained by Nancy Takter.
It’s My Show is the $760,000 North America Cup (June 17) champion and the fastest in the field based on a 1:46.4 win at the Red Mile. The Sweet Lou gelding is trained by Linda Toscano for Richard and Joanne Young.
Dr. Ian Moore trains Stockade Seelster for Sally MacDonald and Paul MacDonald. The State Treasurer colt has more than $1 million in career earnings. Dr. Moore trained the 2008 LBJ champ Shadow Play.
Voukefalas will headline the first elimination. The Lazarus N colt comes into the Jug off a 1:49.2 win in the $150,000 New Jersey Classic. He is owned by Michael Pagonas and trained by Michael Russo.
The second $50,000 elimination will have Thunder Hunter Joe and the pair of $45,000 supplemental entries – Huntinthelastdolar and Burnout.
Thunder Hunter Joe is coming off a second-place finish in the $225,000 New York Sire Stakes Final to Huntingthelastdolar. He is co-owned by David Hamm, Glenn Phillips, Christopher Ciaccio and DeVita Racing. The Huntsville gelding is trained by Nicholas DiVita.
Huntinthelastdolar is co-owned by trainer Gregg McNair, George Kerr and Bradley Grant. The gelded son of Huntsville has won six of eight 2023 starts and has $457,073 in career earnings.
Burnout is a sophomore son of Racing Hill and will come to Delaware off a second-place finish in the $300,000 Ohio Sire Stakes Final (September 9). He is owned by Greg Luther Racing and trained by Todd Luther.
The top three finishers in each elimination will complete in the $850,000 final.
With the 25-race card now scheduled, the first race post time as been moved to 11:30 AM on Thursday.
$50,000 – First Elimination
HD Horse (Listed Driver/Trainer)
1. Voukefalas (Jordan Stratton/Michael Russo)
2. Loubet (David Miller/Ron Burke)
3. Hungry Angel Boy (Todd McCarthy/Tony Alagna)
4. Blue Hunt (Andrew McCarthy/Deborah Daguet)
5. Moment Is Here (Tim Tetrick/Robert McIntosh)
6. Ants Marching (Dexter Dunn/Nancy Takter)
$50,000 – Second Elimination
HD Horse (Listed Driver/Trainer)
1. Thunder Hunter Joe (Tim Tetrick/Nicholas DeVita)
2. Huntinthelastdolar (Doug McNair/Gregg McNair)
3. Ervin Hanover (David Miller/Ron Burke)
4. Ken Hanover (David Miller/Roland Mallar)
5. Burnout (Sam Widger/Todd Luther)
6. Seven Colors (Dexter Dunn/Andrew Harris)
$50,000 – Third Elimination
HD Horse (Listed Driver/Trainer)
1. Cannibal (Yannick Gingras/Nancy Takter)
2. It’s My Show (Scott Zeron/Linda Toscano)
3. Redwood Hanover (James MacDonald/Anthony Beaton)
4. Stockade Seelster (David Miller/Dr. Ian Moore)
5. Bamboozler (Tony Hall/Virgil Morgan, Jr.)
6. Bugaboo Lou (David Miller/Ron Burke)
$850,000 – Second Heat
Top three finishers from each elimination.
Photo: Presiding Judge John Yinger (in suit) with (from left) Associate Judges Jon Weist and Tom Hope and Race Secretary Peter Koch conduct the post position draw for the $1,000,000 Little Brown Jug. (Brad Conrad Photo)
Rose Run Yanae takes
$120,000 OBC
for sophomore filly trotters
Left: Rose Run Yanae (Chris Page) wins the $120,000 OBC for sophomore filly trotters in 1:54.4. (Brad Conrad Photo)
Rose Run Yanae (Chris Page) rebounded in the $120,000 Ohio Breeders Championship for three-year-old filly totters in Monday (September 18) action at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.
When the field of eight was sent on their way, Contechsfashion (Trevor Smith) grabbed the early lead from Docs Boo Boo (Jeff Nisonger). Driver Chris Page elected to send the eventual winner after the lead and cleared the field at the quarter in :28.
The leaders saw little challenge past the half in :56.3 and the three-quarters in 1:26.
Rose Run Yanae was able to use a comfortable :28.4 last quarter to score a six-length win over Docs Boo Boo and a last closing Swinging Senorita (Tyler Smith) in 1:54.4.
The win provides a little bit of redemption to the connections after Rose Run Yanae suffered some recent poor position luck and second place finishes in the final leg of the Ohio Sires Stake and the $300,000 OSS Final.
The Triumphant Caviar filly is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi and trained by Ron Burke.
With the $60,000 first place check, Rose Run Yanae now has $393,288 in career earnings.
The win was Page’s third of the day and his fifth of the Delaware meet.
In the $12,000 Signature Series Final Trot, the ten-year-old The Next Triumph (Dan Noble) went gate-to-wire to score a two-length win over Stoney Ridgetop (John Konesky III) and Enforce The Law (Joseph Kramp) in 1:56.3.
The winner is co-owned by Robert Smolko and trainer Ron Steck.
Earlier on the 19-race card saw a unique situation – the stallion Lane Of Stone won the Signature Series Trot consolation in 1:55. His two-year-old daughter, Flip Five Stones, won the third race of the card, a $5,022 Ohio Fair Racing Conference event.
Both winners were driven by Jeff Nisonger and trained my Mark Winters. The father is owned by Harry Horowitz and the daughter is campaigned by Dennis Shaner.
The 16-race Tuesday card will go postward at 1:00 PM.
Hung Over Takes
OBC 2CT
Top: Hung Over and Dan Noble cruised past Rose Run Zoom (#9) to score in the OBC two-year-old colt trot in 1:57.1. Bottom: The connections of Hot Tea (#7) and Maxine’s Hill (#6) fill the winners circle after their dead-heat in a division of the $20,000 Buckeye Stallion Series two-year-old filly trot. (Brad Conrad Photo)
Hung Over showed no ill-effects of Pre-Jug partying and cruised to a 1 ½ length victory in the $131,906 Ohio Breeders Championship freshman colt trot in Tuesday (September 19) action at the Delaware County Fair.
When the field of nine was sent on their way, Royal Precedent (Aaron Merriman) grabbed the early lead and parked Commander Tom (Chris Page) through the first half of the mile in :28.1 and :57.4.
Dan Noble and the eventual winner found himself well back in the field in seventh at the half-mile station.
Hung Over was sent three-wide past the three-quarter station in 1:27.3 and was able to get by Rose Run Zoom (Don Irvine, Jr.) to score a 1 ½ length win in 1:57.1. The pacesetting Royal Precedent held on for third.
The winner is owned by the Bluestone Farms and Lynda Stewart and trained by Bob Stewart.
The homebred son of Creatine won for the fifth time in nine seasonal starts. With the $65,953 first place check, he now has $145,433 in career earnings.
Hung Over has won three straight here in the Buckeye State.
Later on in the 16-race card in the third and final division of the $20,000 Buckeye Stallion Series event for freshman totting fillies, Maxine’s Hill (Chris Page) and Hot Tea (Tyler Smith) swapped the lead a couple of times in the final quarter of the race and hit the finish line together in a 1:58.2 dead-heat.
Maxine Hill is co-owner by trainer Chris Beaver, Donald Robinson, VIP Internet Stable and Mark Schwartz.br> Hot Tea is owned by Joyce McClelland and conditioned by Virgil Morgan, Jr.
The 22-race Wednesday card will go postward at 12:00 PM.
Jug Action to be Featured on Fox Sports 2
A majority of the Jug Day card will be broadcast on Fox Sports 2 as a part of their “America’s Day at the Races,” produced by the New York Racing Association (NYRA).
The broadcast window will be from 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM and will feature Delaware’s races #18-24 – including the $50,000 LBJ eliminations and the $850,000 Final.
Jessica Otten will lead the coverage from the Delaware County Fairgrounds.
Brotherly Love?
Andrew and Todd McCarthy will become only the fourth set of brothers to compete against each other in the Little Brown Jug when they go postward in the first elimination.
The older brother Todd will pilot Hungry Angel Boy for trainer Tony Alagna (post 3) and Todd will be behind Blue Hunt, who is conditioned by Deborah Daguet.
The McCarthy’s are natives of Australia and join the Cameron’s (Del and Dana), the Dancer’s (Stanley and Vernon) and the MacDonald’s (Anthony and Mark) as the only sets of brothers to compete against each other in the Jug.
Both brothers are making their first Jug starts.
The good news for Andrew is that the older brothers have a 5-4 advantage against their younger brothers.
First Time
Four drivers will be making their first Little Brown Jug appearance – Andrew McCarthy, Todd McCarthy, Sam Widger and James MacDonald – and seven trainers will be making their Jug debut – Anthony Beaton, Roland Mallar, Todd Luther, Deborah Daguet, Michael Russo, Nicholas DeVita and Andrew Harris.
The last driver to win the Jug on his first trip to Delaware was Scott Zeron with Michael’s Power in 2012.
Here are the records for the drivers and trainers in the 78th Little Brown Jug:
Buckette to Helpoftheseason
Indiana invader Helpoftheseason took advantage of a late break in stride by Bella Macchiato (Dexter Dunn) to take the $88,000 Buckette for sophomore trotting fillies in 1:54.2 on the Jugette Day undercard on Wednesday (September 20) at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.
Pride N Joy (Todd McCarthy) finished 2 1/2 lengths back in second. Stella Rose (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) crossed the finish line in third but was disqualified and placed 6th for interference. Bravo Angel S (Andrew McCarthy) was elevated to third.
Helpoftheseason is co-owned by John Schmucker, Wrenn Racing and Running Wild Stables. She is trained by Melanie Wrenn.
With the win, she has been first or second in eight of ten starts in 2023.
Sweet victory for Sugar Instead in $131,200 (div.) OBC 2FT
Sugar Instead continued her dominance in the state of Ohio for the two-year-old filly division.
The Volstead filly overcame the outside post #7 and was sitting third at the quarter and half mile stations in :27.3 and :56.3.
Driver Ronnie Gillespie tipped Sugar Instead off the rail at the three-quarter pole in 1:26.1 and cruised home in :29.4 to score the 6 ¼ length win in :1:56. My Rory (Tony Hall) was second and Westfiftyfive (Dexter Dunn) was third.
Virgil Morgan, Jr. conditions the winner for co-owners Joyce McClelland and Larry Wills.br> The win was her seventh in nine seasonal starts and pushed her earnings to $363,925.
The second $65,600 division, Roxanna (Aaron Merriman) held off Chulita (Tyler Smith) and She’s Spicy (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) in 1:57.
Chris Beaver trains and co-owns Roxanna with Sandra Burnett.
The What The Hill filly was unraced at two, but has made $200,500 this season.
Refined Takes OBC Aged Trot
Refined (Tyler Smith) took the $34,400 Ohio Breeders Championship for aged trotters beating the boys in 1:54.1.
Caviar Gold (Aaron Merriman) rallied within a neck for second and Rose Run Valor (Kayne Kauffman) was third.
Refined is owned by the partnership of Joyce McClelland and Larry Wills. Virgil Morgan, Jr. trains the seven-year-old Uncle Peter mare. Her career earnings are approaching the $1 million mark.
Standardbred (Two-Year-Old Filly Trot)
Thanks to a patient drive by Brett Miller, Cantab’s Joy took the $40,000 Standardbred for two-year-old filly trotters in 2:00.1.
Cantab ‘s Joy was 2 ½ lengths ahead of Fiya (Tyler Smith) and Heavenly Heart (Dexter Dunn).
The winner is owned by Greg Luther Racing and trained by Todd Luther. It was her third career win in nine seasonal. starts
Standardbred (Two-Year-Old Filly Pace)
A Few Choice Words (Yannick Gingras) went gate-to-wire to take the $40,000 Standardbred for two-year-old filly pacers over Track’n Field (Chris Page) and Fresh Legs (Tim Tetrick) by 2 ½ lengths.
The Courtly Choice filly is trained by Blake MacIntosh for the Clancy Farms.
She has won four of her nine 2023 starts and earned $73,222. The final time of 1:54.3 was a new lifetime mark.
Photo Credit: Brad Conrad Photos
Ucandoit Blue Chip Takes $305,000 Jugette
Driver Scott Zeron sat patiently in the pocket with Ucandoit Blue Chip in the second heat and out sprinted fellow elimination winner Zanatta (Joe Bongiorno) in the stretch to win the $305,000 Jugette for three-year-old filly pacers on Wednesday (September 20) at the Delaware County Fair.
When the $255,000 final heat was sent on their way, Zanatta protected her rail position forcing the eventual winner to sit in the pocket past the quarter in :27.4 and the half in :55.4.
As the field went by the grandstand for the first time, Southwind Bella (Yannick Gingras) was the first to move, but could get no closer to the leader than third at the three-quarters in 1:22.4.
Zeron gave his que to Ucandoit Blue Chip in the final turn and used a :27.3 last quarter to score a 1 ¾ length win in 1:50.2.
The Keystone Velocity filly is owned by Bill J. Elliott of Woodstock, Ontario and trained by Linda Toscano.
“I thought she was a big strong filly and could handle the two heats,” noted the winning trainer. “The icing on the cake is that her mom (Molly Can Do It) was my first Breeders Crown champion.”
The Jugette win was first for all of the connections of Ucandoit Blue Chip.
In the first elimination, all five participants had the lead at some point in the mile. At the end, Ucandoit Blue Chip was 1 ¼ lengths better than Daffled Hanover (David Miller) and Earthwindfire (Tim Tetrick). Vivians Dream (Yannick Gingras) finished fourth and advanced to the final.
The second $25,000 elimination went to Zanatta in a lifetime best 1:50.1. The pacesetting Southwind Bella (Yannick Gingras) was second beaten by three-quarters of a length, Hey Hey Mama (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) was third and the supplemental entry Odds On Hail Mary (Scott Zeron) was fourth, but scratched out of the final.
Zanatta is owned by the One Legend Stable and trained by Jen Bongiorno.
The 24-race Thursday card will go postward at 11:30 AM and will feature the $1,000,000 Little Brown Jug.
Jug Day Undercard
M-M’s Dream
Herodotus Finish
Herodotus
Janelle Granny
M-M’s Dream Has Gutsy Effort in the Ms. Versatility Final
M-M’s Dream is the daughter of Swan For All. She is owned by Eleven Star Stables, Frank Baldachino and Hillside Stables. Ron Burke trains the career winner of $1.2 million.
The winning time was 1:52.4.
Miller and Herodotus Take Home the Bucket
David Miller made his 243rd trip to the Delaware County Fair winner’s circle in the $100,000 Old Oaken Bucket for three-year-old trotting colts.
Miller guided Herodotus to a 2 1/2 length win over Talent Scout (Dexter Dunn), who was elevated to second when Drink Up Drink Up (Aaron Merriman) made a lapped-on break at the wire.
The winning time of 1:53.1 established a new track record for three-year-old gelding trotters.
Herodotus now has eight lifetime wins for Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables and Weaver Brucsemi.
Stakes Record Broken in OBC 3FP
McSeaside (Chris Page) and Somwherunderheavn (Tony Hall) both broke the stakes record with their 1:51.4 victories in the OBC for three- Somwherunderheavn won the first $63,500 division by 2 1/4 over Celebrate Me Home (Chris Page) and Cruise Alert (Brett Miller).
The Steve Carter trained daughter of Nob Hill High is co-owned by Jeff Fought Racing, Brian Carsey, Adam Friedland and Patty Carter.
McSeaside is the daughter of Downbytheseaside and is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable, Beasty, J & T Silva Stables and Knox Services.
She defeated Fear The Britches (Trevor Smith) and Kassagi (Sam Widger) by 2 1/2 lengths.
OBC 3CT to Jet Hill and John Dutton
Jet Hill (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) got some redemption from Grand Revival (Brett Miller) and took the opening division of the Ohio Breeders Championship for three-year-old colt trotters.
The winner benefited from breaks in stride in the final turn by Grand Revival and K J Alexander (Austin Hanners) and cruised to a four length win over Rose Run Yorick (Chris Page) and Jogging Full Trot (Dan Noble).
The What The Hill gelding is owned by the Serenity Racing Stables and trained by Edward Miller. He has won eight of 12 seasonal starts.
Jet Hill finished second to Grand Revival in the $300,000 Ohio Sire Stakes championship (September 9).
Chris Page sent John Dutton to the early lead and never looked back in the second $59,000 division.
John Dutton was a half-length better than Black Magic (David Miller) and Burton’s Hill (Dexter Dunn).
The What The Hill gelding is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Johnny Yoder and RAS Racing. The $29,500 first place check pushes his career earnings to over $400,0000.
Janelle Granny & Rose Run Zane take the Divisions
Janelle Granny (Brett Miller) rebounded from a third-place finish in the $300,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Final (September 9) and held off a persistent Racing Rebel (Sam Widger) and Outer Banks (Chris Page) to win the opening division of the OBC for three-year-old pacing colts.
Betty Jo Clegg owns and trains the Fear The Dragon colt, who has finished on the board in all but one of his 15 starts this season.
The lightly raced Rose Run Zane (Austin Hanners) took the final $75,000 division in a lifetime best 1:51.1.
Unraced at two and making only his sixth start of the season, the Racing Hill gelding went gate-to-wire to defeat a challenging Fear The Image (Tyler Smith) and Midwind Beach Boy (Yannick Gingras).
The winner is owned by John and Leann Saunders and trained by Dan Venier.
Photo Credit: Brad Conrad Photos
Bird And Grenade Breaks His Maiden in the Standardbred
Bird And Grenade was winless in his first eight starts, but broke his maiden in the $50,000 Standardbred trot for two-year-old colts.
Brady Brown steered the winner for trainer Steve Schoeffel and co-owners Kathy Schoeffel and Four Cousins Stable.
Flirtnwiththepilot (Peter Wrenn) and Vanguard (Tim Tetrick) was second and third.
Silken Sweet was smooth in Standardbred
Silken Sweet (Yannick Gingras) won the non-wagering $40,000 Standardbred for freshman pacing colts in 1:52.3.
The pacesetting Solid Character (David Miller) was second and Special Menu (Dexter Dunn) was third.
D Racing Stable and Donald G. Mac Rae are the owners of the Betting Line gelding. He is trained by Deborah Daguet.
Silken Sweet was a $15,000 yearling purchase and now won three of his ten two-year-old starts.
