Delaware, Ohio--Art's Virtue, Eternal Camnation and Hawaiian Flash are the early Jugette elimination division favorites for Wednesday's $300,671 Jugette Pace at the Delaware, Ohio County Fair.

A total of 20 three-year-old fillies were entered today (Friday) forcing three eliminations for the 30th renewal of the Jugette.

The top three fillies in each elimination will return for a second heat. Should a filly other than one of the three eliminations win the second heat all four winners will return for the Final...winner take all.

Eternal Camnation is the 2-1 early morning choice in the first elimination followed closely by Living With Art at odds of 5-2. Eternal Camnation won 12 of 13 starts at two but was winless in four starts at three before capturing the $535,300 Fan Hanover Final in 1:51.2 on August 19 at Woodbine. In that race the Cam Fella filly defeated In For Life and Art's Virtue.

"It's just been a slow start," explained trainer Jeff Miller of Haviland, Ohio. "She had a lot of minor ailments. She had throat surgery and a lot of allergies. She's fresh. The other fillies have been pounding each other and have gone some big miles. Even though she was oh-for-four, her starts were weeks apart."

Eternal Camnation, who has lifetime winnings of $941,419, won her last start on September 8 at Scioto Downs in 1:53.2.

Living With Art comes into the Jugette off a 1:52.4 victory in the $112,410 Simcoe Stakes at Mohawk. Reimburse, third choice in the first elim at 5-2, won an elim of the Fan Hanover and sports a mark of 1:51.

Art's Virtue, 7-5 pick in the second elimination, comes into the Jugette with victories in the $343,500 Mistletoe Shallee and $250,000 Miss New Jersey. She was also third to Eternal Camnation in the Fan Hanover Final and second last week to Hatsoff Hanover in the Shady Daisy at Freehold. Armbro Terrace, 5-2 in the second elim, is winless in 12 outings but has a second in the Miss New Jersey and third in Mistletoe Shallee.

Hawaiian Flash at 2-1 and Best Laid Plans, 5-2, head the third elimination. Hawaiian Flash won the Scarlett O'Hara and an elim of the Fan Hanover in 1:50.4. Best Laid Plans sports victories in the Shady Daisy and Countess Adios and a second in the Helen Dancer. In For Life, third choice at 7-2 in this elim, finished second to Eternal Camnation in the rich Fan Hanover Final.

The Jugette stakes record is 1:52.3 set by Towner's Image in 1993.

Post times for Sunday's opening 18-race program will begin at 11:55 a.m. and Monday's 14-race card will start at 12:30 p.m., a half-hour earlier than previously announced.