By Tom White
9/17/05
Jeffrey Snyder, Lothlorien Equestrian Center and Perretti Racing Stable’s Rocknroll Hanover heads up a field of 20 sophomores in the $569,032 Little Brown Jug, the second leg of Pacing’s Triple Crown, slated for Thursday afternoon (September 22) at the Delaware, Ohio County Fair.
The field has been split into three $68,284 first heat eliminations, with the top three in each elimination advancing to the $307,277 second heat. If one of the elimination winners captures the second heat, then that horse is the Little Brown Jug winner. If not, then the four heat winners will return for a winner-take-all $56,903 race-off.
Rocknroll Hanover must overcome post position six in the third and final elimination. The son of Western Ideal has had a stellar season with seven wins and two seconds in nine trips to the post, with earnings of $1,510,490. He was a winner in the $1,215,000 North America Cup Final and the $1 million Meadowlands Pace Final (in a personal best time of 1:48.3). Trained by Brett Pelling, Rocknroll Hanover will be driven by Brian Sears and is the 2-1 favorite in the morning line.
“The best thing is there are no trailers,” said Pelling of the short fields. “Rocknroll Hanover’s going to have to get out of there and do it. He’s real sharp right now and has had a real nice break.”
Also in this tough elimination will be Mark Maynard, Kelly O’Donnell and Ed Mullinax’s P-Forty-Seven. The chestnut son of The Panderosa comes into the Jug on a three race winning streak, which includes triumphs in the $100,000 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Final and a $78,500 Jug Preview division. P-Forty-Seven took his mark of 1:48.2 in the $100,000 Meadowlands Pace Consolation. Trained by co-owner O’Donnell, P-Forty-Seven will start from post two with Dave Palone in the bike. He is the second choice in the line at 5-2.
“P-Forty-Seven likes to be on the front end, so I’m happier with the two hole then if he drew the six,” said trainer O’Donnell. “One thing that’s really going to help him is that we’ve been able to turn him out in a paddock up at Sahbra Farms.”
Heading up the six horse first elimination will be Jeffrey Snyder and Arlene and Jules Siegel’s Village Jolt, the 2004 Dan Patch Award winner as the top two-year-old pacing colt in the sport. The Cam’s Card Shark lad has banked $507,203 in 10 starts this year, with his biggest victory coming in the $321,800 Delvin Miller Adios Final at The Meadows. Village Jolt has been a bit inconsistent of late, making breaks in both his elimination and the $346,000 final of the Cane Pace. Despite the bobble in the Cane Final, he still finished third. Also trained by Brett Pelling, Village Jolt has drawn the rail in his elimination and will have the driving services of Hall of Famer Ron Pierce. He is favored at 2-1 in the morning line.
The 5-2 second choice in the opening elimination is John Condon’s With Anticipation. The Norm Parker-trainee has earned $133,082 in 16 trips behind the post in ’05. Among his victories were the $81,000 North America Cup Consolation (in a lifetime best time of 1:51.1). He comes into the Jug off a second place finish in his $78,500 Jug Preview division.
Emposimato Stables’ Jo Pa’s Shark is the 2-1 morning line favorite in the middle elimination. The brown gelded son of Cam’s Card Shark has banked a healthy $333,567 in 22 starts this year with six wins, six seconds and two thirds. Jo Pa’s Shark was a wire-to-wire winner in the $161,500 Cleveland Classic earlier this year over the half-mile track at Northfield Park. Trained by Jim Campbell, he will start from post position two ahead of driver George Brennan.
The 5-2 second choice in this elimination is Robert Messick’s Roddy’s Bags Again. The Dragon Again lad has won eight times in 15 starts in 2005, with earnings of $120,853. He was a 1:50.2 winner back in June in a Keystone Classic division at The Meadows. Jonas Stutzman trains and Luc Ouellette will drive from the rail in his Jug elimination.
Here are the complete fields:
1st heat 1st elimination Purse $68,284
