By Tom White
9/17/04

Delaware, OH--Fourteen three-year-old fillies will battle in two eliminations of the $293,328 Jugette Pace Wednesday afternoon, September 22 at the Delaware, Ohio County Fair. Post time Wednesday is 11 a.m.

So Artsi (2-1), Glowing Report (5-2) and Ted's Girl (7-2) are the morning line favorites in the first $52,800 elimination. Apple Krisp (8-5), Mambo Hall (3-1) and Pantidepressant (4-1) are the early choices for the second elim.

The top four finishers from each elimination will return for the $158,396 second heat final. If neither elimination winner captures the second heat final then the three heat winners will comeback for a $29,332 raceoff.

Ted's Girl, who has won three of her last five starts and has finished in the money 12 times in 2004, is coming into the Jugette in top form according to her trainer Gates Brunet. "She was very good last week in winning her ($105,478)division of the Simcoe Stakes last weekend." Ted's Girl defeated Glowing Report by three lengths in a career best 1:53.2.

"She's the best all around filly I have ever trained," said the Ottawa, Ontario native. "She's got tremendous gate speed which should help since we have the six post position. She also comes around a half-mile track as good as any horse I've ever had." Brian Sears will drive the Emil Benvenuto-owned filly. "I drove her in a couple of her losses this year...and I'm not a catch driver."

So Artsi will be making only her fourth start of the season in the Jugette and drew the rail for trainer Bob McIntosh and driver John Campbell. So Artsi, who won the $438,000 Sweetheart Pace as a two-year-old, did not make her first start this season until August 6 at The Meadows. Glowing Report, who will start from post five for George Brennan, is the richest filly in the field with earnings of $683,176. Ice Sculpture, trained by Jim Campbell and driven by Dave Palone, won the $100,000 PA Sires Stakes Championship on September 4 and sports a mark of 1:52.

Ohio-owned Apple Krisp, trained by Don Swick for the Royal Wire Products of North Royalton, has been stakes placed all season including a third place finish in the 310,000 Mistletoe Shalee. The Life Sign filly's 1:49.4 victory at The Meadowlands is her best of the 14 Jugette contenders.

Mambo Hall, trained by Mark Harder and to be driven by Brennan, captured both the $75,000 Kentucky Sires Stakes Championship and $75,000 Summer Championship at The Red Mile in Lexington, KY. She has won in 1:52 this year.