By Jay Wolf
9/23/04

Timesareachanging and driver Ron Pierce won the 59th edition of the Little Brown Jug in straight heats Thursday afternoon in front of 52,078 fans at the Delaware (OH) County Fairgrounds.

Timesareachanging came from off the pace to take the $308,610 second heat by one half of a length over his stablemate, Western Terror (Brian Sears), in 1:51 3/5. Perfect World Enterprises of Old Westbury, NY owns the top two finishers and took home $334,898 of the $571,500 total purse. The win was the third Jug title for both Ron Pierce and trainer Brett Pelling.

As the field left the gate for the second heat, the third elimination winner, Blissed Out (Luc Ouellette) took the early lead and guided the field through :27 1/5, :55 1/5 and 1:23 3/5 fractions. The eventual winner sat fifth at the quarter mile pole and came first over at the half. The son of Cam's Card Shark would not be denied the lead and held off a late rush by the pocket sitting Western Terror.

"He is so great, you have to tip your hat to him," noted Pelling. "It was a huge effort. I am so proud of him."

In the second elimination, Timesareachanging made a bold three wide down the backstretch and outdueled Metropolitan (John Campbell) in the deep stretch to win in 1:52. As the gate's wings folded, Campbell sent Metropolitan out of post 8 to challenge Four Starzzz King (Mike Lachance) and Yankee Lariat (Jack Moiseyev) for the early lead. Campbell was able to get a brief rest by dropping to the rail in third before he was forced first over at the half mile pole. Timesareachanging sat fifth before his bold move down the backstretch and wore down a tiring Metropolitan and won by a widing length. Four Starzzz King held on for the advancing place spot.

Western Terror took the first elimination in 1:51, a world record for a first heat. Maltese Artist (John Campbell) picked up the early lead and established the fractions of :26 1/5, :54 1/5 and 1:22 3/5. The eventual winner came third over and had to use the cover provided by Rare Jewel (Luc Ouellette) and Capt Silverheels (Mike Lachance) to get near the leader at the top of the lane. Western Terror cleared Maltese Artist and scored a one length victory. "I decided to take back, tack my chances and get a good trip for him," noted Brian Sears. Driven To Win (David Miller) completed the trifecta and advanced to the final.

The last $68,580 elimination went to Antonio Chiaravalle's Blissed Out in gate-to-wire fashion in 1:51 2/5. Driver Luc Ouellette used his inside post position to send the heavy favorite after the early lead. Town Champion (Richard Silverman) sat in the garden spot for the entire mile and came out to challenge Blissed Out in mid stretch, but the son of Blissfull Hall, the 1999 Jug champion, was half a length clear of Town Champion and three lengths ahead of The Preacher Pan (Daniel Dube). Blissed Out paid a quick dividend to Chiaravalle, who reportedly paid $250,000 for the colt after his 1:48 3/5 mile on September 11.