Western Graduate Sweeps To Victory In $300,000 Jugette
Western Graduate and Yannick Gingras found racing room late in the stretch to collar Me And My Baby (Dave Palone) by a neck to capture the 37th Jugette in straight heats before 13,328 at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.

In the $144,000 final, Southwind Tempo (Tim Tetrick) and Liberty Skiberty (Dave Miller) raced in tandem as the field reached the quarter in a record :25 4/5. Gingras placed the eventual winner in behind the pacesetting Southwind Tempo. My Baby And Me passed the tiring Southwind Tempo in mid stretch, but Western Graduate found daylight late and nailed My Baby And Me in 1:51 3/5, establishing a two heat world record of 3:43.

Western Graduate is owned by Sylvia Burke, Thomas Cherichello, George Leon and Lawrence Karr. The sophomore daughter of Western Hanover is trained by Mickey Burke and increased her lifetime earnings to $468,322.

She’s a great filly, noted the trainer.We have just been chasing Southwind Tempo all season long.

â?œAt the top of the stretch I was confident. If she gets loose, I knew she was a winner,â?� noted Gingras, who captured his first Jugette.

As the wings folded for the second $48,000 elimination, Isabella Blue Chip (David Miller) cleared to the lead and set the fractions of :26 4/5, :55 2/5 and 1:23 1/5. Western Graduate (Yannick Gingras) was forced three wide down the backstretch and swooped into the lead by mid stretch and drew clear by 1 ¾ lengths over Elusive Prey (George Brennan) and My Baby And Me (Dave Palone) in a track, stakes and world record 1:51 2/5. The pacesetting Isabella Blue Chip tired in the lane, but held on to the fourth spot, qualifying for the final, but was scratched in the final.

In the first elimination, Tetrick sent Southwind Lynx right after the lead and past the quarter in :26 4/5. Southwind Lynx received a second quarter breather in :29 1/5. Checkouttheview (John Campbell) started up the outer flow, providing some pressure past the three quarter pole in 1:24 3/5. The pocket setting Liberty Skiberty (Dave Miller) shook free at the top of the lane and mounted a serious challenge to heavily favored Southwind Lynx, coming up a neck short in a national seasons record equaling 1:52. Before Dawn (Tony Hall) and Mystical Dreamer (Greg Grismore) completed the superfecta and advanced to the final.

 

Jay Wolf
Asst. PR Director
Little Brown Jug