By Jay Wolf
Redland Rocket Man, a $45,000 supplemental entry, cruised to a four and a quarter-length victory in the second heat of the 81st edition of the Little Brown Jug (Grade 1) Thursday (Sept. 24) at the Delaware County Fair.
The Canadian invader used the inside post position he earned in the second elimination and outsprinted the first elimination winner Al Papi (Yannick Gingras) and pre-race favorite Milillo (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) around the first turn, passing the opening panel in :26.2.
Al Papi was the first to come to the outside from third before the half-mile station in :55.3.
The challenger got within a head of Redland Rocket Man at the three-quarter mark in 1:22.3, but driver Jody Jamieson gave the eventual winner his cue, and Redland Rocket Man responded, crossing the line in 1:49.4.
Milillo was second, and fellow Ron Burke trainee Al Papi was third.
The trainer John Pentland co-owns the Bulldog Hanover gelding with Murray D. Cox and Gary P. Volpe.
Jamieson won the Jug for the second time with a 19-year gap from his first Jug victory with Tell All (2007).
Redland Rocket Man was a $30,000 yearling purchase at the Harrisburg (Pa.) sale in 2024.
The payday of $300,000 pushes his career earnings to $677,020.
In the second elimination, Redland Rocket Man got away last in the field of five and used a three-wide backstretch brush to sweep past Fragment (Jason Bartlett) and Melillo in the final turn to record the four and three-quarter-length score in 1:50.2.
Watch Em Win (Tim Tetrick) rallied for second, and Melillo and Fragment held on for the final transfer positions.
The first $25,000 elimination was a gate-to-wire effort from Al Papi, who defeated his stablemate Frantic Hanover (Tetrick) by one and a half lengths.
Treacherous Lou (Andrew McCarthy) and Thai Hanover (Dexter Dunn) advanced to the $550,000 final based on third- and fourth-place finishes.
Al Papi is a homebred son of Papi Rob Hanover and is owned by the quartet of Burke Racing Stable, J&T Silva – Purnel & Libby, Lawrence Karr, and Weaver Bruscemi.
The Little Brown Jug was presented by the Ohio Harness Horseman’s Association.
Jug Day Undercard
Ms. Versatility Final (Grade 3) – Aged Mare Trot
Dexter Dunn gave Warrawee Michelle a first-up trip after the half and tracked down the leader, Walspea (Gingras), late in the mile to take the $132,500 Ms. Versatility Final, presented by Allerage Farms.
Miracle Maven (Wrenn Jr.) outfinished Woman Of Passion (Scott Zeron) for third.
Ake Svanstedt Inc., Santandrea Inc. and Young Guns own the 5-year-old Walner mare.
Trainer Ake Svanstedt has a record four Ms. Versatility titles.
Old Oaken Bucket (Grade 3) – 3-Year-Old Colt Trot
Untouchable As benefited from early breaks in stride by his top two competitors, Who’s Eyes Blue (Wrenn Jr.) and Kingman (Jason Bartlett), and cruised to a three and three-quarter-length win in the $96,000 Old Oaken Bucket (Grade 3) for sophomore colt trotters.
Anette Lorentzon trains the homebred son of Walner for Aci Stuteri.
Tymal Kryptonite (Brady Brown) picked up the second-place check, and Gare D’orsay (Zeron) was third.
Untouchable As has been first or second in eight of 11 seasonal starts.
Buckette (Grade 3) – 3-Year-Old Filly Trot
Driver Lamar Wingard and Pony Chrome didn’t see a pylon for the first three-quarters of the mile, but that didn’t matter thanks to a game effort by the Southwind Chrome lass in the $79,350 Buckette for sophomore filly trotters.
Wingard, who was making his first trip around the Delaware half-mile, poked Pony Chrome’s nose in front at the three-quarter pole and defeated Kerstin (Gingras) by four and a quarter lengths and Wendalyn Hanover (Tetrick) by six and a quarter lengths in 1:55.2.
Lewayne Miller trains the filly for the partnership of Equine Spa and Thomas Jeff Carey.
Ohio Breeders Championship – 3-Year-Old Colt Pace
The leading driver, David Miller, and the leading trainer, Virgil Morgan Jr., in the history of the Delaware County Fair teamed up to take the first division of the $132,200 (div.) OBC for 3-year-old colt pacers with Tsunami Seas.
Miller sat patiently as Caillou Hanover (Atlee Bender) and Skull N Crossbones (Chris Page) battled for early control.
Tsunami Seas used the cover of Skull N Crossbones around the final turn and swept past a tiring Caillou Hanover to score a one and three-quarter-length win over stablemate Odds On Rpj (Luke Hanners) and Crocodile Station (Dexter Dunn) in 1:52.2.
The gelded son of Downbytheseaside is owned by Jeffrey Rector, Larry Wills, and Hutchison Harness.
Tsunami Seas now has a three-race win streak and $313,757 in his bank account.
Fire Run received a perfect first-up trip and wore down the pace-setting When Is Parade (Wrenn Jr.) to win the second $66,100 division in 1:52.
When Is Parade was a length back in second, and Thunder Nation (Miller) was another length behind in third.
Fire Run is trained and co-owned by Hall of Famer Erv Miller, who shares ownership with Mark D. Winship and Bryn R. Campbell.
Ohio Breeders Championship – 3-Year-Old Filly Pace
The lightly raced Prtynproud Hanover made her presence known in the second split of the $126,000 (div.) OBC for sophomore filly pacers thanks to a five-length score in 1:52.
Making just her fourth start of the season, Prtynproud Hanover (Gingras) was hustled off the gate’s wings from post five and was able to keep the field of seven in check, going gate-to-wire.
Rodeo Dancer (Brett Miller) was the runner-up, and Kb Wrecking Ball (Mike Wilder) was third.
Brian Brown trains the winner for Kenneth Jacobs.
The Downbytheseaside filly has a 2-1-1 record in four seasonal starts.
In the $63,000 first division, Seaside Shuffle (Page) dominated the field of six and recorded a four and a half-length win over Estuary (Bender) and Odds On Trickster (Hanners).
With the $31,500 first-place check, Seaside Shuffle increases her career earnings to $697,492 for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services, and RAS Racing.