It’s never too early to pick your Little Brown Jug winner. Although the Triple Crown event will not be contested until September 24
, now is the time to begin separating the contenders from the pretenders.
The 'Road to the Little Brown Jug' has already begun for many colts and geldings which did not start, or were lightly raced, last season. For example, River Shark, who made only five starts in 2008, recently captured the $67,000 Robert Suslow in 1:50.4 at the Meadowlands Racetrack. The colt now has three wins and three seconds in seven starts this season.
River Shark won a division of the Reynolds Memorial at Pocono Downs last season. Trainer and co-owner Dave Sabatelli, who also trained River Shark’s sire, Four Starzzz Shark, has said, “I think the greatest quality about him is his grit. Plans are for him to have a week off and then we’ll go to the Berry’s Creek. He’s got a pretty heavy stakes schedule.”
A total of 166 colts and geldings are eligible to the $650,000 (estimated) Little Brown Jug, which will be contested for the 64th time at the Delaware, Ohio County Fair.
Trot Magazine, published monthly by Standardbred Canada, presented its annual theoretical odds for all eligibles to Canada’s richest race, the Pepsi North America Cup, scheduled for Mohawk Racetrack, June 27. The top 10 are also eligible to the Little Brown Jug.
The $274,000 (estimated) James Dancer on April 25 at Freehold Raceway and $25,000 eliminations for the Berry’s Creek on May 2 at the Meadowlands are next up on the Road to the Jug.
(With files from the Little Brown Jug)