After an impressive front-end win in her opening-heat elimination, O'Brien Award winner Idyllic, trained by Casie Coleman of Cambridge, Ont., went on to capture the $175,410 final of the Jugette Wednesday, September 21

at the Delaware Ohio County Fair in 1:54.

Idyllic, a three-year-old daughter of American Ideal, started from Post 2 in the eight-horse final for driver David Miller, a native of Ohio. Swinging Beauty, who also scored a victory in her opening-heat elimination, started from Post 1 in the final for the Guelph, Ont.-based duo of trainer Gregg McNair and his son, driver Doug McNair.

After having stepped to front-end dominance in her opening-leg elimination, the crowd at the fairgrounds let out a bit of a gasp when it wasn't Idyllic that bolted to the lead off the gate. Instead of Idyllic, it was Rocklamation, trained by Ron Burke and driven by Yannick Gingras, who timed the gate perfectly and darted away from her fellow lasses.

Rocklamation led the field into the first turn, and she was under immediate pressure as soon as she began to straighten away into the backstretch. Idyllic, who Miller had out and gunning, was hot on the pacesetter's heals. Miller and his mount cleared early in the second panel, just after the opening quarter-mile clock flashed to life in an even 27 seconds.

With the 1-5 post-time choice on the engine and in control early, the seven other drivers in the dash gave Idyllic and Miller all the respect in the world in the second panel. Firmly in control over the off going, Miller slowed the pace right down and guided Idyllic down to the half in :56.3 courtesy of a :29.3 second quarter.

With the rest of the field well aware that Idyllic had it all her way in the second panel, the Dave Palone-driven Strike An Attitude, conditioned by Windsor, Ont.-based trainer Bob McIntosh, started a first-over advance from the backfield. In turn, McNair pulled Swinging Beauty out first up from third in an attempt to eventually haul down Idyllic.

Although bids for the lead were being mounted, Miller and Idyllic were still in control on the engine. They paced well along the final turn and tripped the three-quarters clock in 1:24.4 via a :28.1 third quarter. It appeared that Miller and Idyllic were in total control at that point, but Gingras and the pocket-sitting Rocklamation had a little something up their sleeve.

Idyllic towed the field into the lane, and it was there when Gingras brought his mount back into contention for a bit of a stretch battle. In the lane, Rocklamation, by Rock N Roll Hanover, gave Idyllic all she wanted, as the filly was digging into the fairgrounds course with all her might. Although, in the end, it was just not enough.

After having headed to the lead early in the dash, Idyllic made sure she wasn't headed the rest of the way. She stopped the clock in a solid 1:54 with Rocklamation, who was hot on her heels, a close second.

Swinging Beauty finished third and rounded out the triactor ticket, while Strike An Attitude just missed the board and finished fourth.

"She's been unbelievable, never missed the top three for us," Coleman said trackside during a post-race interview. "She's just a dream come true. It's extra special as she's first-crop American Ideal (who Coleman also trained)."

Coleman went on to say that Idyllic will race next week at the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky. The filly is owned by West Wins Stable of Cambridge, Ont., Michael A La Cova and Joseph Lacova of West Islip, New York and John Campagnuolo of Loxahatchee, Florida.

"I thought the front was the best place for her and I didn't want to get locked in," Miller said after the race. "I moved her back to the front and she did the rest."

Miller also noted that he was surprised that the dash ended up as close as it was and that Rocklamation was dead-game.

"She raced very well, I was surprised it was a horse race. After the first heat I thought we were home free pretty easy."

O'Brien Award winner Idyllic, in rein to David Miller for trainer Casie Coleman, moved to the lead early in her first-heat elimination of the Jugette and went on to record a dominant, open-length victory

in 1:53.1.

After the five-horse field left the gate, Idyllic, a three-year-old daughter of American Ideal, was out and gunning early. She had to wait her turn for the engine, though, as Tu Sei Bella (driven by Ron Pierce) and Myluvmylife (Brian Sears) took turns on the front end through a snappy :26.3 opening quarter.

When it was Idyllic's turn to flash some speed on the lead, she did that and then some.

Idyllic had already opened up lengths on her foes by the time she blew by the opening half-mile timer in :54. The filly kept the pressure up in the third quarter, as she opened up more lengths on her rivals before clicking off three-quarters in a blistering 1:22.4.

Idyllic cruised home to a multiple-length victory in the lane, as she stopped the clock in 1:53.1 for owners West Wins Stable of Cambridge, Ont., Michael A La Cova and Joseph Lacova of West Islip, New York, and John A Campagnuolo of Loxahatchee, Florida.

Whats New Pussycat (Yannick Gingras) finished second, while Myluvmylife rounded out the triactor.

Miller was asked how Idyllic was holding up in the final quarter of the race after having thrown down some serious speed earlier in the dash. "I heard Roger (Announcer Roger Huston) say that I had seven (lengths) on them (the rest of the field). I didn't hear anybody, so I didn't pull her earplugs and I just let her coast."

Hammered down to 3-5 at post time, Idyllic returned $3.40, $2.10 and $2.10 across the board.

In a driving rain, Swinging Beauty, driven by Doug McNair for his father, trainer Gregg McNair, closed like a champion from the backfield and got up in time to post a narrow victory in 1:54.2 during her opening-heat elimination.

After the wings of the gate folded, the rail horse, Rocklamation (driven by Yannick Gingras), shot to the lead and stayed there until the very late stages. She had cut the fractions in :27, :56.2 and 1:24.1, but it was along the final turn and in the stretch when the dash really got interesting.

Pretty Katherine (George Brennan) had made a first-up bid from mid-pack on the final turn. At that point, Strike An Attitude (Dave Palone) came calling three-wide in anticipation of a showdown with the leader in the stretch.

While the other fillies were in the process of making their bids, McNair had Swinging Beauty, a daughter of Art Major, fired up from near the back of the pack. McNair and his mount were out wide on the track and pacing home hard as the action swung into the stretch.

With Rocklamation trying to hang on along the inside and Strike An Attitude trying to get up alongside her, McNair let the front end know what he and his filly were all about. Racing widest of all in the very late stages, McNair got Swinging Beauty up to score a narrow victory over the pair in 1:54.2.

Strike An Attitude, who is trained by Bob McIntosh, finished second. Rocklamation held on for third. Pretty Katherine finished fourth and Musette Mindale fifth. Rockratese finished sixth.

Owned by William Switala and James Martin of Clarence Center, New York, Swinging Beauty returned $12.60 on a successful Win wager.

The top four finishers (Swinging Beauty, Strike An Attitude, Rocklamation, Pretty Katherine) each advance to the second-heat final of the Jugette.

Here's the field for the Jugette final in post position order, with the winner of the second heat declared the 2011 Jugette champ.

1. Swinging Beauty
2. Idyllic
3. Whats New Pussycat
4. Strike An Attitude
5. Rocklamation
6. Myluvmylife (SCRATCHED)
7. Tu Sei Bella
8. Pretty Katherine

For a recap of the rest of the Jugette Day events, including the Buckette and multiple divisions of the Ohio Breeders Championships, click here.