Rodeo Drive Deo defeated Odds On Chesapeake in a battle of the elimination winners to take the 55th edition of the Jugette for three-year-old pacing fillies on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at Delaware County Fairgrounds.

Rodeo Drive Deo delivered Ron Burke, the Jugette's winningest trainer, his fifth victory in the event and Ohio native David Miller his second straight and fourth victory overall, second-most among drivers.

The field lined up in post position order when the gate swung open for the $388,889 final with elim winners Odds On Chesapeake and Rodeo Drive Deo one-two through a :28.1 opening quarter. Miller popped the pocket at the :56.4 half and 4-5 favoured Rodeo Drive Deo went head-to-head with the even-money Virgil Morgan Jr. trainee, Odds On Chesapeake and driver Dexter Dunn through three-quarters in 1:23.1. Their battle continued into the final turn with Rodeo Drive Deo edging ahead and pulling clear down the stretch to win in 1:50.1 by 4-1/2 lengths. The winner's stablemate, Rose, finished third in rein to Yannick Gingras, while the runner-up's stablemate, Odds On Hialeah, was fourth with Luke Hanners catch-driving.

"I hit the wire and got emotional," said Miller on winning his fourth Jugette. "Well, actually, me and Ronnie and Yannick, had a talk and had a couple of different plans, because Virgil had an entry too. At the very end, Ronnie said, 'Just get away in two-hole and pull when you have to.'"

Miller, who previously announced homecoming plans, indicated that move back to Ohio is likely to take place after stakes season at the end of November.

"I'm going to keep racing, but the travel...not as much," said Miller.

Rodeo Drive Deo, who surpassed the million-dollar mark in career earnings with a 1:51 victory in her $34,722 elimination heat earlier in the day, now boasts a bankroll totalling $1,195,325. A two-time Pennsylvania Sire Stakes winner this year, she earned her sixth victory in 15 sophomore starts and her 10th win overall. 

"I had all the confidence in the world in her," said Burke. "She broke her tibia as a two-year-old and we had to give her a good bit of time off. Then training her back we're like, this filly's really special, we think."

Now a Grade 1 stakes winner, Rodeo Drive Deo is owned by Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, Pennsylvania, Weaver Bruscemi of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, Beasty of Las Vegas, Nevada and Jandt Silva - Purnel And Libby of Ocean Ridge, Florida.

"It's special," said co-owner Mark Weaver. "My son's here, it's his first Jug week, so that made it extra sweet. Tomorrow's a big day for me with the homebred, Louprint [racing in the Little Brown Jug]."

A daughter of Captaintreacherous out of Miss L A, Rodeo Drive Deo was bred in New Jersey by Deo Volente Farms and Cool Cat Racing.

She paid $3.60 to win.

Fans watching the Jugette may have noticed that the U.S. Hall of Fame announcer Roger Huston was not on the call for the three-year-old filly pacing classic and that was by design. Huston, who had called all 54 previous Jugettes and 57 straight Little Brown Jugs, notified Jug officials that he wanted to step back and call fewer races during Jug week, electing to start with Wednesday's Jugette.

“We cannot thank Roger enough for everything he does for Delaware,” said Tom Wright, president of the Little Brown Jug Society. “I was saddened when Roger approached me with this request. For anybody who knows Roger would understand his desire to do it ‘his way.’”

Huston was hired in August 1967 by Henry “Hank” Thomson to serve as the announcer during the Grand Circuit stop at Delaware. Since 1967, more than 4,200 races have been conducted at the Delaware County Fair, almost all of them with Huston behind the mic.

“I just want to make it clear. I am not retiring,” noted Huston, who celebrated his 83rd birthday on Tuesday. “I just felt it was the right thing to do, to give another young man the opportunity to live out their dream.”

That ‘young man’ is Jason Settlemoir, who has served as Huston’s assistant announcer since 2012. Settlemoir is a native of Newark, Ohio and has been coming to the Jug since 1988.

“Roger has been like a father to me. He has been a great mentor and friend,” noted Settlemoir. “I am proud that he has the confidence in me to carry on this tradition.”

Jugette Elims To Rodeo Drive Deo, Odds On Chesapeake

Making the winning move with a three-wide rush down the backstretch the final time, driver David Miller guided post time favourite Rodeo Drive Deo to victory in the first of two $34,722 elimination heats of the Jugette for three-year-old pacing fillies at Delaware County Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 17.

Leaving from the outside post seven, Miller landed in fifth position with Rodeo Drive Deo as an early tussle for the top spot ensued off the gate. Skywalker Sea (Austin Hanners) fired from mid-field but was left parked three-high into the first turn as inside starters Millie May Hanover (Todd McCarthy) and Rose Run Aimee (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) pressed on. Supplemental entry Rose Run Aimee cleared Millie May Hanover as they raced by the quarter in :27.2 with Odds On Hialeah (Dexter Dunn) in the mix third and Skywalker Sea taking back into fourth.

Odds On Hialeah angled out off the turn towards the grandstand as Rose Run Aimee continued to lead the fillies to the half in :56.1. Skywalker Sea followed the cover with 3-5 favourite Rodeo Drive Deo tracking third-over ahead of her big backstretch brush.

As Odds On Hialeah matched strides with Rose Run Aimee, they were joined by a three-wide Rodeo Drive Deo at three-quarters in 1:23.4. The bettors' choice gained the advantage on the outside of Odds On Hialeah and those two took off turning for home. Rodeo Drive Deo drew clear into the stretch and won by a widening 2-3/4 lengths in 1:51 flat. Odds On Hialeah finished second, with Vel Cinderella (Tim Tetrick) taking third and Skywalker Sea fourth.

Trained by four-time Jugette-winning trainer Ron Burke, Rodeo Drive Deo surpassed the $1 million mark in career earnings.

 "She was something," said assistant trainer Mickey Burke Jr. in a post-race interview. "When she tipped off three-wide, she really took off. And like David said, she's got a motor.

"He couldn't have driven her any better. He had to do it that way. And when he put her in gear, she just took off. Now it's just get her ready for the next one."

The Captaintreacherous-Miss L A filly is owned by Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, Pennsylvania, Weaver Bruscemi of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, Beasty of Las Vegas, Nevada and Jandt Silva - Purnel And Libby of Ocean Ridge, Florida. 

Rodeo Drive Deo paid $3.20 to win.

Odds On Chesapeake ($2.80) delivered as expected in the second $34,722 elimination, taking a new lifetime mark of 1:49.3 in the faster of the two elims.

Driver Dexter Dunn landed the 2-5 choice in third early behind Lily White Hanover (Jason Bartlett) and Rose (Yannick Gingras) before right-lining Odds On Chesapeake down the backside for the first time. Clearing through a :26.3 opener, Odds On Chesapeake maintained a confident lead under a snug hold from Dunn while managing middle fractions of :53.3 and 1:21.1 and then opening up to win by 2-1/2 lengths. Rose stayed for second with Time Of The Season (Andy McCarthy) and Papi Grad (Todd McCarthy) punching their tickets to the final by finishing third and fourth, respectively.

"She's feeling pretty good," said trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. after the victory, noting the strong hold Dunn had on the pacing filly. "He said that's all he could hold her so that's a good thing, but we've got to keep it controlled."

A homebred daughter of Downbytheseaside-Macaroon owned by her breeder Odds On Racing of Boca Raton, Florida, along with Operation Horsepower of Edmonton, Kentucky, Odds On Chesapeake now sports 13 wins in 21 career starts — nine wins in her 11 sophomore starts — with more than $600,000 in earnings.

The top four finishers from each elimination will advance to the $388,889 final later today in race 22. Post positions for the Jugette final are listed below with final driver changes.

1. Odds On Chesapeake - Dexter Dunn
2. Rodeo Drive Deo - David Miller
3. Rose - Yannick Gingras
4. Odds On Hialeah - Luke Hanners
5. Time Of The Season - Andy McCarthy
6. Vel Cinderella - Tim Tetrick
7. Papi Grad - Todd McCarthy
8. Skywalker Sea - Austin Hanners
AE1. Millie May Hanover
AE2. Allegra Hanover
AE3. Lily White Hanover

Watch The 2025 Jugette

The 55th edition of the $458,333 Jugette for three-year-old pacing fillies headlines Wednesday's 22-race card at the Delaware County Fair and live streaming of all the action will be available.

The $388,889 Jugette final will cap off the action-packed afternoon as race 22, featuring the top four finishers from a pair of $34,722 elimination heats contested earlier in the day (races 18 & 19).

Sixteen three-year-old pacing fillies were entered in the Grade 1 stakes event. Supplemental entry Rose Run Aimee is the 5-2 morning line favourite from post two in the first elimination with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. listed to drive for trainer James Ehrsam while Odds On Chesapeake is the 9-5 favourite from post four in the second elimination with Dexter Dunn driving for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr.

The Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association will present a live stream of Wednesday’s 22-race card, which will be available below. Post time for the first race is 11 a.m. 

The complete elimination fields are listed below in post position order.

Jugette Elimination Heat #1
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds
1. Millie May Hanover - Todd McCarthy - Andrew Harris - 9-2
2. Rose Run Aimee - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - James Ehrsam - 5-2
3. Vel Cinderella - Tim Tetrick - Rob Rittof - 9-1
4. Skywalker Sea - Austin Hanners - Todd Luther - 7-1
5. Highland Delight - Yannick Gingras - Ben Hollingsworth - 20-1
6. Odds On Hialeah - Dexter Dunn - Virgil Morgan Jr. - 3-1
7. Rodeo Drive Deo - David Miller - Ron Burke - 7-2
8. Dirty Diana - James MacDonald - John Pentland - 20-1

Jugette Elimination Heat #2
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds
1. Lily White Hanover - Jason Bartlett - Andrew Harris - 4-1
2. Allegra Hanover - David Miller - Brian Brown - 7-1
3. Rose - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke - 7-1
4. Odds On Chesapeake - Dexter Dunn - Virgil Morgan Jr. - 9-5
5. Time Of The Season - Andrew McCarthy - Tim Twaddle - 6-1
6. Papi Grad - Todd McCarthy - Steve Carter - 8-1
7. Gigglingonthebeach - James MacDonald - Juan Cano - 12-1
8. Sammy Jo Hanover - Tim Tetrick - Scott Di Domenico - 10-1

Click here for free program pages.

(Standardbred Canada)