The 68th edition of the prestigious Little Brown Jug will be taking place this Thursday in Delaware, Ohio.

Nineteen sophomore pacers will contest three eliminations with many Canadian connections taking part in the action.

Vegas Vacation, the early favourite to win the ‘Jug,’ is trained by Casie Coleman of Cambridge, Ont. and owned by West Wins Stable of Cambridge, Adriano Sorella of Milton, Phyllis Saunders of Hamilton and Anthony Beaten of Waterdown.

Coleman will be looking for back-to-back Jug championships after having captured last year’s edition with Michaels Power, driven by Scott Zeron from Oakville.

Vegas Vacation has banked $554,310 this season along with a 7-3-1 record from 13 starts in 2013.

Vegas Vacation, a son of Bettors Delight, is fresh off a victory in the Simcoe Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack. The $32,000 yearling purchase also captured the Empire Breeders Championship and finished second in the Hempt and Adios this season.

Vegas Vacation will be driven by Brian Sears from Post 5 in the first elimination. He has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line favourite.

Coleman’s other entry, Lucan Hanover, will begin from Post 4 for driver David Miller.

The son of Western Ideal took his 1:48.3 life’s best in the New Jersey Classic earlier this season at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

The swift pacer has a 6-1-2 record from 12 starts this season along with $216,908 in seasonal earnings. West Wins Stable also shares ownership with Christine Calhoun of Chatham.

Last year’s Breeders Crown winner, Rockin Amadeus will look to give Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Takter his second Little Brown Jug triumph.

Owned and bred by Lothlorien of Cheltenham, Rockin Amadeus boasts a 3-0-3 record from 11 starts this season.

The talented pacer is fresh off a 1:53.1 victory at Yonkers Racetrack for regular pilot Yannick Gingras.

Sired by the late Rocknroll Hanover, Rockin Amadeus has $615,107 in career earnings.

Oakville resident and defending champion Scott Zeron will look for back-to-back Jug trophies when he begins with Mach It So in the second elimination.

Trained by Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman, Mach It So has found the winner’s circle first in eight of 12 starts this season along with $347,575 in earnings.

The son of Ontario sire Mach Three will begin from Post 2 in the second elimination.

Also in that elim will be the Canadian-owned Word Power and Urbanite Hanover.

Word Power is owned by Brad Grant of Milton, while Jody Jamieson of Moffat will be at the helm.

The talented son of Western Ideal has a 4-2-2 record in 10 starts this season along with $225,802 in earnings.

Word Power will start from Post 6.

Urbanite Hanover, who will begin from the outside Post 7, is trained by John Williamson of Waterdown. He also owns a piece of the horse with Daniel Haist of Ridgeville.

Also a son of Western Ideal, Urbanite Hanover will look for his third victory this season.

The final two Canadian starters in the third elim are Resistance Futile and Sunfire Blue Chip.

Resistance Futile will begin from Post 2 for trainer Blair Burgess of Campbellville. He has co-ownership with Champagne Stable of Toronto, James Walker of Port Perry and Deo Volente Farm of New Jersey.

The speedy son of Real Desire has a 6-2-2- record from 17 starts this season and $174,991 in earnings. He took his 1:49.2 lifetime best earlier this year.

Sunfire Blue Chip, who is installed as the 2-1 morning line favourite in his elimination, is co-owned by Toronto’s John Fielding, his brother, Jim, and R A W Equine Inc, of Burlington.

The son of American Ideal has a terrific 6-1-2 record from 12 starts and $448,830 in earnings. Yannick Gingras will be at the helm from Post 3.

The top three horses in each of the elimination races will advance to the $265,224 second heat. If an elimination winner scores in the second heat, he will be the Jug winner. Otherwise, all of the heat-winners will return for a $110,510 race-off.

The fields will line up as follows:

$58,939 First Elimination
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Line
1. Eddie Sweat - Dan Noble - Edward Zubkoff Jr. - 20-1
2. Lonewolf Currier - Dave Palone - Kevin McDermott - 4-1
3. Rockin Amadeus - Yannick Gingras - Jimmy Takter - 5-2 *
4. Right Touch - Ray Paver - Ray Paver - 6-1
5. Vegas Vacation - Brian Sears - Casie Coleman - 2-1 *
6. Wake Up Peter - Ron Pierce - Tony Alagna - 8-1

$58,939 Second Elimination
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Line
1. Ilikeitrealhot - Matt Kakaley - Ron Potter - 15-1
2. Mach It So - Scott Zeron - Nifty Norman - 4-1 *
3. Emeritus Maximus - Tim Tetrick - Tony Alagna - 8-1
4. Lucan Hanover - David Miller - Casie Coleman - 5-2 *
5. Beach Memories - Yannick Gingras - Brian Brown - 6-1
6. Word Power - Jody Jamieson - Larry Remmen - 5-1 *
7. Urbanite Hanover - Ron Pierce - John Williamson - 12-1 *

$58,939 Third Elimination
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Line
1. Twilight Bonfire - John Campbell - Danny Collins - 5-2
2. Resistance Futile - Corey Callahan - Blair Burgess - 10-1 *
3. Sunfire Blue Chip - Yannick Gingras - Jimmy Takter - 2-1 *
4. Johny Rock - Andy Miller - John Butenschoen - 4-1
5. Odds On Equuleus - Tim Tetrick - Tony Alagna - 8-1
6. Only The Lonely - Matt Kakaley - Nick Surick - 15-1

*Canadian content

(WEG)