"I train on a half-mile track and he loves it. I wish there were more half-mile races for him, I think he'd be able to handle himself pretty well...A great horse, which I think he's got the possibility of being, doesn't need to take their track [with them] and can get over anything."
With horses the likes of Rainbow Blue and past North America Cup champ Total Truth as reference, the praise heaped upon Wiggle It Jiggleit by George Teague does not come without knowledge and experience.
At 12-1, Wiggle It Jiggleit comes in at #4 in Trot Magazine's 2015 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book. The son of Mr Wiggles, another former Teague pupil, has yet to taste defeat in six lifetime starts. Trot Insider touched base with Teague for an update on the early season sophomore sensation.
Why was he so lightly raced at two?
"When he was training down he always seemed like he was pretty special. He always seemed like he had no weakness. I've been exposed to a few good horses, it kind of gives you a good inkling of what a good horse has. He always had all the qualities but he was 'colt-sore' here and there, so we stopped with him in the early part of the year because he was getting a little bit off.
"I started him back up, and that's why he only had the two qualifiers and the one start in August, because he had lost so much time being colt-sore early. With nowhere to race, I just really wanted to test the waters."
You're not down as the breeder of the horse but you say he's a homebred.
"I bought the mare as a yearling. I bought her and raced her most of her life, until I sold her to a partner of mine, who was partner and owner. He raced her out of Vernon, and when he was done racing her I bought her from him and I never got the papers turned over in time when I bred her. I had owned her by the time I bred her. She injured herself in her last start, so I just bought her back as a broodmare."
Clyde Francis has worked for you for years. Why is he down as the trainer and not you?
"He's essentially my trainer. It's my stable but he's been my trainer for umpteen years. And really, in fairness to Clyde, he deserves [the recognition]. He also owned part of this mare as a yearling.
"Clyde's like my brother; we've been best friends forever and ever. He does more for me than I could ever do for him."
What has he been up to since the Gilmour Final on March 14?
"He's put on a few pounds and he's maturing all the time. I let him off for three weeks since he last raced at The Meadowlands."
Where are you at with him right now?
"The first time I trained him since he raced was the first part of last week....He'll get four or five trainings into him, hopefully, before he qualifies.
"I feel like I can stick him into a race this Saturday and he'll pace under :50, he's always on 'go'. He's a different kind of horse."
What's his early schedule looking like leading up to the Pepsi N.A. Cup?
"My plans are to race on the 2nd of May at The Meadowlands in the Simpson, and then either take him to Indiana to race in the Sires Stakes or take him to Canada and get acclimatized to the surroundings." He is planning on racing in the Somebeachsomewhere.
What is he staked to past the N.A. Cup?
"I've got him in the Meadowlands Pace, Battle of the Brandywine, the Hempt...the Milstein out in Northfield, the Matron and the Progress Pace, and a couple of other things in Indiana. Altogether I think it's 20-22 stakes races that I have him eligible to."