Åke Svanstedt’s generational trotting mare Jiggy Jog S took her shot in the $391,667 John Cashman Memorial and stood to the task to not only beat male competition through a sudden downpour, but to also trounce the stakes and divisional track records at The Meadowlands on Saturday, Aug. 3.
Driver Dexter Dunn floated Jiggy Jog S out of post three and managed to catch cover from stablemate Southwind Tyrion (Svanstedt) as that one raced parked through the first turn. Southwind Tyrion towed Jiggy Jog S forward through a :27 first quarter set by Its Academic (David Miller) and stayed in tandem with the leader as the rainfall intensified to a :55.1 half. Dunn remained steady with Jiggy Jog S from second-over through the final turn while the tempo stayed hot in the storm to three-quarters in 1:22.3.
Upon straightening, Dunn unleashed Jiggy Jog S to the center of the track. Jiggy Jog S accelerated instantaneously and spurted by her stablemate Southwind Tyrion entering the final eighth. Jiggy Jog S cruised by the line to stop the clock in 1:49.2 on a track that was promptly downgraded to “good.” Southwind Tyrion stayed strong through the parked mile to finish second, beaten 2-1/4 lengths, with Chapercraz (Yannick Gingras) holding third from late-charging Hasty Bid (James MacDonald).
“I had such a good helmet to follow in Southwind Tyrion,” said Dunn. “I knew it would have to be a big effort, but she just fills you in confidence when you sit behind her. She does her work so easy and I was happy with the spot I was in.”
Jiggy Jog S stayed unbeaten from just three starts this season. Her win in the Cashman, a lifetime-best effort, came just over a month since she last hit the track to win the $154,110 Six Pack on June 29, also at The Meadowlands. She started her season winning the $198,836 Arthur J. Cutler Memorial on May 18.
“Amazing effort [by Svanstedt] to get her ready to go 1:49.2 on an off track and being off the pylons after 43 days,” added Dunn. “She’s racing the boys this year; she has a long year ahead of her. [Spacing her races] is working great for her.”
Svanstedt trains and co-owns Jiggy Jog S, a five-year-old Walner mare out of the Cantab Hall dam Hot Mess Hanover, along with Steve Stewart, John Lengacher and Hickory Hollow Stables. Bred by Sweden's Vestmarka Ab, she has won 21 races in her career from 38 starts and has now banked more than $2.6 million.
Jiggy Jog S’s 1:49.2 mile beat the stakes record of 1:50, matched thrice by Gimpanzee in 2020, Crystal Fashion in 2019 and set by her stablemate Sebastian K S in 2014. She also lowered the track record for older trotting mares of 1:49.4 set by another Svanstedt pupil, Darling Mearas, and matched in 2021 by Manchego. The winning time was just two-fifths of a second off the divisional world record.
Sent off as the 1-2 favourite, Jiggy Jog S paid $3 to win.
(With files from Hambletonian Society)