Pure Country, the No. 8 ranked Standardbred in North America, has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favourite for the $239,400 Jugette three-year-old filly pace, which will take place on Wednesday, September 21 at the Delaware County Fair in Ohio.
The daughter of Somebeachsomewhere was undefeated at two and has won half of her 14 starts this season. Pure Country has banked more than $1.7 million in career earnings. The Jimmy Takter trainee will start from the second tier in Post 9 and will be piloted by Brett Miller for Diamond Creek Racing.
Earlier this summer, Pure Country raced against the boys in the $320,000 Cane Pace and the $300,000 Carl Milstein Memorial and finished a competitive fourth and second, respectively.
Darlinonthebeach (to be driven by David Miller) is the second choice at 7-2 from Post 7. Nancy Johansson, Takter’s daughter, trains the daughter of Somebeachsomewhere for White Birch Farm. Darlinonthebeach has eight victories and has earned $557,403 on the season. She is the fastest filly in the field with her 1:48.4 mark at Pocono Downs.
Third choice Call Me Queen Be (Scott Zeron) upset Pure Country in her last start, the $252,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Final on September 10. Call Me Queen Be is trained by Ross Croghan for the Let It Ride Stable and Dana Parham.
All the elimination finishers will advance to the second heat. The winner of the second heat will be declared the Jugette champion. The first heat will be raced for $95,760 and the second heat will carry a purse of $143,640.
The complete Jugette field, with announced drivers, appears below.
PP – Horse (Driver/Trainer) Morning Line Odds
1. Yankee Moonshine (Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke) 8-1
2. Marty Party Two (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr./Ron Steck) 15-1
3. LA Delight (John Campbell/Robert McIntosh) 6-1
4. Hug A Dragoness (Yannick Gingras/Ron Burke) 10-1
5. Call Me Queen B (Scott Zeron/Ross Croghan) 9/2
6. I Said Diamonds (Tim Tetrick/Matias Ruiz) 12-1
7. Darlinonthebeach (David Miller/Nancy Johansson) 7/2
8. Blue Moon Stride (Andrew McCarthy) 12-1
9. Pure Country (Brett Miller/Jimmy Takter) 5/2
(Little Brown Jug)