Trainer Ron Potter knows the thrill of winning the Little Brown Jug. He also knows that sending the longshot Carols Comet in this year’s classic is going to be a lot more fun.
“We are going to have a lot of fun this year,” noted Potter who won the 2011 Jug title with Big Bad John. “There is not near as much pressure this year as last.”
Carols Comet is owned by Martin Presser, Bill and Matthew Moore and the Whiskey Tango Stable, which is made up of Dawn Horsby, Kimberly Rowe and Dawn Potter, Ron’s wife. All but Presser live in Delaware, Ohio.
The Yankee Cruiser-Modern Medicine gelding has 18 top three finishes in 25 career starts and has earned a modest $88,259. Carols Comet paid his $7,000 Little Brown Jug entry fee by winning the $15,000 Open I Pace at Scioto Downs on September 8 in a lifetime best 1:51.1. He has shown tremendous consistency, earning a cheque in all 16 starts this season.
“The last five or six weeks, (Carols Comet) has really come around,” said Potter. “He will follow horses in a race and he always gives 100 percent.”
Potter has turned to former Ohio based driver Brett Miller to guide Carols Comet.
“It’s up to (Brett) how to work out a good trip,” added Potter. “(Carols Comet) is going to be competitive and he is ready to go.”
Carols Comet, Potter’s sixth Jug starter, will leave from post four in the competitive second $78,008 elimination, featuring Sweet Lou (Post 1), Bettors Edge (Post 2) and A Rocknroll Dance (Post 7).
The last conditioner to win back-to-back Jug titles was Tom Artandi with Goalie Jeff (1989) and BJ Scoot (1988).
(LBJ)