It had been a pretty forgettable campaign for the Dustin Jones stable until Saturday night, when three-year-old trotting filly Dewdle All Day came within a length of scoring a 91-1 upset in the $436,000 Elegantimage final at Mohawk Racetrack, ultimately finishing second to longshot winner Royal Charm and paying a staggering $314 to place.
“That second’s like a win. It’s the highlight of my summer, without question,” said Jones of the runner-up finish worth more than $100,000 for the Deweycheatumnhowe filly he co-owns with Greg Judson of Athens, Ont., and rookie owners Jocelyn and Marie-Elaine Hebert of St. Sauveur, Que.
In a race where nothing went right for locked-in 1-9 favourite Caprice Hill and where contenders Celebrity Eventsy and Emoticon Hanover had difficult trips behind surprise early leader Dream Child, new driver James Macdonald kept Dewdle All Day in the outer flow at the rear of the field, and followed Royal Charm into contention at the top of the stretch.
“My son and I play hockey with James and I asked him Tuesday to drive her,” Jones said. “He did great. Dave (Miller, driver of Dream Child) leaving really shook things up.”
A $25,000 yearling purchase at the Forest City Sale, Dewdle All Day has been a hard-trying horse just a cut below the division’s best, Jones said. Her only win in 10 prior starts this year was a $16,000 Grassroots event at Mohawk in June. Before Saturday, she’d collected $57,988 in 2016.
“She gives 120 per cent every race,” Jones said. “It’s not like she hasn’t raced at this level before. She was third in the Peaceful Way last year, and seventh in the Breeders’ Crown after coming first over.”
Second-place money from the Elegantimage vaults the Jones stable over $500,000 in purses for the year.
“It should be higher than that but we’ve had some sickness, some lameness, one thing after another. That’s the way it goes sometimes. I had two good years before this one, so I can’t complain,” said Jones, who is training a stable of 19.
(A Trot Insider Exclusive by Paul Delean)