The action was hot early on Little Brown Jug day at Delaware County Fair as S I P set a new world record for three-year-old trotters.
Trained by Ron Burke, S I P won the $88,600 Old Oaken Bucket in a world record clocking of 1:51.2. The former record for three-year-old male trotters on a half-mile track was 1:52.4, set by Action Uncle at Delaware County Fair in 2020.
Leaving from the inside post in a short four-horse field for the first race on the main card, S I P blazed around the Delaware half-mile oval in rein to Joe Bongiorno, clicking off fractions of :28.2, :56.4 and 1:24.
After one lap, there was just one rival remaining in contention as a pair broke stride early but S I P began to draw away from that foe down the backstretch and took off turning for home. Famous Father and Andrew McCarthy finished 10 lengths behind in second while Fiftyfour K and Quincy Market completed the field.
"I drove him last week in Lexington and the horse was super [despite finishing seventh in the Kentucky Championship Series final]," noted Bongiorno. "You know in Lexington, obviously, there's no Lasix. Today, he was able to get his Lasix back and even without it in Lexington he raced super last week, he just had too much ground to make up. And we raced him barefoot here today and he's just such a nice horse.
"Here's a horse that interferes some when he's got his shoes on. He's getting better and stronger where he doesn't interfere as much anyways, but when you take the shoes off, he was just like a Cadillac -- I was just a passenger today."
The Bar Hopping-Barbara Brooks colt is owned by Burke Racing Stable, co-breeder Hatfield Stables, Brixton Medical Inc. and Weaver Bruscemi.
S I P earned his third win of the season from 16 starts and his seventh career victory. He's banked $416,253 lifetime from 28 starts.
S I P paid $2.80 to win as the 2-5 favourite.
Standardbred - Two-Year-Old Colt Trot
Bugaboo Lou (David Miller) was a popular winner in the $38,132 Standardbred two-year-old colt pace. The Sweet Lou colt defeated Lou On The Beach (Mike Wilder) and Coaches Corner (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) in 1:53.2.
Brian Brown trained the winner for Country Club Acres, Joe Sbrocco, Aws Stables and Acadia Farms. All of the connections are from the Buckeye state.
Standardbred - Two-Year-Old Colt Trot
Andy McCarthy gave Volume Eight a patient drive and sprinted past the pacesetting Biscoe (Yannick Gingras) in the stretch to score a narrow neck win in the $47,331 Standardbred for freshman colt trotters. The final time was 1:58. Noel Daley trains and co-owns the Chapter Seven lass with Joe Sbrocco, La Express & JAF Racing and Mario Mazza.
Ohio Breeders Championship - Three-Year-Old Colt Pace
Dragononthebeach and Sling Shock won the two divisions of the OBC for sophomore colt pacers.
Dragononthebeach tripped the timer in the first $55,382 division in 1:51.4, defeating Risenshine Seaside (Cameron McCown) and Moved Bythe Spirit (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.). Kelly O’Donnell trains the homebred for the Emerald Highlands Farm.
Sling Shock established a new national season’s record in the second $55,382 division with his 1:49.3 win over Odds On Capitalism (Dexter Dunn) and Terminator (Chris Page). The Downbytheseaside colt is owned by Michael Cimaglio, William Richardson, William Salmeri and Rhonda Gillmartin.
Ohio Breeders Championship - Three-Year-Old Colt Trot
Rose Run Xtra and Longshot took the pair of OBCs for sophomore colt trotters.
In the first $53,808 division, Rose Run Xtra (Chris Page) defeated Gabbys Bit Coin (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) by 6-1/4 lengths in 1:55. The Cash Hall colt is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and Jason Melillo.
Longshot (Chris Lems) didn’t live up to his name and when off as the bettor’s choice in the second division. The Long Tom gelding topped Caviar Gold (Aaron Merriman) by 6-1/4 lengths in 1:54. Longshot is conditioned by Scott Cox for Wayne Mast Jr. and Callam Racing.
Ohio Breeders Championship - Two-Year-Old Colt Pace
Racing Rampage (Aaron Merriman) showed why he is considered by many as the top two-year-old pacer in the state when he took the $120,214 OBC in 1:53. The son of Racing Hill has won five of his seven seasonal starts and more than $191,000. Trainer Darren Dowler co-owns the gelding with Lawrence Bettler.
Ohio Breeders Championship - Three-Year-Old Filly Pace
Cape Cod Hanover (Chris Page) overcame post 10 and survived a four-horse photo finish to take the $103,714 OBC for sophomore filly pacers in 1:53.1. Do It Like Bobbi (Tony Hall) and the pacesetting Bittrsweetsymphony (Matt Kakaley) was second and third, respectively. The Downbythseaside filly is trained by Ron Burke for the Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Rich Lombardo Racing and RAS Racing.
Click here for a recap of the Miss Versatility Trotting Series that was also contested on the undercard. Full coverage of the Little Brown Jug is available by clicking here.
(With files from Little Brown Jug)