On Thursday, September 24 at Ohio's Delaware County Fair, a World Record performance was put in by SJs Caviar colt Triumphant Caviar in the first division of the Old Oaken Bucket for three-year-old trotting colts
and geldings.
Trained by Christopher Beaver and driven by Luc Ouellette, Triumphant Caviar came from off the tempo and went on to stop the clock in 1:54.2. The time of the mile shaved one-fifth of a second off the former track and World Record for three-tear-old trotting colts, formerly held by Macs Crown K and Chip Chip Hooray. Gelding Dennis holds the overall three-year-old trotting mark of 1:53.3.
"We haven't had a whole lot of luck with him this year -- a lot of bad posts, but today we were lucky," Ouellette said afterward. "We almost gelded him, but Chris decided against it, and that's a good thing now."
After sitting mid-pack early, Ouellette and Triumphant Caviar worked their way up to second in the third quarter of the record tilt. Winning Mister and driver Dave Palone were trotting a solid clip through the first three quarters -- the fractions were cut in :27.1, :55.3 and 1:24.3.
Ouellette looked like he was going to tip his mount out for an advance on the leader as the turn straightened into the homestretch, but he then decided to tuck back in to save some ground. At that point, a rarity occurred.
While rolling along on the lead, Winning Mister seemed to blow the turn. As the colt drifted wide, Ouellette and Triumphant Caviar kept on truckin' through, en-route to the record mile.
"It (Winning Mister's miscue on the turn) is one of these things that can always happen in a race," Ouellette explained, "lucky for us it worked out. We were very fortunate."
Winning Mister regrouped and held on for second, while Kibbutz Dream (driven by Ron Pierce) bottomed out the triactor.
Salutation Hanover (Yannick Gingras) finished fourth and Cantabmyway (Brian Sears) fifth.
Keystone Activator Benefits From Second Division Hardball
Some serious hardball in the second division of the Old Oaken Bucket produced a solid off-the-tempo victory for driver George Brennan and the Jim Raymer-trained SJs Caviar colt Keystone Activator.
After having started from Post 9, Brennan and the chestnut colt sat mid-pack through the first half of the dash. Brennan's eyes must have widened considerably when he saw what was going on up front.
With trainer Ray Schnittker calling the shots, Bobbi Jos Lindy had left from Post 2 and landed on top, clicking off the opening call in 28 seconds. Pilot Ron Pierce launched Post 1 starter Up Front Prayer first up from second after the opening quarter. Schnittker, unwilling to settle for the two-hole, cranked up the speed and forced Pierce and his charge to put in some overland work past the :56.2 half. The pair of combatants dueled past the 1:26.1 three quarters.
All the while, Brennan had a full head of steam with Keystone Activator. Coming nearly four-wide at one point, Brennan and his chestnut partner were full of trot in the late stages, vaulting past the tiring leaders and going on to stop the clock in 1:55.3.
After being asked if he was happy to see the leaders battling early, Brennan said, "I was happier when he (Pierce with Up Front Prayer) didn't clear to the lead."
The 'Minister of Speed' gave praise to trainer Raymer, stating that a bit of a freshener seemed to have helped the colt after what has been a long season. "When I tipped him, he trotted pretty well," Brennan said. "I figured those two horses were spent. He looked good passing some tired horses, but he felt good all day."
Keystone Activator (7-1) topped some attractive mid-range exotics with second-place finisher Even Better Odds (45-1) and And Heez Perfect (7-1).
Trot Insider has compiled a photo gallery of Little Brown Jug Day 2009 at the Delaware County
Fair in Ohio.
Click here to view the gallery.