Jeff Snyder’s first trip to the Little Brown Jug didn’t go as hoped, but the longtime owner has enjoyed his share of successes at the Delaware County Fairgrounds since then.
Snyder’s first Jug was in 1994 with favourite Cams Card Shark, who was scratched from the race because of lameness and never raced again.
Cams Card Shark, the 1994 U.S. Horse of the Year, has sired three Jug champions, though, including Snyder’s first winner of the event, Million Dollar Cam. Snyder also was co-owner of 2009 Jug winner Well Said and the breeder/owner of 2012 champion Michaels Power.
On Thursday, Snyder will hope a son of Well Said -- Lyons Snyder -- can give him a record-breaking fourth victory in the Little Brown Jug. Snyder is tied with George Segal and Stanley Dancer for the most wins by an owner with three.
“They’re all pretty special wins,” Snyder said. “We’ve had good luck at the Jug, even when we didn’t win it. Hopefully, that will continue. You never know what can happen when you go to the Jug.”
Lyons Snyder, co-owned by Snyder and Geoffrey Lyons Mound, races in the first of two opening-round heats Thursday. He will start from post three in the same division as Betting Line and Check Six and is 15-1 on the morning line. Sylvain Filion will drive.
The colt, making his third start for trainer Jimmy Takter, has won five of 14 races this year and earned $212,268. His victories include a division of the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes, where he defeated Control The Moment, and he heads to the Jug off a second-place finish to Betting Line in the Simcoe Stakes.
“We think a lot of him,” Snyder said. “He had some issues earlier, but he came out of his last race very sound. He just got beat on the wire to Betting Line. We’re hoping that he’ll do well.
“Win or lose, we go out there to have a good time. That’s the main thing. We’ve had lots of fun out there.”
Segal also has the opportunity to win his fourth Little Brown Jug. His Brittany Farms is co-owner of Dr J Hanover and the breeder/owner of Western Fame.
The fields for the opening heat of the Little Brown Jug appear below.
First elimination-Purse $92,320
HN-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Morning Line
1. Dr J Hanover-Scott Zeron-Tony Alagna-6/1
2. Stolen Glimpse-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke-15/1
3. Lyons Snyder-Sylvain Filion-Jimmy Takter-8/1
4. Check Six-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke-2/1
5. Betting Line-David Miller-Casie Coleman-3/5
6. Fernando Hanover-Tim Tetrick-Ron Burke-12-1
Second elimination-Purse $92,320
HN-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Morning Line
1. Western Fame-Mark MacDonald-Jimmy Takter-4/1
2. Racing Hill-Brett Miller-Tony Alagna-3/5
3. Big Top Hanover-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke-15/1
4. Manhattan Beach-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke-6/1
5. Spider Man Hanover-Andy Miller-Nick Surick-20/1
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.