Star 3-year-old will be the odds-on choice to win the 80th edition of the Delaware, OH, pacing classic.
by Brett Sturman
Heading into tomorrow’s (Sept. 18) Little Brown Jug as solidly the one to beat, it’s almost easy to forget that Louprint is a horse that was out of competition for nearly two and a half months this summer. It’s because he’s returned over the last few weeks without seemingly skipping a beat and remains just as formidable now as he’s been at any other point this season.
Despite missing major 3-year-old stakes such as the Meadowlands Pace, Cane Pace, Adios and whatever other races may have been of interest to him following an emergency procedure to remove a testicle in the days leading up to the Meadowlands Pace, Louprint remains atop his division and may as well be atop all horses anywhere in racing. In the most current Hambletonian/Breeders Crown weekly poll, Louprint sits in second only to 3-year-old pacing filly Miki And Minnie. And since last week’s poll issuance, she comes off an upset loss to apparent Red Mile specialist Looksgoodinloulou a few days ago in a $400,000 Kentucky Championship Series final, opening the door to the top spot further for Louprint.
Coming into the Jug, Louprint has continued to be a horse worth rooting for. He’s never sent to the track without the intention to win, and there will definitely be anticipation to see if he can keep his perfect seven-for-seven seasonal record intact by winning not only once but having to now win twice on the same day. And if he does so, he’ll have done it in a Grade 1 race complete with the live attendance and atmosphere worthy of that top-graded status, something lacking in most other major races.
A repeated characteristic of Louprint is his refusal to lose a race no matter the circumstance. His North America Cup win when turning back Madden Oaks after setting otherwise unsustainable fractions is famed, but his most recent race at The Meadows against Prince Hal Hanover wasn’t shabby either.
In the $300,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stake finals at The Meadows last out when making just his second race back since June, Louprint was parked from post 7 before settling, yielding, and getting a 2-hole trip behind rival Prince Hal Hanover. About a little more than a length off the leader from the pocket turning for home, it looked to me for a split second that Louprint was just idling entering the passing lane, but then just like he always does, found his best gear when he had to and came on through for the narrow but well-earned win.
As for the Little Brown Jug race itself, this year’s edition drew 14 entrants and Louprint will head the first of two seven-horse eliminations. In his split, Louprint will start from post 5 which at Delaware is generally less than ideal, but he does land the small but significant post edge on familiar foe Prince Hal Hanover, who will start from post 6.
Those post positions are setup similar as to how they were last out in their PASS final where Louprint had post 7 and Prince Hal Hanover had post 8. But whereas Louprint had no issue in yielding to Prince Hal Hanover at The Meadows knowing there is a passing lane, it could be a much different story this time around in the Jug.
From post 5 and with it being essential to win the elimination for an inside post in the final, Louprint is guaranteed to be going for the lead early and he may not have much trouble getting there. Post 4 horse to his inside, Extra Suds, comes off a 1:48.3 win at The Red Mile and post 3 horse, Ayeaye Captain Deo, enters from an off the pace score in his Simcoe split at Woodbine Mohawk Park, but I can’t see either of them getting into an early battle with Louprint for position. Post 2 horse Papi’s Rocket is a Burke stablemate to Louprint and at 0-for-12 on the year, it’s doubtful he’d provide much resistance either.
The second elimination is headlined by Cane Pace winner Captain Optimistic, who enters the Jug off a pair of second place finishes at The Meadowlands, most recently against Papis Pistol, not to be confused with Papi’s Rocket from the other elimination. If he were to win the Jug final, Captain Optimistic would provide the first Jug win for trainer Nancy Takter. Hall of Famer Jimmy Takter only won this race a single time and that was in 2006 with Mr Feelgood.
Beginning from the rail in that second elimination is D A Love Boat, who comes down from Ontario and changes ownership and trainer, now going for Ron Burke. D A Love Boat hasn’t yet met expectations as a 3-year-old, but don’t forget that he was an International Stallion Stakes winner in 1:48.4 last year as a 2-year-old, and between the change in scenery and rail position, maybe he makes a run in the Jug. Another newer name to these open stakes is Odds On Outlier who will start immediately to the inside of Captain Optimistic. Dexter Dunn had his pick of those two horses and despite driving Odds On Outlier to two recent wins, including a 1:48.2 score four back, he’ll go to Captain Optimistic as expected, but either one could win the elimination.
Overall, there’s reasons to be excited for this year’s Little Brown Jug. It’s drawn unquestionably the best 3-year-old in training and it’s the one time each year whoever wins will have to earn it by going two races in the same afternoon. The race will produce a worthy winner.