by Tom White, publicity director, the Little Brown Jug

Delaware, OH — In 1999, Standardbred owner John Celii entered two colts in the Little Brown Jug. At the draw both of Celii’s colts drew the outside post position eight.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Delmarvalous has drawn the rail in his Jug elim and is 3-2 in the morning line.

At a pre-jug dinner, Celii was asked about his bad luck In the draw and he said with a laugh, “I think there were some incompetent people conducting the draw.”

Neither of Celii’s colts advanced to the second heat. Badlands Hanover finished fifth and Union Guy wound up seventh.

Celii’s luck changed this past Saturday when Delmarvalous drew the rail for the second elimination.

“That is fantastic, but I think we deserved this one.”

Delmarvalous comes into Thursday’s $604,100 Little Brown Jug with earnings this season of $467,070. The Badlands Hanover colt, who is trained by George Teague, Jr., won the $500,000 Adios in 1:49.2 and a $115,500 division of the Oliver Wendell Holmes in a career best of 1:48.2 over co-Jug favorite One More Laugh.

“He can leave like a rocket and he has been absolutely perfect since he suffered a cough before the Cane Pace Final on September 6.”

Delmarvalous is the 3-2 favorite in his elimination. He is also co-owned by Elmer Fannin, Howard Dorfman and Teague.

$1,400 mare produces Little Brown Jug starter

In November of 2009, a 9-year-old mare was purchased at auction for $1,400. Now, two years later, her foal Fools Gold is a starter in the 65th Little Brown Jug.

Doug Thomas, administrator for the Ohio Sires Stakes, purchased the mare Trinketsntreasures.

“She had been barren for two years but two of her earlier foals had race records of 1:53. So my wife Kelly and I took a chance and bought her. We then sold a half-interest to Dean Redmond of Mt. Gilead.”

Fools Gold, trained by Nelson Willis, made only two starts at two but has three victories in his last four starts and was third in a division of the Hanover Stakes, timed in 1:50.3.

“I have never owned a mare who produced a Jug contender,” said Thomas. “I know he is 20-1 in the morning line but he’s got Tim Tetrick in the sulky, and he is fresh and improving.”

Fools Gold is in the same elimination as Delmarvelous.

Family tradition for 18 years

Eighteen-year-old Scott Young, son of trainer Robert Young, will be celebrating his 18th Little Brown Jug and will be helping to work his father’s Jug colt Piece Of The Rock at the Delaware fairgrounds.

“Scott’s first Jug was in 1992 and he has not missed one since. We have a photo of him sitting in a chair by the fence in the backstretch. He had binder twine attached to the fence and he pretended to be driving a horse.”

So far in 2010, Scott has made 145 drives with 11 firsts, 11 seconds and 14 thirds.

“He won two races with Piece Of The Rock.”

Scott’s father purchased Piece Of The Rock for $50,000. He was winless at two but has earned $278,867 in 2010 and finished third in last week’s Simcoe Stake at Mohawk.

“He’s not the best colt I’ve had, but not the worse either,” said Young. “I’ve usually been a filly guy, but I wanted a son of Rocknroll Hanover, the sire of Piece Of The Rock. I trained Leggins, who was the Ohio champion filly at two and three,” said the Guelph, Ontario horseman.

Scott’s sister Heather has a streak of 16 Little Brown Jug appearances.

Piece Of The Rock is 5-1 in the second elimination.