by Paul Ramlow, USTA Internet News Manager

Delaware, OH — Sophomore pacers Well Said and Vintage Master will continue their rivalry in the 64th edition of the Little Brown Jug, set for Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Delaware County Fair.

A total of 19 horses have been entered in the Jug, which carries a total purse of $609,150. A pair of eliminations will be contested, each carrying a purse of $97,464. The top four finishers in each elimination heat will advance to the $292,392 second heat final. If a horse other than a first heat elimination winner captures the second heat final, then the three heat winners will return for a third heat race-off, which will carry a purse of $121,830.

Jeffrey Snyder and Lothlorien’s Well Said has been the top ranked 3-year-old colt pacer throughout this campaign, with victories in the $1.3 million North America Cup final and $1 million Meadowlands Pace final on his resume. The son of Western Hanover-Must See, trained by Steve Elliott and driven by Ron Pierce, has won eight of 10 starts this year, with earnings of $1,631,750. A lifetime winner of $2,218,438, Well Said has drawn post position eight in the second elimination and has been made the 5-2 second choice on the morning line.

“(Well Said) has never been on a half-mile track before but he had a good tightener the other night,” said co-owner Snyder in an interview with Little Brown Jug publicist Tom White, referring to Well Said’s 1:50.2 Simcoe Stakes victory on Sept. 12.

Brittany Farms and Brian Monieson Trust’s Vintage Master defeated Well Said in the $677,665 Adios final, the only time he has had the upper hand in their four 2009 meetings. The Western Ideal-Art’s Vintage lad comes into the Jug off a stakes record 1:50.4 score in the $325,000 Cane Pace final at Freehold Raceway. That win was just the third in 15 season’s starts for Vintage Master, but pushed him over the million dollar mark in season’s earnings. The career winner of $1,135,522 is trained by Jimmy Takter and driven by Dan Dube. He will score from the four hole in the second elimination and has been made the 8-5 morning line favorite.

“We got a good seat,” said Takter. “We are lucky we did not get the eight hole. I like my horse. He is extremely good now. After the Cane, when he left the field behind, he just distanced everybody.”

Takter will be seeking his second Little Brown Jug title. He conditioned 2006 winner Mr Feelgood.

Favored in the first elimination at 2-1 is Elmer Fannin and George Teague, Jr. Inc.’s Mr Wiggles. The Badlands Hanover-Wiggle Hanover colt has won seven of his 15 starts this year, with earnings of $754,537. His biggest victory in 2009 came in the $500,000 Hoosier Cup. He also earned second place money in the Adios final. Trained by George Teague, Mr Wiggles has drawn post position four and will be driven by Corey Callahan.

“He has always been good on a half-mile track,” said Teague of Mr Wiggles. “The Jug you just can’t win by coming from off the pace and you have to get a good position. That can be tough with trailers.”

Here is the complete field for the $609,150 Little Brown Jug, with listed drivers, trainers and morning line odds.

First Elimination-Purse $97,464
Post-Horse-Driver-Line
1-Straight Shooting-Dave Palone–Ron Burke-10-1
2-Bunkmeister-Andrew McCarthy-Steve LeBlanc-12-1
3-Keep It Real-John Campbell-Joey Shea-8-1
4-Mr Wiggles-Corey Callahan–George Teague, Jr.-2-1
5-River Shark-Luc Ouellette-David Sabatelli-4-1
6-Annieswesterncard-Peter Wrenn-Joe Seekman-6-1
7-Doubleshotascotch-Jim Morrill, Jr.-Noel Daley-12-1
8-Clear Vision-David Miller-Richard Norman-10-1
9-Pedro Island-Mike Wilder-Dave Rankin-15-1
10-If I Can Dream-Tim Tetrick-Tracy Brainard-7-2

Second Elimination-Purse $97,464
Post-Horse-Driver-Line
1-Carnivore-Jody Jamieson-Jack Darling-4-1
2-Vertical Horizon-Jim Morrill, Jr.-Tracy Brainard-8-1
3-Chasin Racin-David Miller–George Teague, Jr.-8-1
4-Vintage Master-Daniel Dube–Jimmy Takter-8-5
5-Born To Rockn Roll-Dave Palone-Ron Potter-20-1
6-Nob Hill High-David Miller-Bill Webb-20-1
7-Fireintheshark-George Brennan–Jim Campbell-15-1
8-Well Said–Ron Pierce–Steve Elliott-5-2
9-Sheer Desire-Dave Palone–Ron Burke-6-1

Note: Horses in post positions nine and ten start from the second tier.