by Jay Wolf, publicity director, the Little Brown Jug

Delaware, OH — This is week #6 on the “Road to the Little Brown Jug.” The highlight of the holiday weekend action was the $360,211 Cane Pace final, the opening leg of the Pacing Triple Crown.

Little Brown Jug Top 10 Contenders (Week #6–Sept. 3)

1. Captaintreacherous (Last Week #1)
Owner: Captaintreacherous Racing (KY)
Trainer: Tony Alagna
Driver: Tim Tetrick
Career Earnings: $2,349,526
Career Mark: 1:48.1 M
The head of the class hung on to win the $360,211 Cane Pace final on Sept. 2 by a neck in 1:49.2.

2. Vegas Vacation (Last Week #3)
Owners: West Wins Stable (ONT), Adriano Sorella (ONT), Anthony Beaton (ONT) and Phyllis Saunders (ONT)
Trainer: Casie Coleman
Drivers: Brian Sears and Scott Zeron
Career Earnings: $589,042
Career Mark: 1:48.3 TgDn
He had a tough trip in the Cane Pace final. The son of Bettor’s Delight was boxed in and couldn’t find racing room in finishing fourth, just three-quarters of a length behind the winner.

3. Wake Up Peter (Last Week #8)
Owners: Wake Up Peter Partners (IL), Brittany Farms (KY), Louis Willinger (KY) and Eagles Soar Partners (NY)
Trainer: Tony Alagna
Driver: Ron Pierce
Career Earnings: $532,680
Career Mark: Q1:50 M
He pressured his stablemate Captaintreacherous past the three-quarter-mile pole in the Cane Pace final, finishing third, just a half-length back.

4. Mach It So (Last Week #5)
Owners: Bamond Racing LLC (NJ)
Trainer: R. Nifty Norman
Driver: Scott Zeron
Career Earnings: $361,863
Career Mark: 1:49.1 Moh
Won the $105,000 Ontario Sires Stakes event on Aug. 28 at Grand River Raceway in 1:51.4.

5. Sunfire Blue Chip (Last Week #4)
Owners: Christina Talker (NJ), John and Jim Fielding (ONT), Brixton Medical AB (SWE) and RAW Equine Inc. (ONT)
Trainer: Jimmy Takter
Driver: Yannick Gingras
Career Earnings: $463,026
Career Mark: 1:48.3 Mea
Did not race last week.

6. Sunshine Beach (Last Week #2)
Owners: Hudson Standardbred Stable (QUE), Conrad Leber (QUE) and Diane Bertrand (ALB)
Trainer: Mark Steacy
Drivers: Chris Christoforou, Jr. and George Brennan
Career Earnings: $502,828
Career Mark: 1:47.4 PcD
He raced against older horses in the $32,300 Preferred Pace at Mohawk Raceway on Aug. 31. He was saddled with the outside post and was never a threat despite a :26 last quarter.

7. Twilight Bonfire (Last Week #7)
Owners: Robert J. Key (PA)
Trainer: Danny Collins
Driver: David Miller
Career Earnings: $681,489
Career Mark: 1:50.1 Mea
Took the fifth spot in the Cane Pace final at Tioga Downs, just 3-3/4 lengths back and timed in 1:50.

8. Johny Rock (Last Week #9)
Owners: William C. Wiswell (WI), Jean A. Goehlen (IL) and Eugene W. Schick (IL)
Trainer: John Butenschoen
Driver: Andy Miller
Career Earnings: $387,498
Career Mark: 1:48.3 PcD
He was nipped at the wire in his last start, a conditioned pace at Pocono Downs on Aug. 24.

9. Word Power (Last Week NR)
Owner: Bradley Grant (ONT)
Trainer: Larry Remmen
Driver: Jody Jamieson
Career Earnings: $225,802
Career Mark: 1:49.4 M
He was just a nose short of an upset of Captaintreacherous in the Cane Pace final.

10. Lonewolf Currier (Last Week #6)
Owners: Francis Azur (PA)
Trainer: Kevin McDermott
Drivers: John Campbell and Jason Bartlett
Career Earnings: $274,495
Career Mark: 1:48.4 Mea
His first start after a layoff was a disappointing eighth in a $20,000 conditioned pace at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sept. 2.

This week’s celebrity sections come from Paul Ramlow. Ramlow is the Internet News Manager for the USTA and the longtime publicity director for the Grand Circuit.

1. Captaintreacherous is the best of this class, but will he come to Delaware? His connections are still on the fence as to whether the Jug is on their agenda.

2. Vegas Vacation had no racing room in finishing fourth in the Cane Pace. The Casie Coleman trainee looks for better luck in Delaware.

3. Sunfire Blue Chip has not raced in three weeks, but looks to add the Jug to his Adios victory.

4. Lucan Hanover has been impressive of late, but was killed by outside post draw in Cane Pace; paced fastest final quarter in the field in finishing sixth.

5. Twilight Bonfire always seems to be in the thick of things, but had too much ground to make up in finishing fifth in Cane Pace.

6. Sunshine Beach was never in contention in his last start in Mohawk preferred against older horses.

7. Johny Rock was solid in Battle of the Brandywine Consolation win; his stable has been on a roll lately.

8. Lonewolf Currier cut mile in Philly overnight on Labor Day, but wound up eighth; has not won since Adios elimination.

9. Word Power was a fast closing second in Cane Pace, but is still looking for a stakes breakthrough.

10. Wake Up Peter had strong third showing in Cane Pace, but is still winless in 2013.