by John Pawlak, the U.S. Trotting Association

Delaware, OH — Western Silk and driver Mark MacDonald came first-over to the lead at the three-quarter pole and drew out from there to win the $353,400 Jugette in straight heats on Wednesday (Sept. 22) at the Delaware County Fair.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Western Silk and driver Mark MacDonald won the $353,400 Jugette in straight heats on Wednesday (Sept. 22) at the Delaware County Fair.

As she had in the second of two elimination divisions on Wednesday, Western Silk dropped in fourth while Rock N Soul (Yannick Gingras) and Full Picture (Ron Pierce), raced one-two through fractions of :28.4 and :57.4. But, when the tempo increased when the field raced on the backstretch the second time, the timer flashed a 1:25.3 third quarter, at which time the winner took clear command. She won by an eased-up-at-the-wire, three-quarter length margin.

The time of the second heat was 1:53.1; Western Silk had won her elimination division in 1:52.1. Dancinwiththestarz (Brian Sears), the 4-5 choice — the winner was off at even money — finished second, ahead of Seriously (Jody Jamieson) and Rock N Soul (Yannick Gingras), the first elimination division winner.

Western Silk, whose two heats won today were her seventh and eighth in 10 starts this year, has now won $782,383 in 2010 and $1,078,396 in her career. She was bred in New Jersey by Kerry Feuker-Weed and Ken Weed, and was greeted by a large thong in the Delaware County Fair winner’s circle. The daughter of Western Terror is owned by trainer Casie Coleman and Tom Hill of Great Britain.

“I wasn’t worried when I saw she was parked over at the half,” co-owner Tom Hill said. “I think I have the best filly in the world, and I have thought that since she began training. She isn’t even at her best today and she still won.

“We trained her with Sportswriter last year and she is so fast he couldn’t keep step with her. She beat all the top fillies like Put On A Show in the Fan Hanover and she was sick for that race. She has been consistent at both two and three, but she still doesn’t seem to attract the attention she deserves.

“Now it will be on to the Breeders Crown and we will prove we are the best in the world at Pocono.”

Wednesday’s triumph gave MacDonald and trainer Casie Coleman their first win in the 3-year-old filly classic. MacDonald, of course, won the 2006 Little Brown Jug with Mr Feelgood.

Rock N Soul, Western Silk win eliminations

Rock N Soul (Yannick Gingras), Seriously (Jody Jamieson), Dancinwiththestarz (Brian Sears) and Berschet (Chip Noble) became the first four fillies to advance to the second heat of the $353,400 Jugette on Wednesday.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Rock N Soul, timed in 1:52, was a wire-to-wire winner in the opening Jugette elimination.

Their mile, timed in 1:52, was a wire-to-wire effort for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Frank Baldachino and Howard Taylor’s Rock N Soul, a Rocknroll Hanover filly who is trained by Ron Burke.

The 1-5 betting favorite, Dancinwiththestarz, came up with a big effort after an incident on the first turn. A And Gs Princess, driven by George Brennan, was battling with the eventual winner and Dancinwiththestarz when she went on a break, looked like she may have bothered Dancinwiththestarz — though they never collided — and sent the latter on a break. Driver Brian Sears quickly collected the favorite and came back to get third money.

However, Dancinwiththestarz will draw for posts five and six with the third-placed horse in the second elimination, which may give an edge to Western Silk, the early favorite in the second elimination, which will go to the post next on the Jugette Day card — if Western Silk has the expected good trip in the second elimination.

“It was a sense of relief (on “Dancing’s” break),” co-owner Howard Taylor said. “She actually was kicked this week while she was here, and has a big huge lump on her chest that you can really see. It sticks right out. We didn’t know if we would be able to race her today, but unbelievably it hasn’t seemed to bother her.

“She won by a nose in her last start and only does what she has to do. Yannick said she could have won by much more. I wasn’t worried at the top of the stretch because I knew she would dig down. She always waits for other horses to come to her.”

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Western Silk stamped herself the favorite to win the $353,400 Jugette by swinging three-wide and sprinting clear in the final stages of the second elimination in 1:52.1.

Western Silk, driven patiently by Mark MacDonald, stamped herself the favorite to win the $353,400 Jugette by swinging three-wide and sprinting clear in the final stages of the second elimination of the race for 3-year-old fillies in 1:52.1.

She will be joined in the second and possibly final heat by Dancin Barefoot (Daniel Dube), Dance Until Dawn (Doug McNair) and Full Picture (Ron Pierce), who finished second, third and fourth, respectively in the second split.

Western Silk got away in good order and sat fourth in the early stages, came to the outside to follow Dance Until Dawn at the three-quarter pole and was then taken three-wide on the final turn. She appeared to advance slowly, but when the field entered the short Delaware County Fairgrounds stretch she found another gear and removed all doubt about the order of finish, winning by two lengths.

“She raced absolutely awesome,” trainer and co-owner Casie Coleman said in the winner’s circle. “She got real sick three weeks ago and we weren’t even sure if we were going to be able to make this race. She got healthy just in time and it was a sweet trip, second-over. I really don’t know if it matters with her. She’s built for a half (-mile track) because she’s small. She obviously gets around a big track good, too. She went in (1):50 over at Mohawk.”

— Kim French also contributed to this report