by Tom White for the Little Brown Jug

Delaware, OH – “Southwind Tempo is coming to Delaware and she will either race in the Jugette or the Little Brown Jug. We have not decided. But I think she’s as good as any of the 3-year-old pacers this year. It’s a big decision, a big step,” said trainer Steve Elliott.

Fan Hanover is the only filly ever to win the Little Brown Jug. Fan Hanover won in 1981 for trainer-driver Glen Garnsey. In fact, Fan Hanover is the last filly to start in the Jug. Elliott, who also trains Hambletonian champion Donato Hanover, faced a filly threat in the 2007 Hambletonian. The filly Pampered Princess challenged Donato Hanover but finished sixth in the Final after winning her elimination the week before.

Southwind Tempo has won 13 of 15 starts this season and 16 of 18 overall. She has never finished worse than second en route to winning $628,822 lifetime. After seeing her 10-race winning streak ended by Hana Hanover in the Mistletoe Shalee earlier this month, Southwind Tempo won last Saturday’s Fan Hanover elimination over Hana Hanover by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:51.

“She looked good again,” said Toby Lynch, who owns the Bettor’s Delight filly with former New York Jets wide receiver Wayne Chrebet. Lynch trained Southwind Tempo as a 2-year-old but transferred her to Steve Elliott at the start of this season.

Elliott compares Southwind Tempo to former 3-year-old filly champions Burning Point and Sweet Reflection. “She is medium size but has a real big gait. She covers a lot of ground and she can race on any size track. She’s won this year on a mile, seven-eighths, five-eighths and half-mile tracks.” George Teague, who trains Meadowlands Pace and Rooney champion Southwind Lynx and trained 2004 Horse of the Year Rainbow Blue, said of his possible Jug rival, “She’s there every week and doesn’t need to bring her racetrack or get a trip to win. That’s what the great ones do.”

Southwind Lynx & Tell All Taking Different Routes To Jug

Southwind Lynx and Tell All, two of the leading contenders for the 2007 Little Brown Jug, are taking different routes to the Delaware, Ohio County Fairgrounds.

Southwind Lynx has drawn a bye from Saturday’s $100,000 Cane Pace eliminations, and will move directly into the $300,000 Final on September 3 at Freehold Raceway in New Jersey. Tell All’s final pre-Jug start will come September 9 in the $200,000 Kentucky Sires Stakes Final at Lexington’s Red Mile.

Trainer George Teague, Jr. is hoping for better luck in the Cane Pace for his colt Southwind Lynx. The Meadowlands Pace and Rooney winner threw a shoe going to the first quarter pole in his elimination heat of the Adios and faded to sixth as a prohibitive 1-5 choice.

Teague believes the son of Real Artist will bounce back. “He seems much better today (August 21). He is as good as any horse out there but you can’t lose a shoe in a race like the Adios and expect to win. But, I’m not taking anything away from Mickey Burke’s colt May June Character. He is very good and Burke will have him ready for the Jug.”

Blair Burgess, who trains North America Cup winner Tell All, is hoping for better luck in this year’s Jug. “I’ve been second twice with Real Desire and Amity Chef and was third last year with Armbro Deuce. Maybe if I keep entering I’ll win.”

Tell All did not race at two. “He was ouchy and immature so we decided to wait a year on him. That is not unusual,” said Burgess. “It is sometimes better to let them grow, both mentally and physically.”

Burgess compares Tell All to his 2001 Jug runner-up Real Desire. “He has many of the same qualities. In his first start back in February he made a huge move and I knew he was a cut above the rest.”

Tell All has not started since winning a leg of the Kentucky Sires Stakes on August 13 at The Red Mile. Burgess said that Tell All’s only start before the Jug will be in the $200,000 Kentucky Sires Stakes Final on September 9 at The Red Mile.

Tell All has won seven of 15 starts and earned $1,089,525 this season. Southwind Lynx has four victories in eight outings with winnings of $1,086,835. Southwind Lynx has beaten Tell All in all three of their earlier meetings.