The trio of Jug entrants from the Brett Pelling Stable – Rocknroll Hanover, Village Jolt and Cam’s Fool – arrived at the Delaware County Fairgrounds on Monday morning and promptly took up residence in the Jug barn, well before caretakers Sarah Scott and Chris Trotter could get into their motel rooms.

Trotter agrees with the public sentiment that Rocknroll Hanover is the horse to beat in the Jug. He admires Village Jolt, but says, “He doesn’t have the speed that Rocknroll Hanover does. Village Jolt is more of a stayer.”

Rocknroll Hanover has won the three richest races for pacing colts, the Metro Pace at age two and the North America Cup and Meadowlands Pace this year, while Village Jolt was named champion juvenile pacer of 2004.

Trotter, a native of New Jersey who grew up in New Zealand and later attended the University of Arizona, was the caretaker of last year’s Jug winner Timesareachanging. He’s been with the Pelling Stable since 2000.

The third member of the Pelling entry, Cam’s Fool, a colt that Scott says is nicknamed “Fudgy” because he’s thick and enjoys having treats. “He’s fond of oatmeal cookies, but I think he’d eat anything you gave him,” she says of Cam’s Fool.

The three colts were walked and grazed on Monday morning. Rocknroll Hanover and Cam’s Fool will just be jogged until Jug Day, but boss Brett Pelling will be in Wednesday to give Village Jolt a test training mile over the Delaware oval.

Pelling has a strong chance to add another Jug to his laurels, but it will be his last because Trotter said that Pelling is retiring at the end of this year and moving to Australia.

“He’s moving to western Australia, near Perth, which is where his wife is from,” says Trotter.

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Groom David Lied and pacer Jo Pa’s Shark have been to so many races that they don’t get too worked up about Thursday’s Jug. “Look at him,” says Lied, motioning with his hand toward the snoozing pacer. “That’s about as excited as he gets. He’s just a nice, nice horse to be around.”

The 45-year-old Lied has been a caretaker for more than two decades in both the United States and Europe and big races are nothing new to him. He’s taken care of such stars as Express Ride, Hit Parade, Whatanartist, Toss Out, and many others. He is now working for trainer Jim Campbell.

The three-year-old Jo Pa’s Shark isn’t nearly as old as his caretaker, but he’s seen a lot of action this year. “He started back in January,” Lied points out. “He’s been going at it ever since. He’s got 22 starts already this year. That’s a career for some horses.”

In his 22 starts, the gelded Jo Pa’s Shark has won six times and been second six times. His bankroll for the season stands at $333,567 and his best winning time was 1:50 at the Meadowlands.

“His last race was in the Cane Pace in early September,” says Lied. “He got a tough trip there, as often happens on a half-mile track. He’s been raced so much this year that Jim [Campbell] just gave him some time off before his race here in the Jug. I think he can do some good in the race.”

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Trainer Jerry Silverman says Climb The Ladder has shown “flashes of brilliance.” He would probably like to see a sustained burst begin Thursday in the Little Brown Jug.

Climb The Ladder drew post three in the third, and final, elimination heat for the Jug. Top contenders Rocknroll Hanover, P-Forty-Seven and Gryffindor also are in that division.

“I’m not afraid of the half-mile track, I’m afraid of the competition,” Silverman said with a laugh. “Sometimes, a half-mile track can be an equalizer; it could be somewhat of a help. But when you’re talking about great horses like Rocknroll Hanover, they usually can get around it.”

Climb The Ladder battled illness and respiratory issues as a two-year-old. He was second to Cam’s Fool in his first race this year, an overnight at the Meadowlands, and third behind American Ideal and Rocknroll Hanover in his Oliver Wendell Holmes division. He was put on Lasix after he bled in his last two starts in August.

“He’s a good three-year-old that I was much higher on than he’s performed,” said Silverman, who won the 1966 Jug – and Pacing Triple Crown – with Romeo Hanover. He also won the 2004 Jugette with Glowing Report. “He’s shown some flashes of brilliance and he’s great gaited. But (Thursday) is going to be a battle. He’s going to have to be a man. He’s going to get no excuses from me; he’s got to do the job.”

Climb The Ladder is owned by Larry Lefkowitz and Milton Cahn, the founders of Maggy London, which makes women’s dresses. Lefkowitz got started in horse ownership through a friend and bought his first horse in 1987. Cahn got involved shortly thereafter. They have been with trainer Jerry Silverman for about 12 years. They had their first Jug starter last year in Town Champion, who was second in his opening heat and eighth in the final.