by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Casie Coleman won the Jugette last year with Western Silk. This year, she is aiming to win the Jugette again and has one of the top contenders — Betterthancheddar — in the Little Brown Jug. Only two trainers have won the Jugette, which is for 3-year-old filly pacers, and Jug, which is open to any 3-year-old pacer, in the same year: Brett Pelling and Billy Haughton.

Pelling accomplished the feat in 1998 when Armbro Romance won the Jugette and Shady Character won the Little Brown Jug. Haughton pulled off the double twice, in 1985 with Nihilator in the Jug and Amneris in the Jugette and in 1974 with Armbro Omaha in the Jug and Handle With Care in the Jugette.

Coleman’s trip to Thursday afternoon’s $526,800 Little Brown Jug with Betterthancheddar is her second appearance in the event, held at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in central Ohio. Last year, she sent out Kyle Major, who in his first heat went off stride while battling Rock N Roll Heaven for the front and finished eighth.

“I’ve always dreamed of being in this race, let alone having a shot to win it,” Coleman said. “Just to be in this race is a dream come true and an honor. To win it would be absolutely unbelievable.”

Twelve horses entered the Little Brown Jug, which is the second jewel in the Pacing Triple Crown. The field was divided into two six-horse first-heat divisions, from which the top four finishers will advance to the second heat. If one of the first-heat winners also wins the second heat, he is the Jug winner. Otherwise, the three heat-winners will return for a race-off.

The last time a race-off was necessary was in 2000, when Astreos won over Gallo Blue Chip, George Scooter and Profita.

New Image Media photo

Betterthancheddar has earned $249,932 this year with five wins in 11 trips to post.

Betterthancheddar comes into the Little Brown Jug off a win in the Cane Pace, which is the first leg of the Pacing Triple Crown. Betterthancheddar was not eligible to the Jug, but was supplemented for $45,000 under a provision that allows the Cane Pace winner to buy into the race if not eligible.

“It was just an oversight,” Coleman said. “Hopefully, it works out. We’ll make sure we never miss a payment again, that’s for sure. We just want to be here and have a shot at it.”

Steve Calhoun and Coleman’s West Wins Stable own Betterthancheddar, who was unraced as a 2-year-old because of sickness. This year, he has won five of 11 races and earned $249,932. The son of 2001 Little Brown Jug winner Bettor’s Delight, out of the mare Lady Ashlee Ann, is a half-brother to multiple stakes winner Ashlee’s Big Guy and 2007 Breeders Crown champ Artist’s View.

“As everybody knows, I’ve been real high on this horse since day one,” said Coleman, who is a four-time winner of Canada’s Trainer of the Year Award. “I know he hasn’t proven it yet, but hopefully it’s his turn to start proving it. He’s definitely peaking right now.”

Betterthancheddar, with driver George Brennan, will start his Jug first heat from post four and is 3-1 on the morning line. Meadowlands Pace winner Roll With Joe is the heat’s 2-1 favorite while North America Cup champion Up The Credit is 4-1.

The other first-heat division features Big Bad John, who is 8-5 on the morning line, and is trying to become the first horse stabled year-round at the Delaware County Fairgrounds to win the Jug.

“It’s a tough bunch of 12 horses, that’s for sure,” Coleman said. “There are some nice colts in there. But I honestly think my colt is just as good as any one of them, if not a bit better hopefully. I’ve been real happy with how sharp he’s coming around right now.”

Following is the Little Brown Jug fields in post position order, with listed drivers and trainers.

Heat One, Division One: 1. Something For Doc, Tim Tetrick, Brian Brown; 2. Big Bad John, David Miller, Ron Potter; 3. Powerful Mist, John Campbell, Wayne Givens; 4. Foreclosure N, Tetrick, Chris Ryder; 5. Custard The Dragon, Montrell Teague, George Teague Jr.; 6. High Noon, Mark MacDonald, Jimmy Takter.

Heat One, Division Two: 1. Rollwithitharry, Brett Miller, Jimmy Takter; 2. Hugadragon, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke; 3. Wink N Atcha, Gingras, George Teague Jr.; 4. Betterthancheddar, George Brennan, Casie Coleman; 5. Roll With Joe, Ron Pierce, Ed Hart; 6. Up The Credit, Jody Jamieson, Carl Jamieson.

ONE FOR THE LADIES: Before the Little Brown Jug is held Thursday, the Jugette for 3-year-old fillies will be contested on Wednesday. Coleman will send out two highly regarded hopefuls, Idyllic and Pretty Katherine.

Idyllic is the 9-5 morning line favorite in the first of two $58,470 Jugette elimination races; Pretty Katherine is the 5-2 second choice in the other. The top four finishers from each elimination race will return for the $175,410 Jugette final later in the day.

“Everything seems very good,” Coleman said. “They’ve been sharp, sound and healthy. I shipped them in (Sunday) night and trained them both slow trips here (Monday) morning. Both of them seem real good.”

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Idyllic will look to add the Jugette to her resume on Wednesday.

Idyllic has won three of 10 races this year and never finished worse than third in any of her 19 career starts. She has won $1.16 million for owners West Wins Stable, Michael LaCova, Joseph LaCova and John Campagnuolo.

On August 29, she won the $193,150 Nadia Lobell Stakes, snapping See You At Peelers’ 22-race career unbeaten streak in a track-record 1:50 mile at The Meadows. A week later, she was third in the $208,719 Simcoe after battling three wide for the lead at the halfway point.

“She’s been having a great year,” Coleman said. “(The Simcoe) wasn’t really her fault. She was three deep at the half in a six-horse race in 53 (seconds)-and-a-piece. It took a bit out of her. I was a bit worried at first how she would come out of it, but she came out of it good. Everything seems good going forward.”

Pretty Katherine has one win in 12 races this season and earned $161,923. Last year, she was a multiple stakes winner of $348,590. She is owned by Tom Hill.

“She hasn’t had much luck, but she’s a wicked fast filly,” Coleman said. “She drew good this week and hopefully we can have some luck.”

Following are the elimination fields for the Jugette in post position order, with listed drivers and trainers.

Elim One: 1. Tu Sei Bella, Ron Pierce, Jim Arledge Jr.; 2. Myluvmylife, Brian Sears, Ron Burke; 3. Whats New Pussycat, Yannick Gingras, Nicholas Surick; 4. Idyllic, David Miller, Casie Coleman; 5. Latin Lyric, Tim Tetrick, Brian Brown.

Elim Two: 1. Rocklamation, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke; 2. Musette Mindale, Greg Grismore, Norm Parker; 3. Pretty Katherine, George Brennan, Casie Coleman, 4. Strike An Attitude, Dave Palone, Robert McIntosh; 5. Swinging Beauty, Doug McNair, Gregg McNair; 6. Rockratese, Tim Tetrick, Burke.