by Paul Ramlow, USTA Internet News Manager
2011 Eye on Harness Racing – 09-23-11–LBJ from USTA on Vimeo.
Delaware, OH — Big Bad John, owned by Ed Telle of nearby Powell (as Winchester Baye Acres), trained by Delaware’s Ron Potter, and driven by native Ohioan David Miller, become the first horse stabled year round on the Delaware Fairgrounds to ever win the Little Brown Jug when he posted a straight heat victory on Thursday (Sept. 22) at the Delaware County Fair.
Big Bad John, a son of Western Hanover-Trulyawork Of Art, won his first-heat elimination in a time of 1:50.2, then came back to take the $252,864 second-heat final in 1:50, a national season’s record for a 3-year-old pacing colt on a half-mile track.
Drawing the rail in the final, Miller put Big Bad John on the front end where he was challenged by Up The Credit and Jody Jamieson on the first turn. But as the field hit the opening quarter in :27, Big Bad John was in command, with Roll With Joe (Ron Pierce) second, Betterthancheddar (George Brennan) third and Up The Credit fourth on the rim.
Heading to the :55.1 half-mile marker, Up The Credit made his second attempt to head Big Bad John, but Miller and his mount would have none of that and they remained on the lead. Heading down the backstretch the second time, Up The Credit began to back through the field and that allowed Roll With Joe to pop out of the pocket at the 1:23.1 three-quarter pole and the duel was on.
Down the stretch, Big Bad John would not be denied and he held off Roll With Joe by one length in 1:50. Betterthancheddar finished third. High Noon and Something For Doc finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Rollwithitharry was sixth and Up The Credit seventh. Foreclosure N was scratched.
With the two victories on the day, Big Bad John has now won nine times in 12 season’s starts and his paycheck of $257,077 lifted his season’s earnings to $703,059.
“I really thought he would be better in the second heat than in the first,” said trainer Ron Potter. “I told Dave I thought he would be really good in the second heat and he would be ready to roll. I was ready right after the first race to just go ahead and get it over with.”
Last year Big Bad John set a world record of 1:53 in winning his Standardbred division at Delaware and that got his trainer dreaming of an LBJ triumph.
“Absolutely,” said Potter. “That was the day I said we are going to be right back here in the Jug next year. I know he gets around the track really great and I’m just really happy with how it worked out.”
“He exhibits energy like no other horse I’ve ever had,” said owner Ed Telle. “When you take him to the paddock there’s no doubt about it, you are going because he’s ready to get there. You are not going to lead him. He is going to take you to the paddock.
“We just have a great routine down there. We have the pool, we have the paddocks and we have happy horses. We treat them good and happy horses want to win. They pin their ears back and they want to get it done.”
The Jug victory was the third for driver David Miller, who previously won with Shadow Play (2008) and No Pan Intended (2003). The win, coupled with his Jugette victory a day earlier behind Idyllic, allowed Miller to become only the second driver to ever win both races in the same year. Bill Haughton was the first in 1974.
A pair of first-heat eliminations were held earlier in the day.
Big Bad John went to the front on the first turn and held on to win the $84,288 first elimination in the $526,800 Little Brown Jug for sophomore pacers on Thursday (Sept. 22) at the Delaware County Fair.
Trained by Ron Potter and driven to victory by David Miller, Big Bad John won for the eighth time in 11 season’s outings. The time of the mile was 1:50.2.
Something For Doc (Ron Pierce) left alertly from the rail and forced Big Bad John to work for the lead heading to the :26.4 opening quarter. The pacers remained in straight alignment heading to the :56.1 half-mile marker, but John Campbell pulled Powerful Mist to the outside and challenged Big Bad John at the three-quarter pole in 1:23.2.
Big Bad John put away Powerful Mist on the final turn, but had to contend with the pocket-sitting Something For Doc, who closed to within three-quarters of a length at the wire, only to fall short. High Noon (Mark MacDonald) rallied to finish third and Foreclosure N (Tim Tetrick) was fourth and also made the final.
“He went super,” said trainer Ron Potter. “How pleased can you be? The :54 back half-mile sets him up perfectly (for the next heat).
“Well, he didn’t have to ship (since he’s trained here in Delaware). He’s been really relaxed. He even slept all day today so obviously he was rested up for something. I would say it has to be an advantage for us.
“The only two times he’s raced on a half (-mile track) it’s been here and he’s won them both, so hopefully he’s ready to do it for us again.”
The second elimination went to Roll With Joe and driver Ron Pierce in the identical clocking of 1:50.2. The Ed Hart trainee is owned by Blue Chip Bloodstock, Stephen Demeter, Not To Worry Stable and Winbak Farm.
Roll With Joe, a son of Cam’s Card Shark-Classic Wish, was parked to the lead at the :26.1 opening quarter by Betterthancheddar and driver George Brennan. Roll With Joe cleared to the front heading to the second turn and was comfortably on the lead at the half-mile marker in :53.3.
Heading to the backstretch the second time, Hugadragon and Yannick Gingras were the first to move and they came first-up at the 1:22 three-quarter pole. But that challenge was short lived, although Roll With Joe still had to contend with Betterthancheddar down the stretch.
However, Roll With Joe remained in front the rest of the way and posted a :28.2 final panel in hitting the finish line in 1:50.2. Betterthancheddar wound up just a neck behind the winner, while Rollwithitharry (Brett Miller) was third.
Fourth place finisher Hugadragon was disqualified and placed back to fifth for interference in the stretch. Up The Credit finished fifth, but was placed fourth to also qualify for the final.
“He felt very, very good today,” said driver Ron Pierce of Roll With Joe. “It doesn’t matter what kind of track he races on; he is good wherever. He’s good on a mile and won the Meadowlands Pace and he’s won on a five-eighths and now on a half.”
— Kimberly French also contributed to this report