Delaware, OH — The quartet of Bythemissal, Greatest Ending, Fourever Boy and Pleaseletmeknow lead a balanced field of 11 for the $641,550 Little Brown Jug, presented by the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association, to be held Thursday (Sept. 22) at the Delaware County Fair.

Eleven horses were entered in the 77th Little Brown Jug for 3-year-old pacers, necessitating two eliminations. The top-four finishers from each $50,000 elim will advance to the $541,550 final later in the day.

The first $50,000 elimination will feature one of the two $45,000 supplemental entrants, Bythemissal (driver Chris Page–post two). Bythemissal is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Eric Good, Rich Lombardo Racing and Weaver Bruscemi and is conditioned by Ron Burke. He is a gelded son of Downbytheseaside and is looking to be the first Ohio bred Jug champ since BJ Scoot (1988).

Bythemissal had only one start as a 2-year-old but has made up for lost time this season. He has amassed $537,750 in lifetime earnings thanks to wins in the $350,000 Adios Pace final and $300,000 Carl Milstein Memorial.

Greatest Ending (Mark MacDonald–post four) is owned by Reginald Petitpas and is trained by Dr. Ian Moore, who won the 2008 Jug title with Shadow Play. The son of Somebeachsomewhere won the $200,000 Max Hempt Memorial Consolation and was second in the $253,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stake final.

The second elimination is headlined by Fourever Boy and Pleaseletmeknow, the second supplemental entry.

Fourever Boy (Dexter Dunn-post three) is coming into the Jug on a two-race win streak — the $65,537 Simcoe Stakes and the $253,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final. The bay son of Sweet Lou is co-owned by Micki Rae Stables and trainer Tim Twaddle.

Pleaseletmeknow (Matt Kakaley–post six) was recently crowned as the New York Sire Stakes champion. He is trained by Travis Alexander for Fiddler’s Creek Stables. He is a homebred son of American Ideal. Pleaseletmeknow has eight seasonal wins in 12 starts and has earned $522,194 lifetime.

Post time for the 21-race Jug Day card will be Noon.

Elimination 1
1. Atlas Hanover, Anthony MacDonald, Jason McGinnis
2. Bythemissal, Chris Page, Ron Burke
3. Market Based, Andy McCarthy, Nancy Takter
4. Greatest Ending, Mark MacDonald, Ian Moore
5. Night Hawk, David Miller, Brian Brown

Elimination 2
1. Birthday, Ronnie Wrenn Jr., Ron Burke
2. Gulf Shores, Yannick Gingras, Brian Brown
3. Fourever Boy, Dexter Dunn, Tim Twaddle
4. Six Feet Apart, David Miller, Brian Brown
5. PJ Lou, Mike Wilder, Mark Harder
6. Pleaseletmeknow, Matt Kakaley, Travis Alexander