by John Pawlak, the U.S. Trotting Association

Delaware, OH — Live Jazz played a winning tune — and set a world, track and stakes record — in the opening division of the $72,000 Standardbred for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters in the first Grand Circuit stakes of the day on Thursday (Sept. 23) at the Delaware County Fair.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Live Jazz set a world, track and stakes record in the opening division of the $72,000 Standardbred.

Driven by John Campbell for owners Melvin Hartman, Neal Goldman, Juniper II and trainer and co-owner Chuck Sylvester, Live Jazz was sent to the top before Campbell yielded to Captain George (David Miller) at the quarter pole. Quickly thereafter, Campbell re-took at the half and sprinted to a 1:56.4 victory — a new standard in the sport for 2-year-old colt trotters around four turns.

Bloomington (Kyle Bolon) finished second and Captain George was able to preserve third money in the final rundown. The margin was 8-1/2 lengths.

Live Jazz, a son of Andover Hall and the Donerail mare Limitless Sky, bred by Al Libfeld and Marvin Katz, has now won three times in six freshman starts and has earned $63,123 for his efforts.

“He was so impressive today, and we still don’t really know how good he is,” Paula Campbell said in the winner’s circle. She and her husband, driver John Campbell, are part owners under the nom de course Juniper II.

“He keeps improving with every start and has done everything right. When John got out of the bike after the race was over he said he did it very easily. It certainly looked like the race took nothing out of him and he was just lazing around on the way back to the winner’s circle.”

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Soulful Delight and driver Ron Pierce posted a 2:01 victory in the second and final division of the Standardbred for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings.

While Soulful Delight and driver Ron Pierce couldn’t come close to duplicating Live Jazz’s first division world record, the 2:01 victory they posted in the second and final division of the Standardbred for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings was equally satisfying for all involved.

Owners DM Stables and trainer and co-owner Bobby Brower were pleased, as were the fans who made the young trotter the 1-2 favorite.

Once Pierce was able to ease the winner to the top in the apex of the first turn, the issue was all but settled. The 2:01 mile gave the son of Like A Prayer-Dream Of Becca his fifth win in 10 starts this year, and the recent runner-up in the $300,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes final pushed his bankroll over the $100,000 mark.

Cash On Delivery (John Campbell) stalked the winner throughout and held second at the wire, while Highway (David Miller) came on late to finish a non-threatening third.

“He’s been a real consistent horse — once we got him going,” co-owner Dean Miller (DM Stables) said. “He had some small issues, just baby stuff, but he’s been healthy ever since. He’s come along real well and Bobby (Brower) has done a nice job with him.

“He was second in the final of the Kentucky Sire Stakes and he was real good then so Bobby said ‘Let’s bring him to Delaware and see if he could get around the half,’ and he did, real well. Bobby was real pleased with him and said he was a real nice colt. We are just tickled with him.”

— Kim French also contributed to this report