by Tom White, publicity director, The Little Brown Jug

Delaware, OH — Freshman colt pacing champions Major In Art and Nebupanezzar are early co-favorites to win the 64th Little Brown Jug. The $650,000 (est.) Jug Classic will be raced Thursday afternoon, September 24, at the Delaware, Ohio County Fairgrounds.

A total of 166 3-year-old colts and geldings remain eligible to the Jug, an increase of 22 over last year’s total. The list of Jug eligibles also includes the top 11 3-year-old pacers on Stan Bergstein’s 45th annual Experimental Championship ratings.

“Our estimated Jug purse is up significantly from last year,” said Race Secretary Tom Wright. “These are the most eligibles we’ve had in six years. If everybody stays healthy we should be in for a fun time come September.”

Major In Art is the reigning Dan Patch (U.S. Harness Writers) and Nova (Harness Tracks of America) 2-year-old colt pacing champion. The son of Art Major is owned by Chester Lebo, Jerry Silva and Tina Martinez. At 2, Major In Art won the Woodrow Wilson, Metro Pace and Goshen Cup. Trained by Justin Lebo in 2008, Major In Art is now in Noel Daley’s stable. In 2008, Major In Art won six of 11 starts and $849,154 and was ranked fourth in the Experimental ratings.

Nebupanezzar received the O’Brien Award as Canada’s top juvenile colt pacer of 2008 and was ranked No. 1 on the Experimental list. Bred and owned by Ohio’s Peter Pan Stables and sired by Triple Crown champion No Pan Intended, Nebupanezzar won 10 of 14 starts and $946,365. Nebupanezzar is trained by Bob McIntosh and was driven in all but one of his starts by Steve Condron. His biggest victory came in the Governor’s Cup Final.

Jeff Snyder and Lothlorien’s Breeders Crown champion Well Said is ranked No. 2 in the Experimental ratings. The Western Hanover colt is trained by Steve Elliott and Ron Pierce was his driver. Well Said, a $240,000 yearling bred by Fair Winds Farm, had four firsts and four seconds in 12 starts last year and earnings of $586,688.

Another top ranked Jug eligible is Art Colony, owned by Tom Hill of North Wales, Great Britian. The son of Artsplace was first or second in all seven of his 2008 starts and banked $377,990. He finished second in the finals of both the Breeders Crown and Governor’s Cup. Art Colony is trained by Casie Coleman and was a $157,000 Lexington Selected Sale yearling bred by Steve Stewart, Frank Gannon and Jeffery Langfielder. Art Colony is third in the Experimental ratings.

Arlene and Jules Siegel’s Dial Or Nodial captured the New Jersey Sires Stakes Championship en route to eight victories and earnings of $414,124 in ‘08. Jim Campbell is the trainer. He is ranked fifth in the Experimental.

Another probable Jug contender is Sheer Desire, who equaled the world race record for a 2-year-old by winning a division of the Bluegrass Stakes in 1:49.3. Sheer Desire, a gelding, also captured a division of the International Stallion Stakes at Lexington’s Red Mile.

The Little Brown Jug is the second leg of Pacing’s Triple Crown. The first leg is the Cane Pace, scheduled for September 7 at Freehold. If a horse wins the Cane Pace, but is not eligible to the Jug, his owner(s) may pay a $45,000 supplemental starting fee to gain entry to the Jug. Yonkers Raceway will play host to the Messenger Stakes on November 7, the third leg of the Crown.