Delaware, OH – Rodeo Drive Deo and driver David Miller made a three-wide surge from sixth on the backstretch approaching three-quarters and won Wednesday’s first $25,000 elimination of the 55th edition of the Jugette, for 3-year-old female pacers, in 1:51 for trainer Ron Burke as the 3-5 favorite. Also advancing to the $280,000 final later today at the Delaware County Fairgrounds were Odds On Hialeah, Vel Cinderella and Skywalker Sea.
Virgil Morgan Jr.-trained Odds On Chesapeake and driver Dexter Dunn romped to victory in the second elimination, stopping the timer in 1:49.3 as the 2-5 chalk. Rose, Time Of The Season and Papi Grad took the next three spots to claim their spots in the final.
The full Jugette field, grouped by elimination finish:
E1-1 Rodeo Drive Deo – David Miller – Ron Burke
E2-1 Odds On Chesapeake – Dexter Dunn – Virgil Morgan Jr.
E1-2 Odds On Hialeah – Dexter Dunn – Virgil Morgan Jr.
E2-2 Rose – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke
E1-3 Vel Cinderella – Tim Tetrick – Rob Rittof
E2-3 Time Of The Season – Andrew McCarthy – Tim Twaddle
E1-4 Skywalker Sea – Austin Hanners – Todd Luther
E2-4 Papi Grad – Todd McCarthy – Steve Carter