Delaware, OH – Rodeo Drive Deo and driver David Miller won the 55th edition of the Jugette, for 3-year-old female pacers, capturing the $280,000 final by 4-1/2 lengths in 1:50.1 on Wednesday at the Delaware County Fairgrounds. Odds On Chesapeake finished second, followed by Rose and Odds On Hialeah.
Rodeo Drive Deo, who started from post position two after winning the first $25,000 elimination, got away second behind second elim winner Odds On Chesapeake and driver Dexter Dunn, who started from post one, through fractions of :28.1 and :56.4 to the half. Rodeo Drive Deo was on her way to challenge the leader on the way to three-quarters in 1:23.1 and took the lead midway around the final turn to get the victory as the 4-5 favorite.
Ron Burke trains Rodeo Drive Deo and Rose, who was driven by Yannick Gingras. Odds On Chesapeake and Odds On Hialeah, driven by Luke Hanners, are trained by Virgil Morgan Jr.
“Me and Ronnie and Yannick had a talk and a couple different plans,” Miller said. “Virgil had an entry, too, and at the very end Ronnie said, just get away in the two-hole and pull when you have to.”
It was Miller’s fourth Jugette triumph, one behind John Campbell’s record of five for a driver, and Burke’s record-extending fifth Jugette win for a trainer.
“I hit the wire and I got emotional,” Miller said in the winner’s circle. He added in a later interview, “I’ve driven (Rodeo Drive Deo) for a couple years, and she means a lot to me. For her to get a win like this makes me very happy. I know how good she is and I have a lot of confidence in her.
“It’s a good feeling (to win at Delaware). I have good karma at this track. I come here and I feel 20 years younger.”
Rodeo Drive Deo is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Beasty LLC, and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby. The daughter of Captaintreacherous-Miss L A was bred by Deo Volente Farms and Cool Cat Racing. She has won 10 of 26 career races, hit the board another 12 times, and earned $865,638.
She paid $3.60 to win.
Rodeo Drive Deo, Odds On Chesapeake win Jugette eliminations
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 Jugette final field in post order:
1-Odds On Chesapeake – Dexter Dunn – Virgil Morgan Jr.
2-Rodeo Drive Deo – David Miller – Ron Burke
3-Rose – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke
4-Odds On Hialeah – Luke Hanners – Virgil Morgan Jr.
5-Time Of The Season – Andrew McCarthy – Tim Twaddle
6-Vel Cinderella – Tim Tetrick – Rob Rittof
7-Papi Grad – Todd McCarthy – Steve Carter
8-Skywalker Sea – Austin Hanners – Todd Luther