by Tom White, publicity director, the Little Brown Jug

Delaware, OH — A field of 14 3-year-old fillies, led by world champion Southwind Tempo, will compete in the $300,000 Jugette Pace on Wednesday afternoon, September 19, at the Delaware, Ohio County Fair.

There will be two $48,000 eliminations with the top four finishers returning for a $144,000 final. If no filly has won two heats after the final, the three heat winners will return for a $60,000 race-off. The winner of the race-off receives the entire $60,000 purse. If a third heat is not needed, the winner of the second heat gets the $60,000.

Southwind Tempo comes into the 37th Jugette with 14 victories in 17 starts this season and career earnings of $793,854. Trainer Steve Elliott, who also trains Hambletonian champion Donato Hanover, decided earlier this week to enter his filly in the Jugette instead of going against the colts in the Little Brown Jug.

“It was the right thing to do. Going two or three heats against the boys just didn’t seem logical,” said Elliott.

Southwind Tempo, the morning line favorite at odds of 8-5, will race from post position four in the first elimination heat with driver Tim Tetrick.

Mystical Dreamer, who was second in last week’s Nadia Lobell Stake at The Red Mile, is the second choice at odds of 4-1. Mystical Dreamer will start from post seven.

The second elimination is wide open. Isabella Blue Chip, the 2006 juvenile filly champion, is a slight favorite at odds of 5-2. Next are Current Hanover (7-2), Western Graduate (4-1), Me And My Baby (9-2) and Elusive Prey (5-1).

Isabella Blue Chip raced from June to December as a 2-year-old, winning eight times and earning $658,583.

“We decided to give her a long rest and didn’t start back with her until July,” said trainer George Teague, Jr. “Then she developed some foot problems and we had to back off again with her. She was two months behind the other fillies this year. She won her first qualifier on July 19.”

Isabella Blue Chip won a New York Sires Stakes in her last start on September 5 “and she seemed more like her old self. I think she’s getting close to Southwind Tempo, but being close to that great filly doesn’t cut it,” said Teague. David Miller will drive Isabella Blue Chip in the Jugette.

Current Hanover comes into the Jugette off a third place finish in the Nadia Lobell; Western Graduate won a division of the Adioo Volo; Me And My Baby was second in the Fan Hanover Final and fourth in a dead heat in the Nadia Lobell; and Elusive Prey finished third and fifth in a pair of Open Handicaps at Harrah’s Chester.

$300,000 Jugette — 3-Year-Old Filly Pace

$48,000 First Elimination
Post-Filly-Driver-Odds
1. Appleoosa Hanover-Jody Jamieson-6-1
2. Liberty Skiberty-David Miller-10-1
3. Checkouttheview-Paul MacDonell-12-1
4. Southwind Tempo-Tim Tetrick-8/5
5. Before Dawn-Tony Hall-10-1
6. Fiery Buckeye-Dave Palone-8-1
7. Mystical Dreamer-Greg Grismore-4-1

48,000 Second Elimination
1. Elusive Prey-George Brennan-5-1
2. Current Hanover-Ron Pierce-7/2
3. Isabella Blue Chip-David Miller-5/2
4. Me And My Baby-Dave Palone-9/2
5. Western Graduate-Yannick Gingras-4-1
6. Omen Hanover-Brian Sears-8-1
7. Get A Cab-David Miller-8-1