by Nicole Kraft, communications director, USTA

Columbus, OH — Cane Pace and Adios champion Vintage Master tuned up for the Little Brown Jug with a 1:54.3 qualifying effort at Freehold Raceway on Friday morning (Sept. 18).

The son of Western Ideal cut the mile for regular driver Daniel Dube and won by three lengths off a last quarter in :28.1.

“It was just a tightener,” said trainer Jimmy Takter. “He was very good.”

Vintage Master is expected to be a co-favorite in the Jug with Well Said, winner of the Meadowlands Pace and North America Cup. The entry box closes on Saturday at 10 a.m. The race will be contested Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.

For complete Jug coverage, stay with www.ustrotting.com, where we will have live blogs, pre- and post-race video, news and notes. To view our Jug mini-site, go to http://racing.ustrotting.com/trackside/jug/2009/index.cfm.