Hightstown, NJ – When Ridge Warren heads to the races at the Delaware County Fair for his first time on Thursday (Sept. 24), he will get to enjoy one of the best seats in the house.
Warren will take a seat behind Hunting Glory in the 81st edition of the Little Brown Jug.
The $650,000 Grade 1 Little Brown Jug, for 3-year-old pacers, attracted 11 horses for Thursday’s annual renewal at the Delaware County Fair in central Ohio. Warren and Hunting Glory will compete in the second of two $50,000 eliminations to determine the eight-horse field for the $550,000 final later in the day.
“I’m a reserved level of ecstatic,” the 37-year-old Warren said about the chance to drive in the third leg of the Pacing Triple Crown. “I’m keeping myself reserved, but I’m definitely excited for the opportunity. It’s going to be a new experience for me, for sure, and I’m going to soak it all in.”
Hunting Glory, one of two horses in the Little Brown Jug trained by Robert Cleary and owned by Royal Wire Products, will leave from post 1 in a field of five and is 9-2 on the morning line. The top four finishers from each elimination advance to the same-day final.
Warren has driven Hunting Glory in the gelding’s past four races, which have resulted in a win, a second and two thirds. They won a leg of the New York Sire Stakes at MGM Yonkers Raceway their first time out and most recently were second to Fragment in the $300,000 NYSS final for sophomore male pacers on Sept. 12, also at Yonkers.
“The first time I got the opportunity to drive him at Yonkers, Robert and I talked about him on the phone, and I got an understanding of what the horse’s tendencies were,” Warren said. “I did my research with some replays, seeing what he did previously, and each week I’ve been trying to maintain that comfortability with him and keep him where I want him. Everything that Robert and I have talked about, the communication that he’s had with me about the horse, has definitely helped us have the results we’ve had. He’s really responded.”
Hunting Glory has hit the board in 12 of 15 career races, with three wins and $309,473 in purses. The son of Huntsville-Southwind Prima, purchased for $35,000 at the 2024 Lexington Selected Sale, was a $150,000 New Jersey Classic and $250,000 Big Apple Pace runner-up last season.
On Thursday, Hunting Glory’s competition in his Little Brown Jug elimination will include MGM Grand Messenger Stakes (Grade 2) winner and NYSS champion Fragment, who is the 8-5 morning-line favorite, and Carl Milstein Memorial (G2) and Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion Melillo, who is 9-5. Simcoe Stakes (G3) winner and Milstein runner-up Redland Rocket Man, one of two $45,000 supplemental entries in the Jug, is 9-2 and Watch Em Win is 8-1.
“I don’t think (Hunting Glory) has showed us his best yet,” Warren said. “He’s raced phenomenal, but each week I’ve felt like he had a little bit more in him. We’ve been tinkering with him week to week, trying to find more, and I think it’s there. He’s a very strong horse and he loves racing. If we can get that little bit extra out of him, that’s what we’re looking for.”
Warren is closing in on career-best numbers this season, with 213 wins and $2.76 million in purses, and in late August got his 2,000th lifetime victory. He has recorded 1,239 of those triumphs since the beginning of 2021.
“I’ve won 2,000 races, and it’s a huge benchmark, but I’m racing against guys that have double that, triple that, quadruple that,” Warren said. “They’ve learned so much more than me just from every time they’ve gone around the track. I’ve won 1,000 races over the last four years, and every time I go out there, I’m still learning something different.
“The best drivers can turn the page, but you’ve also got to be able to reflect and make changes,” he added about reviewing replays to avoid repeating mistakes. “I’ve won 2,000 races, and I’m so thankful for that, but I’ve got so much more to do, so much more to learn.”
Racing begins at 11 a.m. (EDT) Thursday at the Delaware County Fair. The Little Brown Jug eliminations are races 15 and 16, with the final to follow as race 19.
For more information about the Little Brown Jug, plus free program pages, visit the Little Brown Jug website.
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The 6-5 morning-line favorite in the first Little Brown Jug elimination is Al Papi, who will leave from post 2 in a field of six with Yannick Gingras driving for trainer Ron Burke. The son of Papi Rob Hanover-Baron Remy won the Adios (G1) on July 25 at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows and finished second in the Meadowlands Pace (G1), Messenger Stakes, and Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship.
Toast Of The Town, the other supplemental entry, is the 5-2 second choice from post 3, with Jason Bartlett driving for trainer Noel Daley.
Al Papi is one of four Burke-trained horses in the Jug, joined by Frantic Hanover (driver Tim Tetrick, post 1, 5-1) in the first elimination and Melillo (Ronnie Wrenn Jr., post 4, 9-5) and Watch Em Win (Tetrick, post 2, 8-1) in the second.
Burke has won the Little Brown Jug on five occasions, one shy of Billy Haughton’s training record of six. Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi hold the record for victories by owners, with five each.
Al Papi was bred by owners Burke Racing, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby, Larry Karr, and Weaver Bruscemi. He has hit the board in 20 of 23 career races, with seven wins and $1.08 million in earnings. Melillo was bred by owners Burke Racing, Jason Melillo, and Weaver Bruscemi. The son of Sweet Lou-Rosemary Rose has hit the board in 22 of 28 lifetime starts, with seven victories and $1.03 million in purses.
Frantic Hanover (Stay Hungry-Francessa) is owned by Burke Racing, Brad Grant, Knox Services, and Weaver Bruscemi. Watch Em Win (He’s Watching-Winners Over) is owned by Burke Racing, Knox Services, Phil Collura, and Weaver Bruscemi.
“We bred the two that I think have the best chance,” said Mark Weaver, of Weaver Bruscemi. “The other two will need some luck, but when you’re going for $500,000 or $600,000, even fourth or fifth is OK. So, we took a shot with them.
“But the two homebreds, Melillo and Al Papi, I think they’re as good as anyone. I’ve thought that all along. Early in the year, people were talking about the big three (Brandon Blvd, Odds On Mr Mamba, and Beau Jangles) and I thought that was a little premature. And it’s kind of proven to be a little premature.
“I think our two are kind of the two to beat (in the Jug), but there are some other good ones in there. Some of them have got a lot of speed. I think it sets up for neat Jug. I think it will be cool to watch.”
As for chasing another Little Brown Jug trophy, the Pennsylvania-based Weaver said, “If you win the Jug and you’re from Ohio, basically your life is complete. Here, we’ve been lucky enough to win it five times. I think with Ronnie’s training, racing twice in one day is nothing new for our horses. I think that helps.
“The other thing is we’re not afraid to show up. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong, but some people don’t want to race twice in one day when there’s still big money on the line the rest of the year. I get it, but I respect the tradition. For us, the Adios is probably our No. 1 goal every year, but I would say the Jug is right behind it.”