Rocketing to victory in the 81st Little Brown Jug

Less than two weeks ago, Ontario horse Redland Rocket Man wasn’t even eligible to the Grade 1 Little Brown Jug. Then came a 1:46.4 mile that convinced trainer John Pentland to pay the supplemental fee that led to his first Jug victory in his first attempt.

by Nicole Kraft

After Redland Rocket Man won the Simcoe Stakes on Sept. 12 at Woodbine Mohawk Park with a 1:46.4 mile that was the fastest time by any 3-year-old in North America this year, trainer and co-owner John Pentland knew the gelding deserved a chance to compete in the Little Brown Jug.

There was just one problem: He was not eligible.

To enter, Pentland and his fellow Ontario-based partners, Murray Cox and Gary Volpe, would need to fork up $45,000 in a supplemental fee. They did not hesitate to write the check.

Redland Rocket Man wasted no time paying them back.

With Jody Jamieson in the sulky, the Ontario-sired son of Bulldog Hanover out of Granny Hanover took the lead from the start of the final of the 81st Little Brown Jug and captured the coveted trophy in 1:49.4, bringing home nearly half of the total purse of $650,000 and giving Pentland his first Jug victory in his first try. Melillo finished second and Al Papi was third.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime shot,” Pentland said. “I had support from my partners and my wife and the people who work for me – they all said, ‘Let’s do this.’

“To finally get my first Grade 1 win and do it in the Little Brown Jug, I’m not sure it comes better than that.”

After a week of near-consistent rainfall, Delaware County in Ohio overcame early dampness to send the Jug race off under clear cerulean skies on a 68-degree textbook autumn afternoon. Eleven horses entered the race, requiring two $50,000 elimination heats to determine the eight horses that would return for the final later in the afternoon.

Al Papi left no doubt he was the horse to beat in the first elimination heat, taking the lead from the start and winning by nearly two lengths in 1:51.1 for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke, who were seeking their fourth Jug victory together. 

“He’s a speed horse,” Gingras said. “I knew this track would suit him really well.”

Redland Rocket Man took a far more challenging route to his second-elimination win, sitting fifth in the field of five through the first half of the race before going three-wide to circle the field around the final turn and win, pulling away by four widening lengths in 1:50.2.

“A horse can only go so fast, but he just seems to go forever,” Pentland said.

The elimination winners then drew for the two best starting positions in the final, and Redland Rocket Man landed the spot closest to the rail. Pentland said as soon as he saw Redland Rocket Man had drawn post 1, he knew the race was theirs to lose.

“I saw that red saddle pad sitting on my chair, and I thought, ‘I think we’ve got it,’” he said with a chuckle.

As the sun dropped behind the Delaware County Fairgrounds, Redland Rocket Man was a little slow leaving the gate but quickly surged past Al Papi to take the lead.

“I had to get into my horse hard because, for whatever reason, he didn’t fire on the inside,” Jamieson said. “Maybe I didn’t have him ready enough to leave, but I had him ready enough to where Yannick couldn’t cross down, and that was the race right there.”

Jamieson kept Redland Rocket Man in front through the first half before Al Papi mounted a challenge and pulled within a nose.

That’s when Redland Rocket Man seemed to have had enough. With a wave of his tail, he shifted into top gear and quickly opened up daylight, winning by more than four lengths to improve to 4-3-1 in 14 starts this year and push the $30,000 Harrisburg yearling’s earnings to the brink of $550,000 in 2026 and over $677,000 lifetime.

As a jubilant crowd of the pacer’s connections flowed onto the track, many dressed in grey and neon-green T-shirts emblazoned on the back with “Redland Rocket Man,” Jamieson took the pacer the long way back to the winner’s circle, seeming to greet every fan along the fence line.

Jamieson won his first Little Brown Jug in 2007 with Tell All. Nearly two decades later, he savored every moment of his second Jug victory, this time partnered with a horse — bred by Redland Farms in Bible Hill, NS — whose connections hadn’t even known a week earlier whether he would be in the field.

“I didn’t think I’d ever get another chance at it again,” Jamieson said. “But here we are, back in the winner’s circle.”

In other Jug Day action, as filed by Jay Wolf for the Little Brown Jug…

GRADE 3 MISS VERSATILITY FINAL OLDER MARE TROT

Dexter Dunn gave Warrawee Michelle a first-up trip after the half and tracked down the leader, Walspea (Yannick Gingras) late in the mile to take the $132,500 Miss Versatility final, presented by Allerage Farms.

Miracle Maven (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) outfinished Woman Of Passion (Scott Zeron) for third.

Ake Svanstedt Inc, Santandrea, Inc, and Young Guns own the 5-year-old Walner mare.

Trainer Ake Svanstedt has a record four Miss Versatility titles.

GRADE 3 OLD OAKEN BUCKET 3-YEAR-OLD COLT TROT

Untouchable As benefited from early breaks in stride by his top two competitors, Who’s Eyes Blue (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) and Kingmen (Jason Bartlett), and cruised to a 3¾ length win in the $96,000 Old Oaken Bucket for sophomore colt trotters.

Anette Lorentzon trains the homebred son of Walner for Acl Stuteri.

Tymal Kryptonite (Brady Brown) picked up the second-place check and Gare D’Orsay (Scott Zeron) was third.

Untouchable As has been first or second in eight of 11 seasonal starts.

GRADE 3 BUCKETTE THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROT

Driver Lamar Wingard and Pony Chrome didn’t see a pylon for the first three-quarters of the mile, but that didn’t matter thanks to a game effort by the Southwind Chrome lass in the $79,350 Buckette for sophomore filly trotters.

Wingard, who was making his first trip around the Delaware half-mile, poked Pony Chrome’s nose in front at the three-quarter pole and defeated Kerstin (Yannick Gingras) by 4¼ lengths and Wendalyn Hanover (Tim Tetrick) by 6¼ in 1:55.2.

Lewayne Miller trains the filly for the partnership of Equine Spa and Thomas Jeff Carey.

OHIO BREEDERS CHAMPIONSHIP 3-YEAR-OLD COLT PACE

The leading driver, David Miller, and the leading trainer, Virgil Morgan, Jr., in the history of the Delaware (OH) County Fair teamed up to take the first $66,100 division of the OBC for 3-year-old colt pacers with Tsunami Seas.

Miller sat patiently as Caillou Hanover (Atlee Bender) and Skull N Crossbones (Chris Page) battled for early control.

Tsunami Seas used the cover of Skull N Crossbones around the final turn and swept past a tiring Caillou Hanover to score a 1¾ length win over stablemate Odds On Rpj (Luke Hanners) and Crocodile Station (Dexter Dunn) in 1:52.2.

The gelded son of Downbytheseaside is owned by Jeffrey Rector, Larry Wills, and Hutchison Harness.

Tsunami Seas now has a three-race win streak and $313,757 in his bank account.

Fire Run received a perfect first-up trip and wore down the pacesetting When Is Parade (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) to win the second $66,100 division in 1:52.

When Is Parade was a length back in second, Thunder Nation (David Miller) was another length behind in third.

Fire Run is trained and co-owned by Erv Miller, who he shares ownership with Mark D. Winship and Bryn R. Campbell.

OHIO BREEDERS CHAMPIONSHIP 3-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACE

The lightly raced Prtynproud Hanover made her presence known in the second $63,000 split of the OBC for sophomore filly pacers thanks to a five-length score in 1:52.

Making just her fourth start of the season, Prtynproud Hanover and driver Yannick Gingras were hustled off the gate’s wings from post 5 and was able to keep the field of seven in check, going gate-to-wire.

Rodeo Dancer (Brett Miller) was the runner-up and Kb Wrecking Ball (Mike Wilder) was third.

Brian Brown trains the winner for Kenneth Jacobs.

The Downbytheseaside filly has a 2-1-1 record in four seasonal starts.

In the $63,000 first division, Seaside Shuffle (Chris Page) dominated the field of six and recorded a 4½ length win over Estuary (Atlee Bender) and Odds On Trickster (Luke Hanners).

With the $31,500 first place check, Seaside Shuffle increases her career earnings to $697,492 for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services, and R A S Racing.