By 1808Delaware
A decision made less than two weeks before the Little Brown Jug turned into a $300,000 payday and a place in harness racing history Thursday afternoon in Delaware. Redland Rocket Man, a three-year-old gelding based in Ontario, swept from last to first in his elimination and then dominated the $550,000 Grade 1 final of the 81st Little Brown Jug, winning by 4¼ lengths in 1:49.4 at the Delaware County Fairgrounds. U.S. Trotting News
For driver Jody Jamieson, the victory completed a remarkable return to the Jug winner’s circle. His previous victory came 19 years earlier, when he drove Tell All to the 2007 title. For trainer and co-owner John Pentland, it represented something else entirely: vindication of a $45,000 decision that had to be made quickly.
A late ticket to Delaware
Redland Rocket Man wasn’t originally eligible for the Little Brown Jug. That changed after his Sept. 12 performance in the Grade 3 Simcoe Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park. He paced the mile in 1:46.4, the fastest mile by a three-year-old pacer in North America this season. Pentland and fellow owners Murray Cox and Gary Volpe then paid the $45,000 supplemental fee required to put him into the Jug. U.S. Trotting News
It was a substantial wager on a horse who had been purchased for $30,000 as a yearling at the 2024 Harrisburg sale. Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association. By Thursday evening, that gamble had paid off many times over.
The Jug consisted of two $50,000 elimination heats followed by the $550,000 final, making the overall event worth $650,000. Eleven horses entered, with the top four finishers in each elimination advancing to the eight-horse final. Little Brown Jug
Al Papi strikes first
The opening elimination belonged to Al Papi. With Yannick Gingras driving for trainer Ron Burke, Al Papi took command coming out of the opening turn and stayed there. He reached the quarter in :27.2, the half in :56.4 and three-quarters in 1:24 before finishing the mile in 1:51.1. The margin was 1½ lengths. Frantic Hanover finished second, followed by Treacherous Lou and Thai Hanover, sending all four to the final. U.S. Trotting News
It appeared to set up another potentially dominant afternoon for Burke, whose stable would eventually account for half of the eight-horse championship field.
Rocket Man comes from last
Redland Rocket Man’s elimination could hardly have unfolded more differently. Starting from the outside in the five-horse second division, Jamieson allowed the gelding to settle at the rear while Fragment and Melillo battled ahead of him. Then came the move that gave the Delaware crowd its first real look at what was coming.
Jamieson sent Redland Rocket Man three-wide on the backstretch. He swept past the leaders around the final turn and simply kept going, winning by 4¾ lengths in 1:50.2. U.S. Trotting News. Watch Em Win rallied for second, while Melillo and Fragment secured the other two qualifying positions. The victory also gave Redland Rocket Man something enormously valuable on Delaware’s half-mile oval: post position No. 1 for the final.
The first turn changes everything
Redland Rocket Man was not especially sharp leaving the starting gate in the final, opening an opportunity for Al Papi to cross over from post two. Jamieson responded immediately. He urged Redland Rocket Man forward, keeping Al Papi from clearing before the opening turn. Melillo settled into the pocket behind the leader, with Al Papi third. Daily Racing Form
That early battle proved decisive. Once in control, Jamieson guided Redland Rocket Man through the opening quarter in :26.2 and the half in :55.3. U.S. Trotting News
Gingras wasn’t finished. He pulled Al Papi first-over and went after the leader. At three-quarters, reached in 1:22.3, Al Papi had moved to within a head of Redland Rocket Man.
