Sophs vie in Jug Previews

In 2005, Ohio-owned and trained P-Forty-Seven won his Jug Preview division at Scioto Downs, prior to heading north to victory in the Little Brown Jug 12 days later. He was the fifth horse to do so. This year, 24 three-year-old pacers have dropped in the Scioto entry box to contest three $70,000 divisions of the 37th edition of the Jug Preview.

The Jug Preview shares the stage with eight $100,000 Ohio Sire Stakes Championship finals on Saturday, Sept. 9, for $1 Million Ohio Super Night--the richest night of racing in the Buckeye State. With two late-closing series also on the card, which has a 7:30 p.m. first race post, the night’s purses total $1,038,000.

The Jug Preview has been carded as races nine through 11 on the 13-race card. In the first division, Stable 45 and the Father & Son Stable’s Western Guy has been installed the 5-2 choice from post five with Scioto’s former longtime leading reinsman David Miller named to drive. The Jake Huff trainee was second in the Hoosier Cup final, and has been a consistent check-getter in stakes events this summer. The son of Western Hanover, with earnings just under $200,000, took his mark of 1:51.1 at the Meadowlands.

Millionaire Western Ace headlines the second division, and is listed at 5-2 from post six with Randy Tharps getting the call. Owned by Teague Inc. and Kovach Stables LLC, the son of Western Ideal won 11 of 14 as a freshman, and has a win and three seconds in his last four outs. The victory was in his Adios elim, and he finished second in that final, as he did in both heats of the Confederation Cup. Trained by George Teague Jr., Western Ace is the richest of the Jug Preview hopefuls with $1,077,148 earned lifetime.

True North Hanover is the 5-2 choice in the third division from post three with Dave Palone. He is one of four Preview horses trained by Meadows-based Mickey Burke, who currently leads all North American trainers by both wins and earnings. True North Hanover, owned by George Leon of Pittsburgh, is a winner of nine of 16 outings this year, including the Cleveland Classic at Northfield and his Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Final last weekend. The son of The Panderosa has earnings of $332,486 and holds a mark of 1:50.4, taken in winning his Adios elimination.

Among the standouts in the Ohio Sires Stakes finals are freshman pacing filly Osborne’s Gypsy, with five wins and a second in six starts; freshman trotting filly Miss Snippy Queen, with 12 wins and two seconds in 14 outings already to her credit; the undefeated freshman pacing colt KF St Patrick, with eight wins in as many tries; and 2-year-old trotting colt Trottin Troy, with six wins from nine starts.

On the sophomore side, morning line favorites are last year’s divisional champion and Ohio Triple Crown winner Van Anna, who goes in the 3-year-old filly pace; pacing gelding I’m Faster, who is riding a long win streak and who is 17 for 22 for the season; trotting gelding Pure Jesse, who is 10-for-14 this year and 19-for-25 lifetime; and one sure to get rousing support at the windows--a 3-year-old trotting filly who has eight wins from 12 starts this season, and a very catchy name--Buck I St. Pat.

Also on tap at Scioto for Super Night is the $25,000 Mystery Voucher giveaway--with 1,000 winners. Vouchers range in value from $10 all the way up to $1,000. A bonus drawing will also be held, with additional vouchers, tickets to the Little Brown Jug, and a pair of tickets to the OSU-Cincinnati football game to be given away. The Ohio State vs. Texas game will also be shown on monitors throughout the track.

The fields for the 37th Jug Preview:

1st Division (race 9)

Post Horse Driver Odds
1 Sandro Hanover Dave Palone 5-1
2 He’s Personal Brad Hanners 6-1
3 Runover Again TBA 8-1
4 Sea Dragon Mike Lachance 8-1
5 Western Guy David Miller 5-2
6 Gran Sasso Dave Palone 9-2
7 Winbak Dimensions Randy Tharps 7-2
8 Tyrant Hanover David Miller 10-1

2nd Division (race 10)

Post Horse Driver Odds
1 Palone Ranger David Miller 8-1
2 Ivegotwhatuneed Dave Palone 9-2
3 Bono Bests J. Duke Sugg 7-2
4 Texas Shootout Dave Palone 5-1
5 Sahara Hall David Miller 6-1
6 Western Ace Randy Tharps 5-2
7 Actionuke Brett Miller 10-1
8 Ab’s Beach Boy David Miller 8-1

3rd Division (race 11)

Post Horse Driver Odds
1 Wiggle Out of This Brad Hanners 5-1
2 Stately’s Hoss David Millers 6-1
3 True North Hanover Dave Palone 5-2
4 Cactus Creek Mike Lachance 7-2
5 Joe To Go Brett Miller 9-2
6 Eagle Real One David Miller 8-1
7 Jandj Art Jeff Fout 8-1
8 Southwind Jason Randy Tharps 10-1
(Scioto)

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