Canadian-owned Shadow Play wins Little Brown Jug

A half-hour before the second heat of the Little Brown Jug, Shadow Play was hurting badly.

But the three-year-old Canadian-owned pacing colt overcame a hoof separation to win the $551,225 US Little Brown Jug on Thursday at Delaware County Fairgrounds in Ohio, pulling away for a 6 1/4-length victory in the second leg of the pacing Triple Crown.

The colt suffered the separation in winning the first elimination heat.

"He had shown no signs of lameness prior to the first heat of the race," said trainer Dr. Ian Moore, a veterinarian from Charlottetown.

Shadow Play was driven to victory by Ohio native David Miller. The horse is owned in part by NHL hall of famer Serge Savard, along with trainer Moore and the R.G. McGroup of Bathurst, N.B.

After his first heat, Shadow Play was noticeably lame and Moore found the problem in the heel of his right front foot. It was questionable if Shadow Play would be sound enough to return for the second heat.

Moore and horseshoer Eric Wilt worked feverishly to get him ready for his biggest race. The colt was shod with a leather pad to alleviate the discomfort.

"Thirty minutes before the final heat, I wasn't sure he was going to be able to race," admitted Miller.

Moore told Miller, "Take him out for the post parade for the second heat. If he's lame, just bring him back and we'll scratch him."

Shadow Play pulls away

Miller found that Shadow Play was sound as he loosened up in the final minutes before the second heat.

The black colt paced a mile in 1:50 1-5. He took the lead at start and set a slow pace, then pulled away in the final quarter.

The two-heat win in the Jug gives Shadow Play 12 wins in 21 starts this season. After winning his elimination heat impressively, Shadow Play went off as the favourite and paid $3.20, $2.20, and $2.10 to win.

The other qualifying heats for the Jug final were won by Lonestar Legend and pre-race favourite Art Official. The first three finishers in each qualifying heat returned for the final heat.

Shadow Play earned $255,768 in the Jug, bringing his 2008 earnings to $617,904.

After the race, Moore praised Shadow Play by saying, "Sometimes, good athletes can play through pain."

Shadow Play was favoured by the crowd and a $2 wager on him paid $3.20, $2.20, and $2.10.

Miller's second win in Delaware

Art Official won the Cane Pace, the first leg of pacing's Triple Crown, at Freehold Raceway in New Jersey on Sept. 1.

It was Miller's second driving victory in the Little Brown Jug, a race particularly dear to him since he grew up in nearby Columbus.

"It feels great to win the Jug," said Miller. "It's something you dream about all your life."

Some people expressed disappointment that Somebeachsomewhere, the top-rated three-year-old pacer in harness racing, skipped the Jug because his trainer didn't like the race format that could require a horse to race three one-mile heats in one day.

Shadow Play and driver Miller won the first elimination heat in 1:50, a time that matched the fastest mile in the Jug history.

Miller also won the second elimination with Lonestar Legend in 1:49 3-5, which broke the Jug record.

That left Miller with a choice of picking between Shadow Play or Lonestar Legend for the second heat.

"I came here to drive Shadow Play," said Miller in announcing his decision from the winner's circle after the second elimination heat.

It proved to be the right choice.