Little Brown Jug Win Caps Off Crazy Good 10 Days for Anderson

The 3-year-old pacing gelding Captain Barbossa didn’t look that good on paper in Thursday’s Little Brown Jug, one of harness racing’s most prestigious races. He was 0 for 11 on the year and 3 for 25 lifetime and was facing some of the best horses in his division. Even co-owner David Anderson conceded that victory seemed unlikely.

But Captain Barbossa came through, finishing second in the first heat and then winning the final by 1 1/2 lengths. He may not have been the best horse in the race, but he had the hottest owner. Since the first day of the Keeneland September sale, Anderson, a self-described “little guy from Canada,” is on a run he never could have imagined.

“I’m in quarantine now and I’m ready to bust out and buy a lottery ticket,” he said from his home in Ontario. “That’s how lucky I feel right now.”

It started on the first day of the Keeneland sale when his Anderson Farms sold a Medaglia d’Oro filly out of Orchard Beach (Tapit) for $1.6 million to Shadwell. It was the most ever paid at auction for one of his horses. Six days later, a horse he bred, Gretzky the Great (Nyquist), won the GI Summer S. at Woodbine, which is a “Win and You’re In” race for the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Then came his win in the Jug.

The streak of good results continued Sunday when another horse Anderson bred, Hard Not to Love (Hard Spun), was a late-closing second in the GII Zenyatta S. at Santa Anita.

“I’ve been around this business long enough and having grown up in it, I know the highs are so high and the lows can be so low,” he said. “When you are fortunate enough to have a run like I had you just kind of sit back and enjoy it. You always know what is around the corner.”

While luck is often involved when someone goes on a tear like this, Anderson’s streak is the result of years of planning. He took over Anderson Farms when his father, Bob, died in 2010 and hit the reset button. He sold every mare he had but one and would also decide to cut back on the farm’s Standardbred operation.

His plan was to focus on quality. He now has 25 mares, which, he says, is a threefold increase from what he had just four years ago.

The first foal out of Orchard Beach was bought for $1.1 million by Coolmore and became a Group III winner in England, so Anderson had high expectations when the dam’s latest yearling entered the Keeneland ring.

“When you get it to that level at Keeneland, where you have the biggest owners in the world in on her, it becomes a question of who wants her most,” he said. “Did I think she was a $1-million filly? Absolutely. She’s the best filly I ever raised and certainly the most athletic. I was very proud and very humbled and thrilled that Shadwell got her.”

Anderson sold nine yearlings at Keeneland for a combined $2,433,000. The hope is that one or more will turn out to be as good as some of the stars produced by Anderson in recent years. Hard Not to Love is a Grade I winner who has earned over $530,000. Anderson also bred Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d’Oro), the 2018 Queen’s Plate S. winner whose earnings topped $1.5 million.

“I don’t think of myself as being a big breeder,” he said. “I have a small broodmare band and we’re kind of grassroots people. We do it old school. I have surrounded myself with the best people and we’ve been very, very lucky.”

Standardbreds were a major part of the Anderson operation under Bob Anderson. But his son decided to focus his attentions on breeding Thoroughbreds and got out of the Standardbred game. When the Thoroughbred operation got to be on solid footing, he ventured back into harness racing, starting at the 2017 sales.

“After building up our Thoroughbred broodmare band, I decided to dip my toe back in the water with the Standardbreds,” he said.  “I had been down the breeding route. My business model is to breed and sell Thoroughbreds and buy and race Standardbreds. I love racing Standardbreds. I love the people. I am hoping I can continue to buy a couple every year and continue to get lucky.”

Anderson and partners paid $70,000 for Captain Barbossa at the 2018 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. Up until the Jug, it looked like the best they could have hoped for from the son of Captaintreacherous was that he would continue to pick up checks. He had made most of the major 3-year-old pacing events, but couldn’t find the winner’s circle.

“This horse has been such a bad luck horse in terms of the draws,” Anderson said. “We were a victim of bad draws. Maybe he’s not the best horse out there but we always thought he was a good horse.”

To win the Jug a horse must qualify in a heat and then come back a few hours later to race in the finals. Captain Barbossa was sent off at 20-1 in his heat and managed to finish second. It was then that Anderson started to believe his horse had a serious chance of winning the final.

The Little Brown Jug is harness racing’s most unique race. It is held on a Thursday afternoon as part of the Delaware (Ohio) County Fair. It doesn’t have the biggest purse in the sport, but it is rich in tradition and, in non-COVID years, can attract crowds in the neighborhood of 50,000.

“There is so much history,” Anderson said. “It’s a race that every owner wants to win. That trophy is such a unique trophy. Everyone in racing knows what it is and what it represents.”

This time Captain Barbossa got the perfect trip, sitting third behind the two heat winners who battled through fast early fractions. Driven by Joe Bongiorno, the gelding passed the tired leaders, took over approaching the far turn and could not be caught.

“The Little Brown Jug. What can I say? It’s America’s race,” Anderson said. “To win that and be on that wall with so many other great champions, so many other great owners , trainers and drivers, it’s a real feather in my cap. I have a lot of people to be thankful for.”

 

 

 

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Juvenile Turf Next Goal For Nyquist’s Son Gretzky The Great Following Summer Stakes Score

Gretzky the Great netted his second added-money trophy in taking Sunday's Grade 1, $250,000 Summer Stakes, a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Series race, at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

Trained by Mark Casse for owners Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, the son of Nyquist bred by Anderson Farms Ontario survived an inquiry after coming in during mid-stretch against pacesetter and runner-up Ready to Repeat in the one-mile grass engagement for 2-year-olds.

It was Ready to Repeat, under Luis Contreras, who broke on top after briefly acting up in the starting gate. Trained by Gail Cox, who co-owns the Kentucky-bred gelding with John Menary, Michael Ambler and Windways Farm, the Victoria Stakes champ led his six rivals through an opening quarter-mile in :24.10 over an E.P. Taylor Turf Course listed as “firm.”

Gretzky the Great, with Kazushi Kimura in the irons, sat second, while Secret Potion was third, and American Monarch positioned in fourth.

Ready to Repeat was still comfortably in front by two lengths after a half in :47.82, as Kimura kept the leader in his sights. Secret Potion and American Monarch continued their tussle behind the front duo, as Dolder Grand began to close ground from sixth.

As the field rounded the turn for home, Kimura roused Gretzky the Great to engage Ready to Repeat, and the bay colt responded with an impressive outside surge, striking front and looking to put away a determined foe.

A half-length on top at the stretch call, Gretzky the Great went on to notch a 3 1/4-length win in a time of 1:34.53. Ready to Repeat finished one length in front of Dolder Grand for second, with American Monarch finishing fourth.

Heat of the Night, Secret Potion and Download rounded out the order of finish.

“He is such an amazing horse,” said Kimura, who recorded his first Grade 1 win. “When I came to the final turn then come through the final stretch, he had a tremendous explosion. He sometimes was a little bit lugging in, but he's just still a baby.”

The Summer represented the third consecutive winner's circle trip for Gretzky the Great.

After a second in his first career start on July 12, Gretzky the Great broke his maiden courtesy of a 4 1/4-length win on August 2. That was followed up by a neck nod in the Soaring Free Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course on August 23.

“First time out it was only five furlongs on the (Woodbine Inner) turf, then when he won the first time I was like, 'Oh, that will be a stakes horse for the future,'” offered Kimura. “And then winning a stakes and now got a Grade 1, he's such a nice horse.”

The next goal on Gretzky the Great's stat sheet could be a date in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland on November 6.

“He's a so easy horse – I mean to control,” said Kimura. “If I want to do something, I can do anything.”

Gretzky the Great paid $6.80, $3.30 and $3. The 4-3 exactor with Ready to Repeat ($5, $4) returned $22.60. Dolder Grand ($4.10) finished off a 4-3-7 triactor worth $115.70, with American Monarch completing a $1 superfecta worth $220.70.

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Gretzky the Great Skates to Win in GI Summer S.

Gretzky the Great (Nyquist), who became freshman sire Nyquist (Uncle Mo)’s first stakes winner in August, became his second Grade I winner less than a month later with a victory in Sunday’s GI Summer S. at Woodbine. The score in the “Win and You’re In” event punched Gretzky the Great’s ticket to the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and gave Japanese-born jockey Kazushi Kimura his first career Grade I triumph.

Unveiled going five furlongs on the local turf July 12, the Ontario-bred was runner-up to re-opposing rival Ready to Repeat before graduating by open lengths in an off-the-turfer there Aug. 2. Getting up late to capture the 6 1/2-furlong Soaring Free S. three weeks later, Gretzky the Great was made a narrow favorite here.

Coming away well, the bay deferred to draft in behind of Ready to Repeat in the two path for the long run up the backstretch. Traveling comfortably past fractions of :24.10 and :47.82, he was given just a nudge by Kimura three-eighths out and sidled up alongside the pacesetter soon after straightening for home as the top two separated themselves from the pack. Overtaking Ready to Repeat past the three-sixteenths pole, he quickly kicked clear while briefly lugging into his foe’s path and cruised home much the best. An inquiry was taken into the winner’s drifting, but the result stood.

“He is such an amazing horse,” said Kimura. “Through the final stretch, he had a tremendous explosion. He sometimes was lugging in a little bit, but he’s just still a baby. First time out it was only five furlongs, then when he won I was like, ‘Oh, that will be a stakes horse for the future.’ And then winning a stakes and now he’s got a Grade I, he’s such a nice horse.”

Pedigree Notes:

Already the second Grade I winner for Darley’s first-crop sensation Nyquist–following GI Spinaway S. victress Vequist–Gretzky the Great is the second foal to race out of MSP Pearl Turn. Bought by Anderson Farms for $310,000 at Keeneland November in 2016, she has a yearling Quality Road colt and visited Uncle Mo this spring.

Sunday, Woodbine
SUMMER S.-GI, C$280,500, Woodbine, 9-20, 2yo, 1mT, 1:34.53, fm.
1–GRETZKY THE GREAT, 122, c, 2, by Nyquist
                1st Dam: Pearl Turn (MSP, $182,560), by Bernardini
                2nd Dam: Turn Me Loose, by Kris S.
                3rd Dam: Adoradancer, by Danzig Connection
   1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($295,000 RNA
Ylg ’19 FTKOCT). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Gary
Barber; B-Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. (ON); T-Mark E. Casse;
J-Kazushi Kimura. C$180,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0,
$252,205. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk
   Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*
2–Ready to Repeat, 122, g, 2, More Than Ready–Christine
Daae, by Giant’s Causeway. ($60,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP). O-Gail
Cox, John Menary, Michael James Ambler, and Windways
Farm; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Gail
Cox. C$50,000.
3–Dolder Grand, 122, c, 2, Candy Ride (Arg)–Tamboz, by Tapit.
($800,000 2yo ’20 OBSAPR). O-D. J. Stable LLC; B-Dell Ridge
Farm, LLC (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. C$27,500.
Margins: 3 1/4, 1, HF. Odds: 2.40, 4.85, 5.85.
Also Ran: American Monarch, Heat of the Night, Secret Potion, Download. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Casse Pair Headlines ‘Win And You’re In’ Summer Stakes At Woodbine

Seven first-year stars take their talents to the E.P. Taylor Turf Course in Sunday's Grade 1 $250,000 Summer Stakes, part of a sensational stakes-stacked weekend at Woodbine.

The one-mile Summer Stakes is a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, “Win and You're In” event. Up for grabs is a fees-paid date in the one-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (accompanied by a $1 million purse), to be run on November 6 at Keeneland.

Mark Casse will send out a pair of hopefuls, Dolder Grand and Gretzky the Great, in the Summer, a race he has won on three occasions. The Hall of Fame conditioner netted the natural hat trick from 2013-15, starting with My Conquestadory, followed by Conquest Typhoon and Conquest Daddyo.

Dolder Grand, a Kentucky-bred son of Candy Ride, finished third in his career bow on August 23 at Woodbine. With Patrick Husbands in the irons, the D J Stable silk-bearer was bumped in the stretch, but rallied to secure the show spot in the seven-furlong race run over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

“He reminds me a bit of War of Will,” said Casse, in referencing his Ricoh Woodbine Mile starter and Preakness champ. “They paid a lot of money [$800,000] for him – D J Stable – and he's trained very well. I was a little disappointed in his first start, but I can remember War of Will doing the exact same thing. When I ran War of Will first time out, I didn't think he'd get beat and he finished third, beaten like five lengths.”

Casse liked the effort shown by the dark bay, bred by Dell Ridge Farm.

“This horse ran well in that he never gave up. I think he's going to improve big time off his maiden race. He's also trained extremely well. I expect him to be a factor in the Summer.”

After a runner-up effort in his first career start on July 12, Gretzky the Great could net a natural hat trick of his own with a win on Saturday.

Owned by Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, the son of Nyquist, bred by Anderson Farms Ontario, broke his maiden via a 4 ¼-length victory on August 2. The bay colt followed it up with a gutsy neck score in the Soaring Free Stakes, traveling 6 ½ panels on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course on August 23.

Casse's hoping for another great one this weekend.

“He's been great so far. He's come to play each time and he's run hard. He's also training well.”

American Monarch, a two-year-old son of American Pharoah, will look to build off a sharp debut on August 8 at Saratoga. The Bill Mott trainee, bred and owned by Mike Rutherford, posted a half-length win in a 1 1/16 mile turf engagement contested over “firm” going.

Mott is seeking his third Summer score after taking the 2007 running with Prussian and the 2016 edition with Good Samaritan.

A dark bay son of Society's Chairman, Download uploaded a win to his stat sheet after a maiden-breaking score on August 23. In his third career start, the Ontario-bred colt pulled off the 14-1 upset at seven panels over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course. Trainer Michael De Paulo co-owns with Zilli Racing Stables, Le Amici Racing Stable and Samotowka Stables.

Heat of the Night, a gelded son of Summer Front, delivered an 11-1 win in his career bow on September 3 at Gulfstream. Trained by Timothy Hamm, the Kentucky-bred, owned by Blazing Meadows Farms and Fred Hertich, took the one-mile turf race by one length. The Summer marks the Canadian debut for Heat of the Night.

Victoria Stakes champ Ready to Repeat is 2-1-1 from four starts. Trained by Gail Cox, who co-owns the Kentucky-bred gelding with John Menary, Michael Ambler and Windways Farm, the bay was third in his most recent test, the Soaring Free Stakes on August 23 at Woodbine. Ready to Repeat finished second in his career bow on June 14 before going on to win his next two starts.

Secret Potion just missed in his debut, losing by a half-length in the 1 1/16-mile turf race at Saratoga on August 8. Owned by Peter Brant, Robert LaPenta and Woodford Racing, the son of Into Mischief was bred in Kentucky by Dixiana Farms.

Last year, Decorated Invader, under Irad Ortiz Jr., won the Summer in a time of 1:36.34.

The Summer (Race 7) and Natalma Stakes (Race 9) will be broadcast live on TSN2 from 4-6 p.m. ET.

First race post time on Sunday is set for 1:10 p.m. Fans can wager on all the action via HPIbet.com.

FIELD FOR THE SUMMER STAKES

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Download – Daisuke Fukumoto – Michael De Paulo

2 – Secret Potion – Rafael Hernandez – Chad Brown

3 – Ready to Repeat – Luis Contreras – Gail Cox

4 – Gretzky the Great – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse

5 – American Monarch – Justin Stein – Bill Mott

6 – Heat of the Night – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Timothy Hamm

7 – Dolder Grand – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

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