Jug Fantasy Stable Contest Handicapping Tips
From 2008 Champion;  2009 Contest Begins In May
 

By Tom White

It is now just days until this year’s Jug Fantasy Stable contest gets underway on Jugbarn.com. and Barry Pon, a retired insurance underwriter from Edmonton, Alberta, and defending champion of the Jug Fantasy Stable contest, gives some do’s and don’ts to prospective players. 

Mr. Pon rallied from third place going into Jug Week to win the 2008 Jug Fantasy Stable contest sponsored by the Delaware County Fair, home of the Little Brown Jug, and www.harnessracing.com, the daily news web site of The Horseman and Fair World magazine.

Sign-ups for the Jug Fantasy Stable contest begin in May 14 and the first race in this year’s contest is the Hoosier Cup Final on May 30 at Hoosier Park.  Players collect points if their horses are among the top five finishers in each race.  Each player must select 10 three-year-old pacers and must “activate” five of their 10 horses for each contest race.  There is no entry fee so sign up at www.jugbarn.com.  

“I selected what I thought were the most successful horses to date,” said Pon.  “I do take into consideration the types of races the horses competed in as two-year-olds.  The higher profile driver-trainer combinations also are very important.  I try and watch as many three-year-old stakes races as possible leading up to the beginning of the contest. 

“Get into the Contest from day one,” urged the ‘08 winner, “since missing the first scoring race can put you 50 to 60 points behind.   That’s what happened to me in 2006 and I did not do very well.” 

The two draft periods are also important said Pon.  “Pick out the hot horses at the start and again during the two draft periods.”  This was really key to Pon’s success last year when he selected Jug winner Shadow Play and third place finisher Art Official in the second draft which was held after the Cane Pace Final.  Somebeachsomewhere, who did not race in the Jug but was eligible, and Badlands Nitro, who was third to Shadow Play in the first Jug elimination, were Pon’s big horses through most of the schedule.   Oh, yes, Pon’s wife Susan finished 16th in the final standings.

A complete list of Little Brown Jug eligibles is available on the Jug web site www.littlebrownjug.com.