When everyone showed up!

[Fuguzzi]

As it appears the best 3 year old pacers this year, including YOU KNOW WHO, will NOT be in the Jug, I realize how much I miss the days when anyone and everyone showed up! Week after Week!

Take for example the greatest Jug field ever assembled, the greatest Jug final ever and by far one of the greatest races in history on a half mile track

1 RIYADH
2 LIFE SIGN
3 PRESIDENTIAL BALL
4 READY TO RUMBLE
5 NATIVE BORN
6 CAPTAIN PANTASTIC
7 GETTING PERSONAL
8 INCORYABLE BIG


Life Sign put forth one of the greatest efforts in history with 3 moves after getting strangled back to 4th when team Robinson shuts him out of every hole, then after barely seeing the rail for 10 seconds is back out and grinding vs Riyadh and finds a God given gear deep stretch to power by handily   OHIO born Gene Riegle gets his only Jug win.

The very pinnacle of Grand Circuit racing

[Jazzman]

was there that day one of the greatest races ever

[Fuguzzi]

How lucky for you!   Thank goodness for youtube. Seeing him accelerate last 1/8 gives me chills every time I see it   

[Fuguzzi]

Forgot to mention - Double World Record that day for Life Sign.

[Brown jug]

lets hope it gets back to similar glory, at least fans show up for it
i think it will be better this year and really good next year, there is a million  reasons why

[Fuguzzi]

 

[Meadow Ford]

The finish line picture of that race (IMHO) is one of the best ever action pictures of horse racing.
Over the years I have had owners complain about their horse wearing a head pole. Especially on the outside.
One owner bitched "First the head pole then the big vet bill".
I show them that picture and say"What about these three? All three right there in The Little Brown Jug, and all three have a head pole on the outside".
Google Harness Horse Life Sign and you will see what I mean.

[Generation XYZ]

With the new purse structure it should attract the best!

[Fuguzzi]

The finish line picture of that race (IMHO) is one of the best ever action pictures of horse racing.
Over the years I have had owners complain about their horse wearing a head pole. Especially on the outside.
One owner bitched "First the head pole then the big vet bill".
I show them that picture and say"What about these three? All three right there in The Little Brown Jug, and all three have a head pole on the outside".
Google Harness Horse Life Sign and you will see what I mean.

Ah, the good old days of burr head poles, gaiting straps and Murphy blinds with a few crit davis or raymond overchecks thrown in for good measure

[hoosierboy]

I was there that day one helluva race

[Meadow Ford]

Top Chicago trainer when asked about head poles.
"Anything not worth putting two burr head poles on ain't worth having"

[theokodjak26]

The best of times were when the fans showed up to watch the best horses. I was at RR when Nevele Pride took on the world’s great trotter Un De Mai (forgive my spelling). At least 35,000 people and the place was electric. With few exceptions very few people show up nowadays for big races. Some people blame OTB and today bet at home options but that’s only a partial reason. What destroyed the sport were chemists and other cheaters which still are prevalent. Do you think a lot of people are going to show up at Pocono Downs this weekend even though there will be great races? No way! The dishonest members and management at the USTA have only themselves to blame for turning their blind eyes to all the cheating. The fans have spoken and this sport has one leg in the grave.

[Fuguzzi]

The best of times were when the fans showed up to watch the best horses. I was at RR when Nevele Pride took on the world’s great trotter Un De Mai (forgive my spelling). At least 35,000 people and the place was electric. With few exceptions very few people show up nowadays for big races. Some people blame OTB and today bet at home options but that’s only a partial reason. What destroyed the sport were chemists and other cheaters which still are prevalent. Do you think a lot of people are going to show up at Pocono Downs this weekend even though there will be great races? No way! The dishonest members and management at the USTA have only themselves to blame for turning their blind eyes to all the cheating. The fans have spoken and thisn sport has one leg in the grave.

In the days you are talking about which i remember fondly, harness racing was everywhere and on everyone's minds for a variety of reasons. Un de Mai was featured on the back page of the Daily News with school chlldren feeding him his beloved donuts.  Sitcoms like All in the Family and I dream of Jeannie featured pictures of trotters and pacers in bars and mancaves. On an Odd Couple Felix and Oscar get a tip at Monticello and go to bet it because there was no NYRA back then on Sunday. Hell there is a classic I Love Lucy where she gets a racehorse and stables and races it at RR. It is filmed on location and uses real drivers in a simulated race that seems to go on forever. Pocono saturday for harness racing alone = maybe 600 people. i go there semi often. The apron is a ghost town Dining room buffet was great and hasn't been open since Covid. speed and mistrust and an archaic USTA murdered this game.

[Open bridle]

First, the jug should forget tradition and eliminate heats. One race with the best 3 yo pacers would be enough. They can't do anything about the track size even though it's turns are very similar to a 5/8. Last, they did increase the purse but I think they had to do something  because last year's jug was pathetically noncompetitive with the horses that entered.

[bumby]

"First, the jug should forget tradition and eliminate heats."

Fans love the heat racing so yeah let's eliminate the heats.  GREAT IDEA!