Harness: It’s My Show is Little Brown Jug bound

When the entries for Sunday’s octet of $400,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes at The Red Mile were revealed on Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 13) a noticeable absentee was 3-year-old pacer It’s My Show.

The North America Cup winner, who won a Sire Stakes leg on August 14 in a remarkable 1:46 4/5 over the Red Mile surface, was certainly eligible to compete, but perhaps the presence of divisional leader Confederate (8-7-1-0, 1:46) played into the decision by owners Richard and Joanne Young along with It’s My Show’s trainer Linda Toscano.

“That’s a funny question,” said Richard Young when asked if he is trying to avoid racing against Confederate. “Did I duck Confederate to enter a $1 million race of which I’m eligible and where I’ll be one of the favorites? I can’t win. I was criticized for not putting up $83,000 to enter in the [Meadowlands] Pace. Now I’m likely to be criticized for entering a race that I’m eligible for that goes for a $1 million. We enter the races that are the most logical and with the best possible rate of return. We don’t choose to not enter a race because of a horse.”

It is worth noting that a third-place finish in the Little Brown Jug, which has a total purse for both heats of $1,000,000, is worth a similar amount as finishing second in the Kentucky Sire Stakes final.

“We just couldn’t resist the opportunity to compete in the Little Brown Jug,” said Richard Young, who earlier was against the idea. “When you think about it, winning the Jug is a once in a lifetime opportunity, not just for me but also for Linda.”

It’s My Show has won eight of 11 starts in 2023 and sits third in earnings among all horses this year with $623,584.

Entries for the 78th Little Brown Jug, which will be contested on Thursday, September 21, are due this weekend. The card will also feature a number of Grand Circuit races for horses of all ages.