Harrah's Philadelphia: Wiggle It Jiggleit wins comeback qualifier

Making his first charted appearance on the track in nearly three years, 2015 Horse of the Year Wiggle It Jiggleit qualified back sharply with a victory in 1:53 4/5 at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Tuesday (August 20) morning.

Starting from the outer post five, Wiggle It Jiggleit tucked third for regular driver Montrell Teague in a 28 4/5 opening quarter. The Clyde Francis trainee sat patiently through fractions of 58 1/5 and 1:26 1/5 before edging off the cones at the head of the lane and sprinting the final quarter in 27 seconds to win by about a neck in 1:53 4/5.

"He was good," said Montrell Teague. "The main thing is that he came out of it good."

Wiggle It Jiggleit last started in October 28, 2016 when he was second in the Breeders Crown Open Pace final at The Meadowlands behind Always B Miki. Despite multi attempts at a comeback from a nagging back issue that has plagued him his entire career, co-owner George Teague Jr has kept him on the sidelines rather than qualify or race the career winner of $3.9 million and tarnish his reputation.

For his career, Wiggle It Jiggleit has won 38 of 51 races and ranks seventh all-time in earnings in North America behind Foiled Again. The now 7-year-old son of Mr Wiggles is expected to qualify multiple times before racing in a pari-mutuel event.

"He's still a good month from from being race-ready for the type of horses he'll be facing," said George Teague Jr.