Meadowlands: Jiggy Jog S rallies to capture Arthur J. Cutler Memorial

Jiggy Jog S, the Dan Patch Award winner for trotting mares last year, shined in her 2024 bow on Saturday night at the Meadowlands, charging off a second-over trip to a 1:50 win for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Ake Svanstedt.

17-1 shot Hillexotic (Yannick Gingras) set up shop on the front-end in a 27 3/5 quarter while Asteroid (Tim Tetrick) and Dover In Motion (David Miller) followed him. Jiggy Jog S and Dunn left a bit from post seven and then grabbed a tuck into the fourth position behind Dover In Motion. They remained in straight alignment to the half in 55 3/5, but Miller tipped Dover In Motion to the outside past that marker, giving Jiggy Jog S live cover to follow.

Hillexotic and Dover In Motion hooked up in a battle on the last turn and were stride-for-stride at the 1:23 3/5 three-quarters, but Dover In Motion wore down the pace-setter and forged his way to a narrow lead in the upper part of the stretch. Dunn cut Jiggy Jog S three-wide for the drive, though, and she quickly moved by Dover In Motion and then pulled clear to tally by a pair of lengths. Asteroid, another Svanstedt trainee, beat out Dover In Motion on the wire for second at 68-1, and last year's champion Venerate (Scott Zeron) was fourth. Another Svanstedt pupil, Southwind Tyrion (driven by Svanstedt), came in fifth.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

"She had an amazing year last year, and she's actually grown a lot," noted Dunn. "I saw her this year, and I was like 'she's gotten so much bigger and filled out.' She was pretty fresh tonight. In the post parade usually she's pretty relaxed and pretty chill, but I think she's happy to be back at the races.

"There was no plan, Ake and Sarah (Svanstedt) just leave it up to me. She wanted to leave out of there pretty quick, so I sort of had to go with her a little bit, and then we got a good spot and got great cover after that. When I moved her over there off David's helmet, she really laid down the speed we know she's got."

Following a sale, Jiggy Jog S has new owners this year (Ake Svanstedt Inc., Steve Stewart, John Lengacher and Hickory Hollow Stables) and that means more appearances against male foes are in Jiggy Jog S's future.

"Fingers crossed everything goes good. I think she'll be racing the boys most of the year this year, so she's going to have to be on top of her game, but she's a special mare," Dunn said. "She only had one qualifier but Ake and Sarah have them ready. They get a lot of miles under their legs, and she was ready to go tonight."

A 5-year-old Walner mare bred by Vestmarka AB, Jiggy Jog S won for the 19th time in her career and has now earned $2,233,048. She was the 4-5 favorite and paid $3.80 to win.