Red Mile: Pelling's stakes quartet led by Miss Jum Jabber in Glen Garnsey

Saturday's final day of the two-week Grand Circuit stay at The Red Mile has a dual purpose for many. For trainer Brett Pelling, who has enjoyed great success in Kentucky during the Sire Stakes season and beyond, Saturday's closing will be the final measuring stick as he prepares for the coming Breeders Crown races at Scioto Downs. With four entered on the stakes-filled Red Mile program, much is riding for Pelling, with the top filly Miss Jum Jabber looking to regain winning form in the Glen Garnsey Memorial and perhaps supplement into the Crown on Monday (October 12).

"I've already sent the check," said Pelling when asked about the Bettor's Wish-sired Miss Jum Jabber that landed the rail and faces 10 rivals in the $212,000 filly stake. "I'll make a [Breeders Crown] decision after Saturday's race."

Now a winner in 13 of her 16 lifetime starts and the champion in both Pennsylvania and Kentucky programs, Miss Jum Jabber was nipped on the wire by Hope Hill in last Saturday's (October 3) Bluegrass division, losing by a head after cutting the mile. Pelling saw the tables turned on his filly when Hope Hill, a daughter of Papi Rob Hanover, pulled off the upset less than two weeks after finishing a distant second behind Miss Jum Jabber in the $400,000 Kentucky Championships over the same track.

"That was her first start for the Engblom barn and she was much better," said Pelling of Hope Hill, who drew post two right next to the pole position of Miss Jum Jabber on Saturday.

With $625K earned this year, Miss Jum Jabber has done some of her best racing while coming off-the-pace and finishing with an explosive burst of speed. Her 24 4/5 closing quarter in a Kentucky Championship Series event on September 13 served notice just how quick she is, but since then two starts on the front-end may have been another factor that led to a rare defeat.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

"Drawing the rail could be a bit tricky for her," said Pelling, recognizing a down-the-road type of mission may work against his filly. "Coming off the Kentucky Championship and knowing she would be racing four straight weeks, I might have gone a little easy on her in training."

With 11 entered, clearly Hope Hill is the main threat with Dexter Dunn again in the bike following a 1:49 victory where she out-sprinted Miss Jum Jabber with a 26 1/5 final quarter.

Pelling wasn't as lucky with the draw in Saturday's richest contest as Sea Bistro Hanover landed post eight in the $365,000 Tattersalls carded as race 11, and the last of the Grand Circuit meeting.

"He's had nothing but bad draws lately," said Pelling, obviously pointing to post nine in the Kentucky Championship Series final, a race he finished third behind division leader Brandon Blvd and post eight in last Saturday's (October 3) Bluegrass division where he finished third behind Beau Jangles.

"Well, I'm at least glad the top two horses aren't in there this week," said Pelling, referring to Brandon Blvd, who is resting this week and Beau Jangles, who will race in Saturday's Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series final at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Sea Bistro Hanover had been rock-solid, mostly over the Red Mile strip the last two months, and has hit the board in 14 of his 15 starts this year.

"I think he should be good in there," said Pelling. "I'm looking forward to getting him off the mile track and think he may benefit from the five-eighths at Scioto."

The reference of course is the Breeders Crown with Sea Bistro Hanover battle-tested.

Trainer Ron Burke will send out four in the Tattersalls, with a pair of Little Brown Jug horses making their first starts since the two-heat affair at the Delaware County Fairgrounds on September 24. Melillo (post one) and Al Papi (post two) are both looking to regain winning form. Melillo finished second behind Redland Rocket Man in the Jug final, but stablemate Al Papi likely did more of the work in that mile. Burke also has Ubrute (post nine) coming off a solid placing behind Beau Jangles in the Bluegrass.

Pelling has a pair of outsiders in two of the Allerage finals, with Rocket Deo (post three) entered in the $67,000 Open Mare Pace carded as race two and Dandy Ideal (post three) entered in the $145,000 Allerage Open Horse and Gelding division going as race nine.

"Rocket Deo has been racing solid all year," said Pelling. "There's only five in there and Twin B Joe Fresh is coming off a big mile, so there probably isn't going to be much pace."

Still, Pelling feels the 5-year-old daughter of Captaintreacherous should be ready for a solid mile. "I think she can be third or better in there," said Pelling.

As for Dandy Ideal, the 4-year-old by American Ideal captured the Grade 1 Dan Patch at Hoosier Park in August in an epic performance but has since struggled to maintain his winning form. "He just arrived six days ago," Pelling said on Wednesday. "Hopefully we can have him better for the Breeders Crown."

Though Pelling was still getting to know Dandy Ideal, he is quite familiar with his family. "I trained his dam Ok Heavenly and she was a pretty nice mare," Pelling said of the daughter of Sportswriter he campaigned from 2017-19.

Prince Hal Hanover enters the Allerage following a seventh-place finish in the Dayton Derby on October 3, but those that watched that contest saw him locked-in with no room through the stretch drive. A 4-year-old by Captaintreacherous, Prince Hal Hanover looks to rebound for trainer Dr. Ian Moore from post six in Saturday's contest.

Ken Hanover will be looking for his third victory in his last four starts in the Allerage. The Roland Mallar-trained veteran enjoyed a huge September, winning both the Ewart at Scioto Downs and Hoosier Park Pacing Derby two weeks later at Hoosier Park. Ken Hanover drew post seven.

The Engblom stable sends out three in the field with Lou Hill (post one), Coaches Corner (post two) and Admiral Hill (post four) dominating the inside part of the starting gate. Coaches Corner has had to deal with some difficult trips and unlucky draws in the last six weeks and may be closing in on a winning performance.

First post for Saturday's Red Mile program is listed at 1:00 p.m. (EDT).