Jiggy Jog S continues hot in trotting filly Crown
MILTON, October 29, 2022 – Jiggy Jog S and driver Dexter Dunn waited as long as they could, then moved first-over in the $675,000 (U.S.) Breeders Crown Championship for three-year-old trotting fillies Saturday at Woodbine Mohawk Park. But the difficult journey through the last half hampered the daughter of Walner not at all, as she went on strongly to record a stake, track, and Canadian record of 1:51.1 – and made the discussion about Trotter of the Year become that much more interesting.
Misswalner Fashion went to the front at the race’s start, while her stablemate and Oaks winner Fashion Schooner erred right as the gate sprung. Raised By Lindy left strongly from the outside and settled in the two-hole before the :27.1 quarter, and there were no bursts of speed going down the backstretch, as Misswalner Fashion reached the half in a relatively soft :56.1.
Jiggy Jog S, at 2-1, got away third, with 4-5 favorite Joviality S, the top-ranked filly most of the year, right behind her and the talented closer Warrawee Xenia ready to join the flow. That flow started early on the turn, with Jiggy Jog S, Joviality S, and Warrawee Xenia in first-, second-, and third-over position as the field raced mid-far turn towards the 1:24.1 three-quarters.
It was around that point that pacesetter Misswalner Fashion broke and was taken to the infield, with Raised By Lindy (at 53-1) and Jiggy Jog S coming out of the last turn on equal terms. The two covered horses in the outer flow looked well-placed, but with Jiggy Jog S able to come home in :27 on the 45oF/7oC night, neither of those horses could make a great impact; indeed, it was Raised By Lindy who proved most resilient nearing the wire, staying within a length of the winner to the finish. Joviality S went what she could to be third, only another half-length behind, with 117-1 shot Bare My Soul fourth, three parts of a length ahead of last year’s divisional leader Venerable, who completed the top five by winning a three-way photo.
Driver Dunn, who won eight Breeders Crowns in his first three years of full North American driving (winning Driver of the Year each time), picked up his second Crown win of the evening after Bella Bellini – whom Jiggy Jog S succeeded as the winner of this event. “(Jiggy Jog S) was so good last week,” said Dunn after the race, “I came into the race with a lot of confidence. I knew I had Joviality S on my back on the far turn, but my filly went on strong.”
Indeed, Jiggy Jog S was the faster elimination winner last week, beat Joviality S in the Filly Futurity, and won in quicker time in the first Grand Circuit week of Lexington. If the great twosome do not meet again this year, voters will be putting on their thinking caps when the ballots come in December.
Jiggy Jog S is a daughter of super sire Walner (as is Raised By Lindy) out of Hot Mess Hanover; as the “S” at the end of her name indicates, she was bred in Sweden, by Vestmarka AB 531 91. The sophomore provided trainer Åke Svanstedt picked up his second Crown win of the weekend (both with trotting fillies after last night’s Special Way), and she raised his career bankroll to $1,132,185 for owner Jorgen Sparredal Inc. with her eighth win in thirteen seasonal starts.
Jerry Connors, for Woodbine Communications
Grace Martin