Little Brown Jug remains a Delaware County Fair tradition

DELAWARE, Ohio ( WCMH ) — The annual Little Brown Jug race took place on Thursday at the Delaware County Fair, which has hosted the race since 1946.

The event is known as the Triple Crown of harness racing, showing the capabilities of three-year-old pacers while allowing drivers like Dexter Dunn to show what they are made of.

Watch: Little Brown Jug remains a Delaware County Fair tradition

“It’s a race week I always look forward to, you know, coming here and being a part of it, you get to catch up with a lot of people, everyone’s here and the racing is great,” Dunn said.

Dunn, originally from New Zealand, has been competing in the Jug for 6 years. This event means so much to him because he remembers what it was like seeing this race as a child.

“I used to watch the Jug when I was back in New Zealand years ago when I was young, you know, it’s, it’s always been one of those races, always paid attention to,” Dunn said. “You always wished and hoped to be there one day as a spectator or as racing so, you know, it’s such a prestigious race and it’s great to be a part of it.”

One special moment not everyone gets to see is the horses waiting for their races. Many of the racers can be excited, while others can be calm and comforting. For some caretakers like Diana Riegle, being with the horses is the best part of the day.

“This is my favorite week of the year,” Riegle said. “I’ve been around, I was born into the horse business, this is my, like I said, my favorite week of the year, favorite day of the year. So I don’t like missing it.”

Throughout the day, fans such as Lori Draper packed grandstands cheering and clapping with enthusiasm, watching races on the most famous half-mile track.

“This is my first time here, we came on a bus from Ontario and it’s been awesome,” Draper said. “I’m going to come back the next year and the next year.”

Another fan, James Ross, has been coming to the Little Brown Jug since 1999 and he was able to make some accurate predictions about Thursday’s final race.

“I think the number two Captain Albano is going to win,” Ross said. “Because it’s faster than these other horses.”

After the final race of the evening, Captain Albano, with driver Todd McCarthy, was crowned the winner of the Little Brown Jug, taking home $525,000 from the purse.

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