Jujubee looks for repeat in Breeders Crown

As much that went right for Jujubee (Creatine) in 2021, is as much that has gone wrong for the 4-year-old harness racing trotting stallion in 2022.

Injuries and unhealthiness limited Jujubee’s ability to get on the racetrack this year.

Coming off a 2021 that netted championships in the Kentucky Futurity and Breeders Crown and being named the Dan Patch Award 3-year-old Trotter of the Year, the struggle this year has been real.

Saturday night (Oct. 29), however, Jujubee can wipe away a lot of frustration as he is entered in the Breeders Crown final of the Open Trot worth a purse of $600,000 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

“It’s been pretty frustrating,” said trainer Greg Wright Jr. “Last year, there were no bumps in the road. Really, there wasn’t a plan last year. Everything just fell into place.”

Jujubee will leave from post six with morning-line odds of 7-2.

He won his last race, the Allerage Farms Open Trot, on Oct. 9 in 1:50.2 with a :26.2 last quarter at Lexington’s Red Mile. It was Jujubee’s first win – other than a qualifier – since the Breeders Crown final last Oct. 30.

Jujubee has raced just four times this year after winning 14 of 18 starts with three seconds last year. Jujubee has 17 lifetime wins and earnings of $1.07 million. Andrew McCarthy will hold the reins.

Ecurie D DK (Infinitif, Dexter Dunn) is the favorite at 5-2. Other contenders are Back of the Neck (Ready Cash, Tim Tetrick) at 9-2 and Fashion Frenzie (Archangel, Louis-Philippe Roy) at 5-1.

Wright said there have been a variety of issues, none more problematic than a hairline fracture that kept him on the sidelines for six weeks. The injury was revealed on an MRI but wasn’t picked up on X-rays.

Jujubee was scoped sick after a race in early September and had been battling a virus prior to that race.

In that race Sept. 2 at Eldorado Scioto, Jujubee went to the front and led until the stretch when he broke stride, finishing sixth.

Wright said Jujubee looks good now after swimming at a spa in New Jersey.

“It has been one thing after another. We’re giving him his shot. We feel he is coming into this sharp. We are hoping he can finish off the year good.

“Andy has jumped back on the bike. He trusts and likes the horse.” — Greg Wright Jr.

After last year’s performance, owner John Erdner was approached about selling Jujubee. He and Wright thought Jujubee would enjoy a big 4-year-old season.

Wright said Erdner has been patient and puts Jujubee’s health at the forefront.

“These kinds of things happen to a lot of racehorses,” Erdner said. “It has taken a long time to get him tight. He feels good.

“(Winning another Breeders Crown) would be very nice. It doesn’t happen often. It’s just good to be in it.”

And if Jujubee repeats?

“We’ll wait to see the result,” Erdner said. “If he wins, it will probably solidify our position.”

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by John Sacco, for the Breeders Crown