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The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, September 25, 2001-19 Milto' Bttor D tiht caims Littie Brown Jug Local colt outduels Real Desire for win Locally-owned Bettors Delight won the duel with archrival and fellow Canadian Real Desire over the final quanter-mile to give driver Mike Lachance a record-tying fiflh victory in Thursday's Little Brown Jug in Delaware, Obio. The three-year-old colt -owned by Homby's John Grant - grabbed the lead from Four Starzzz Sbark after a brief tussle approaching the quarter, and held it until challenged by Real Desire past the baîf in :55.3. The pair staged an epic third-quarler bat- tde, with Bettors Deligbt - on the rail - refusing to yield to Real Desire on the out- side. Bettors Delight stuck his head back in front around the final tumn and then pow- ered down the stretch to win by one-and-a- quarter lengthu in 1:51.4. "AIl the credit goes to (tramner) Scott McEneny and his groom Cory Crotta. They've done a heck of a job," Lachance said in the winner's circle. Sr. Royals blanked by St, Thomas "A montb ago we thought bis (Bettors Delight) career was over and it's taken a lot of teamnwork and bard work to get bim this good again." Added McEneny, "He was huge, he did- n't give an inch. This (win) is for my mom and dad (who both passed away this year). I'm stunned. It hasn't sunk in yet." The victory, worth $256,481I from a iug- record purse of $646,050, was Bentors Delight's eighth of the year. He also had four seconds in 13 starts for season eam- ings in excess of $1.5 million. Career-wise, he is at $2,308,514. Earlier this summer, the Catns Card Shark colt Bishop Reding's senior football team hopes to implement more passing in its attack this year. But week one efforts toward that end felI far short of the mark - as did hopes for a home-opening win against Oakville's St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders. The Royals had trouble executing at piv- osaI points during the rainy aftemoon clash and were whitewashed 2 1-0. Andrew Pepper threw a couple of inter- ceptions - including one on bis first tbrow of the season that was quickly converted into a touchdown - while bis offensive counterparts seemed to lack cohesion when it was needed most. However, veteran coach Joe Jurus didn't lay blamne on bis new quarterback - or for that matter anyone on the field. "We've got some guys playing football for the first time and others who've switched positions, s0 our execution wan a little off' BR's skipper explained. "Now I've got to do a better job of play gamnes." The Royals had a couple of big opportu- nities to breakout the shutout down the stretch - but were robbed when Dave Wynne's 42-yard field goal bounced wide after hitting the cross-bar and the opposing defense stopped them on the nine-yard line following a lengthy drive in the fourth quarter. Said Jurus. "They (St. Thomas Aquinas) only had 70 more yards than we did, so it wasn't a total blowout.'* BR's coach did see anme positive things to build on - specifically solid efforts by retumrees Mark Gribbon, Mant Ishoy and Ryan Taylor. St. Thomas Aquinas scored on its second possession of the day and added two more majors in the third quarter to cemnent the victory. The Royals - defending tier one cham- pions - will look to square their record at Burlington Central Friday. They return home to battle the tradition- ally powerful Nelson Lords Thursday, Oct. 4, Çawys ii'u is 3:30 pii. captured the $1.1 million North America Cup at Woodbine. Real Desire, trained by Blair Burgess for hts wife Karin Oîsson-Burgess and his father Robent Burgess of Campbellville and U.S.-based Brittany Farms and Perretti Farms, sent his 2001 eamings over the one-million dollar mark with the ultra- gutsy second-place finish. Four Strazzz Shark, who was supple- mented into the race at a fee of $45,000 (U.S.), rounded out the top three. Attending the 56tb edition of the famed Little Brown Jug was a crowd of 52,025, up slightly from last year. 401& GUELPH UINE, EXIl MOI 940O GMRI LE (AMPDELLYILLI,G ON - 95-854-4053 60 FO FUI, UOI500100 5AM.W IIY15tOtAIO I05O6UM6 0011105 l-3305.Mt MI t9YOISAR000005 Driver Mike Lechance and Iocally-owned Bettors Delight Mohawk RACETRACK SLOTS::