Published in Harness Racing Update by Bob Hayden
On Jug Day, Sept. 19, 1999, JET LAAG, a 6-year-old son of Laag trained by Linda Toscano for Ira Schwartz, Alan Minkoff and the Zooming By Stable, scorched his way around Delaware’s half-miler in 1:49 winning the Senior Jug by 12 lengths. That was two-fifths faster than Stand Forever (1996) and three fifths over Jenna’s Beach Boy’s 1:49.3 that same year. JET LAAG’s mile was the fastest on a half-miler in harness racing history.
Since it was less than four months to the end of the 20th century, the top four, and eight of the top nine, of the entire century were taken in Delaware, OH. Only a 1:50.4 by Silver Almahurst at Yonkers in 1993 prevented a clean sweep.
Linda Toscano was, is, shall we say fond of JET LAAG.
“What a cool horse to be around,” Toscano said. “Eleven-thousand-dollar yearling. I broke him, and at 2 he just couldn’t get it together. He needed time, and at 3, he was as slick-gaited as you can get. Fun, fun horse. I remember the year before [1998] when we drew post 8 at Delaware in the Hi Ho Silverheel’s year. I told my owners it probably didn’t make a lot of sense going. We scratched him.
“In 1999, the BLISSFULL HALL Jug year, I was able to get Luc Ouellette to come and drive him. I absolutely knew he could do something crazy good over this track. Was I thinking world records or anything? No. When he won, Dave Miller’s mom was asking me in the ride over to the winner’s circle why I was so emotional. I was so happy for [JET LAAG] — now I knew he’d have a home forever — somebody would want him. I was always so worried about him because I cared that much about him. I am forever thankful to David James in Australia. JET LAAG’s 31 now and I still get Christmas cards!”
Tell us about your Hall of Fame induction night.
“I was holding it together pretty well and all of a sudden, Janet [Terhune] walks over to me with roses and says, ‘These are from JET LAAG.’ I lost it.”
Maybe the most interesting part of the JET LAAG anniversary is that he rolled back four days later, Sept. 23, and posted a six-length victory in 1:50.1; the fourth fastest half-mile victory ever. In just four days, the first and fourth fastest ever.
“The Magical Mike was four days later,” Toscano said. “He was up to it. He wasn’t the only one racing in both [Spy Hard was third in both], but he handled it.”
So, you just might have thought that 2023 was more or less Toscano’s shining Jug Day/Week moment. A stand-alone kinda thing. But, she did win the Jug and Jugette in 2023 with anything but ‘figure’ horses.
“I’d have to say the two biggest career moments for me — standout moments — would be the 2012 Hambletonian and last year’s Jug week,” Toscano said.
Fractions for JET LAAG in his epic score were :26.2, :54.2 1:21.3 and 1:49 flat. House Of Fun was second and Spy Hard (Riyadh’s full brother) was third. The purse was $38,000 for the Senior Jug and $50,000 for the Magical Mike. JET LAAG was out of a Big Towner mare, Truancy.
Toscano was first licensed in 1975 and scored her very first divisional title with a trotting mare named Giant Mermaid in 1995.
“But the one that might have put me on the map was Lifelong Victory,” Toscano said. “Stanley Dancer wanted me to train her as he was cutting back. I remember the day Stanley sent Paul Reid over to tell me that I was ‘called into the office.’ Stanley had everything laid out in front, all vet records, bills, you name it, right on the table. I’ll never forget him wanting me to do well with the mare.”
Toscano is the last trainer to go 1-2 in the Horse of the Year balloting. In 2012, she had Chapter Seven over Market Share. Market Share remains the last trotter to post a $2 million single season.
