Mar 16, 2022 4 min read

As it turns out, Jujubee had a harder time finding his own barn than the finish line.

Jujubee, the 2021 Dan Patch Trotter of the Year and 3-year-old Trotter of the Year, was first to the finish line in last year’s Kentucky Futurity and Breeders Crown.

What the Meadows-stabled Jujubee did not do is make it to the right barn – right state for that matter – until he was well into his 2-year-old season.

Last month, John Erdner – Jujubee’s owner – revealed at the Dan Patch awards banquet that there was confusion and mistaken identity in Jujubee’s path to glory.

Incredibly, Jujubee was sent to Ohio as a potential Buckeye state-bred trotter. However, an error in tattooing found at the time of staking, revealed that Jujubee was Pennsylvania-bred.

“It was a case of mistaken identity, Erdner said recently. “It is the reason why Jujubee was lightly raced as a 2-year-old.

“Who we thought was Lucky Pelican turned out to be Jujubee.

“The bottom line was we had to switch the horses and send back to where they were supposed to be, Jujubee to Pennsylvania and Lucky Pelican to Ohio.

“When we discovered it, we tried to get Jujubee qualified for the summer of his 2-year-old season (2020).”

Erdner said no one realized the horses were switched. He added that it “took some time” to get everything straightened out.

While Jujubee went on to gain great fame as a 3-year-old and was the top money-earning male trotter last year with $948,791, Lucky Pelican earned $45,000 racing as a 3-year-old in 2021 in Ohio.

“To this day, I don’t know what exactly happened,” said Meadows-based trainer Greg Wright, Jr. “My dad (Greg Wright, Sr.) broke Jujubee. He trained him down to 2:20, 2:08, 2:06. Then we find all of this out.

“After he broke him, the horse went to Scott Mogan, a trainer in Ohio. Then we found out we had the wrong horse and he had the wrong one.

“Maybe the horse benefitted from not racing much as a 2-year-old.”

Erdner said he had offers for Jujubee after last season and others are interested in syndicating the horse.

Jujubee’s work on track is not done.

Jujubee won 14 races last year, finishing no worse than second in 17 of 18 races. His victories included the Breeders Crown for 3-year-old male trotters, Kentucky Futurity, Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final, and Phil Langley Memorial.

The colt won the Futurity in 1:49.3 and the Muscle Hill Trot in 1:49.4.

Jujubee, son of Creatine, was driven by Andrew McCarthy and Tony Hall.

Erdner and Wright think Jujubee has an excellent chance of doing big things as a 4-year-old. After a rest, Jujubee has been training in Vero Beach (Fla.) at the Polema Training Center.

Wright said he’ll bring “Jujubee and the rest back (during the) first part of April.”

According to other sources, Jujubee’s brother, Creatin’ Havoc, who is entering his 2-year-old season, should be interesting to follow.

“There is every reason to believe (Jujubee can) shine as a 4-year-old, racing against the best on the East Coast,” Erdner said.

Jujubee was incredibly consistent and rewarded Erdner’s confidence, winning both the Kentucky Futurity and Breeders Crown races after substantial supplemental payments were made by the owner. Jujubee’s two sub-1:50 performances in 2021 have his owner and trainer believing he can set a world record in 2022. Jujubee is the only 3-year-old male trotting with two sub-1:50 winning miles.

Wright said Jujubee was invited to the Elitloppet in Sweden but is not going this year. Elitloppet is Sweden’s largest annual horse racing event and one the most prestigious international trotting events in the world.

“I’m glad he’s in my barn,” Erdner said.

Said Wright: “He’s fast and ready to roll right now. My challenge is to keep him from peaking too early.”

And to keep him in the right barn.