North American Cup champion, Total Truth led from start to finish to win the 52nd running of the $301,587 Cane Pace on Labor Day (Monday, September 4) at Freehold Raceway.
Ron Pierce guided the three year old in a brisk 1:51.3, holding off a late charge from Took Hanover with John Campbell. George Teague, Jr. was not concerned with the extended layoff.
“He warmed up real well and I knew he was ready to go.” George Teague, Jr. was the only trainer in the field to have previously sent out a horse of the year (2004 – Rainbow Blue).
Total Truth is the first horse in 18 years to win the North American Cup and the Cane Pace. Third in the Adios, Total Truth got a bye into the final based on being a top money earner. Total Truth will now set his sights on the second leg of pacing’s Triple Crown, the Little Brown Jug September 21.
John Campbell was looking for his 30th Triple Crown victory but came up a length short. Just two years ago, Pierce and Campbell dead heated the Cane Pace with Timesareachanging (Pierce) and Western Terror (Campbell).
Finishing third was Dave Panlone (David Miller) while Cane elimination winner Artstanding (George Brennan) finished fourth.
Famous quotes containing the words cane and/or pace:
“Old rockin’ chair’s got me, cane by my side;”
—Hoagy Carmichael (1899–1981)
“Every milestone of a firstborn is scrutinized, photographed, recorded, replayed, and retold by doting parents to admiring relatives and disinterested friends. . . . While subsequent children will strive to keep pace with siblings a few years their senior, the firstborn will always have a seemingly Herculean task of emulating his adult parents.”
—Marianne E. Neifert (20th century)