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:
“But a blind man’s cane poking, however clumsily, into the inmost corners of the house.”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)
“A criminal trial is like a Russian novel: it starts with exasperating slowness as the characters are introduced to a jury, then there are complications in the form of minor witnesses, the protagonist finally appears and contradictions arise to produce drama, and finally as both jury and spectators grow weary and confused the pace quickens, reaching its climax in passionate final argument.”
—Clifford Irving (b. 1930)