Records falling at Freehold as track prepares for Cane Pace

Ron Pierce steers Shoobeedobeedo to a win in the first division of the Shady Daisy Stakes for 3-year-old pacing fillies last Saturday at Freehold Raceway.

The nation’s best 3-year-old pacers are expected to take their first steps towards the Cane Pace and history, Saturday at Freehold Raceway, with the running of the two $100,000 elimination races.

The top four finishers from both heats will advance to the 49th running of the $350,000 Cane Pace, the first leg of pacing’s Triple Crown, on Sept. 1.

If, however, the number of horses entered is under 10, there will be no eliminations. The field would go directly to the Sept. 1 final.

All American Theory, winner of the $1 million Meadowlands Pace earlier this summer and the top-ranked 3-year-old in the country, heads the list of Cane eligibles. Yankee Cruiser, ranked second to All American Theory, is also eligible, as are Allamerican Native and Armbro Animante, who ranked right behind the top two sophomores.

Freehold Raceway has been hosting the Cane Pace since 1998. Last year, Art Major, who is the top-ranked standardbred in the country, was the Cane winner.

First run in 1955, the Cane has been won by some of the most legendary names in the sport, Albatross (1971), Niatross (1980) and Bret Hanover (1965).

Some of the sport’s greatest drivers have etched their name on the Cane Trophy as well. Hall of Famers Stanley Dancer and John Campbell share the record for the most wins with four each.

The winner of the Sept. 1 Cane Pace will be the only sophomore pacer capable of joining the nine others who have succeeded, to move toward winning the Triple Crown in 2003. The other two legs are the Little Brown Jug at the Delaware Fairgrounds, Ohio, on Sept. 18, and the Messenger Stakes at the Meadows, outside Pittsburgh, Pa., on Oct. 18.

Last Saturday, Freehold ran the two divisions of the $148,350 Shady Daisy stake for 3-year-old pacing fillies.

Winning the first $74,174-division was Shoobeedobeedo in 1:55.4. Driver Ron Pierce gave his filly a pocket trip, then used the passing lane to top odds-on favorite Jannie Fanetta.

"I wanted to get a two-hole trip, so I used my filly a bit at the start to get everyone to fall in line," said Pierce after the win. "From there, I could bide my time.

"She took me right to the head of the stretch, which is right where I wanted to be. She was really good today-probably the best she’s every been."

It was the first win of the year in 11 starts for Shoobeedobeedo, daughter of Jate Lobell.

The win was special to Pierce. He rode Shady Daisy, the great racemare that the stake race is named for, during her storied career.

"She was just unbelievable — she had wicked speed," recalled Pierce. "I have only seen a couple of horses in my life that had her high burst of speed. She could go as fast or faster than anyone for 3/8 of a mile, including top males.

The second division of the Shady Daisy was won by Kissed By A Fool with Brian Sears in the bike. Sears took the lead after a rapid opening quarter of 27.3, and sailed on to a win in 1:54.4.

"It was a pretty simple race," Pierce said. "Things kind of fell in place. There was a scratch (Puss And Boots), so she moved in one on the gate. There was an early break by Cat Manzi’s horse (Impressive Sign) that scattered a couple of trailers; I had no reason not to just go on with her."

The daughter of Jenna’s Beach Boy has now won nine of her 13 starts this year.

On Friday, Squaw’s Fella extended his career-best winning streak six straight, with a record-tying performance in the $22,500 division of the opening round of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for 2-year-old New Jersey-sired pacing colts and geldings.

With David Miller at the reins, Squaw’s Fella matched the 1:54.4 stakes mark for juvenile colts on a half-mile track set by Mcardle in 2001.

Squaw’s Fella, a son of Pacific Fella, has earned $143,276.

A new sire stakes record was set in the 3-year-old pacing and geldings division on the same card when No Pan Intended scored a 1:54.3 win for David Miller. No Pan Intended led from start-to-finish pacing off fractions of 28.3, 58.0 and 1:26.3.

It was the seventh win in 10 starts for the Pacific Fella sire.

The first week of the summer/fall meets got off to a fast start, with a track record being equaled in the $17,000 division of the New Jersey Sire Stakes. Armbro Barrister led from wire-to-wire in matching the Freehold Raceway record of 1:59.1 for 2-year-old trotting colts.

Driver Ray Schnittker brought the son of Malabar Man through fractions of 29.1, 59.0 and 1:28.3, en route to his track-record-equaling mark.

Armbro Barrister tied the record, first set by Donerail in 1994 and matched in 1996 by Super Toy. The mark also equaled Donerail’s Sire Stakes record.