Total Truth just that in the Cane Pace final

Total Truth lived up to his name at Monday's Cane Pace.

Given a smart ride by veteran Ron Pierce, Total Truth captured the $301,587 Cane Pace at Freehold Raceway from the front. His winning time of 1:51.3 is the fastest for the race in its nine years at Freehold.

"He's a great horse," said Pierce, who won his third Cane Pace.

Starting from the fifth post position, Pierce had Total Truth on the outside through the first turn while Dave Panlone (Dave Miller) was in first on the rail after drawing the post position. But Pierce unleashed his colt as they headed for the quarter-mile pole and took over the lead. His first quarter was a quick 26.4. Total Truth settled in at front, taking the field through the half-mile in 1:55.4 with John Campbell and Took Hanover stalking on the outside.

It had been more than three weeks since Total Truth had last raced (Aug. 12 at the Adios). He was granted a bye into the Cane Pace final by virtue of being one of the leading money winners in the country ($1,023,750) and there was concern that he might not be race ready after such a long layoff.

"I didn't know what to expect being out front," said Pierce. "He hadn't been there in a couple of weeks."

Trainer George Teague Jr. was not concerned about the layoff at all, pointing out that his colt had been in this position before and it had not had an effect on his performance.

"He warmed up real well and I knew he was ready to go," he said.

Any concerns Pierce may have had of leading from the front were quickly alleviated as Total Truth comfortably set the fractions from the front.

Through three quarters in 1:23.2, the order remained the same with Total Truth on top followed by Took Hanover and Dave Panlone.

Total Truth was in complete command down the stretch and had more than enough left to withstand the late rush by Took Hanover, winning by a full length.

The son of Jenna's Beach Boy pushed his 2006 earnings to just under $1.2 million with the win and is now the only colt that can win the Triple Crown. The second leg of Pacing's Triple Crown is the Little Brown Jug on Sept. 21 at Delaware, Ohio. If Total Truth prevails there, he'll look to become the 11th Triple Crown winner in the sport's history on Nov. 25 at the Messenger Stakes at Yonkers Raceway.

Total Truth has won five of his 10 starts this year. One of his wins was the North American Cup, making him the first colt to win the Cup and Cane Pace in the same year since 1988 when Runnymeade Lobell did it.

Campbell was looking to extend two records on Monday. He has the most Cane Pace wins, with five, and most career Triple Crown victories, with 29.

Just two years ago, Campbell and Pierce were the drivers in the only dead-heat in the 52-year history of the race as Timesareachanging (Pierce) and Western Terror (Campbell) both stopped the clock in 1:52.3 and a photo could not separate them.

Artstanding, who won the Cane Pace elimination on Aug. 26 in 1:52.3 over Took Hanover, was fourth in Monday's final.

The previous Freehold Raceway Cane Pace record was 1:51.4, turned in first by Blissfull Hall with Pierce in the bike in 1999, and was matched the next year by Powerful Toy with Luc Ouellette driving.

In was a big stakes day at Freehold, with the $126,210 Battle of Freehold for 2-year-olds and the $768,944 Shady Daisy for 3-year-old fillies also on the 14-race card.

The Shady Daisy produced a new track record for 3-year-old filly pacers as George Brennan coaxed Xhilaration to a 1:53.0 mile, her fifth win in 19 starts in '06. The former track record for 3-year-old fillies was 1:53.1, shared by four horses: Faster Boots (R. Pierce) in 2000, Best Laid Plans (L. Ouellette) in 2001, JK SongNDance (R. Pierce) in 2004, and Card Trick Hanover (J. Campbell) in 2005.