Pacing’s Triple Crown season kicks off Saturday at Freehold Raceway with the $108,300 Cane Pace elimination. Ten names were dropped in the box but eight will be in the elimination
.
Under the conditions of the race, when 10 horses are entered, the top two money earners for the current season are given byes directly into the $325,000 final, which takes place on Labour Day.
Trainers Jimmy Takter and George Teague Jr. were given byes for their charges, Delvin Miller Adios winner Vintage Master and Hoosier Cup champion Mr Wiggles.
The field for the elimination is headed by If I Can Dream, a Tracy Brainard trainee for owner Bulletproof Enterprises, who comes in fresh off a victory in Flamboro Downs’ $509,600 Confederation Cup. A win in this elimination will put the son of Western Hanover into harness racing’s millionaire club. Driver Jimmy Morrill, Jr. has the return call.
Arctic Warrior, a $35,000 supplemental entry for conditioner Sam Beegle training for the partnership of Wahoo Stable, Paul Eyerly, Carl Vizzi and David Novinger is searching for his third win in a row scoring most recent in the Battle Of Brandywine and in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes. Yannick Gingras will steer the son of Blissful Hall.
Completing the elimination field are Hail Storm, Fireintheshark, Barber Pole, Western Posse, Clear Vision and Johnny Z.
The elimination is part of a big, 11-race all superfecta card to be run on Saturday. First race post time is set for 12:30 p.m.
(With files from Freehold Raceway)