by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — Vintage Master revealed a new dimension to his game on Monday (Sept. 7), winning the $325,000 Cane Pace in nearly wire-to-wire fashion by 5-1/2 lengths over Clear Vision in a stakes-record 1:50.4 at Freehold Raceway.

And he did it on his own.

“I didn’t know if he could be that good on the front end,” driver Daniel Dube said. “Today, he showed me he wanted to leave. I just moved him to the front and it was easy for him. He was awesome. He was not even tired at the end of the mile. I just touched him and he went again. It was great.”

USTA/Ken Weingartner photo

Vintage Master’s connections celebrate in the winner’s circle following his Cane Pace win.

Dube has typically raced Vintage Master from off the pace. When he won the Delvin Miller Adios in August, Vintage Master was eight lengths behind the leaders at the halfway point. In his first win of the season, he was more than 10 lengths back at the half.

The only previous time Vintage Master led a race at the quarter-mile point was in May, in the New Jersey Sire Stakes final. He finished second to Dial Or Nodial.

“I tried one time at the Meadowlands and I had a hard time getting him to the front end,” Dube said. “Now, I guess, he wants to do it. Today he just dragged me out of there. If he wants to do it, we should try now.”

Arctic Warrior, a $35,000 supplemental entry to the Cane Pace, tried for the lead off the starting gate, but Dube had Vintage Master on top as the field completed the first quarter-mile. Vintage Master increased his lead at every call, and his time equaled Art Official’s all-age track record.

World Wide Racing Photos

Vintage Master won the Cane Pace in a stakes record time of 1:50.4.

The previous stakes record of 1:51.1 was shared by Art Official and Always A Virgin.

Clear Vision finished second, followed by Arctic Warrior, Mr Wiggles, If I Can Dream, and Hail Storm. Western Posse and Johnny Z were late scratches.

“With all the scratches, I thought I could come first over,” Dube said. “(Vintage Master) is a grinder. He doesn’t mind that. But now he’s showed he’s the kind of horse that can do anything. He’s just a nice horse to drive.”

Vintage Master has won three of 15 races this year and earned $1.03 million. In August, he won the $677,665 Delvin Miller Adios and he was second in the million-dollar Meadowlands Pace in July. He is trained by Jimmy Takter for owners Brittany Farms and the estate of Brian Monieson.

The Cane Pace is the first jewel in the Pacing Triple Crown. The next jewel in the Triple Crown, the Little Brown Jug, will be contested September 24 at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in Ohio.

Shady Daisy divisions to Showherthemoney and Dingle Bay

New Jersey-sired 3-year-old pacing fillies won both divisions of the co-featured Shady Daisy on Monday at Freehold.

In the $73,300 first division, the seventh race, Showherthemoney (by Cam’s Card Shark), the Thomas D’Altrui Miss New Jersey winner, covered the mile in a 3-year-old pacing filly track record time of 1:52.4, winning by 4-1/4 lengths over Perfectionist.

Jim Morrill, Jr. drove Showherthemoney to her fifth win of the year and improved her career tally to six wins, three seconds and five thirds in 22 starts, earning $227,731 for Bulletproof Enterprises. She recently moved into the barn of trainer Tracy Brainard.

In the $75,300 second division, the ninth race, Dingle Bay (McArdle), the New Jersey Sire Stakes champion at Freehold in her previous start, defeated Kabbalah Karen B by a half-length in 1:54.2 and lifted her career earnings to $173,794.

Yannick Gingras was in the sulky behind Dingle Bay who now has three straight wins, six this year and seven overall. She has finished in-the-money in 12 of 29 starts. She is currently owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, JJK Stables LLC and Louis E. Starr Jr.

— Carol Hodes also contributed to this report