by Carol Hodes, for the SBOA of New Jersey

Freehold, NJ — A good post, a change in drivers and some other bits of luck and preparation could be the prescription for victory for Yankee Skyscaper in Monday’s (September 3) $297,500 Cane Pace at Freehold Raceway.

The son of Artiscape had a sterling 2-year-old campaign, winning the $900,000 Metro, but he has been inconsistent in his efforts at 3.

Two changes were made for last week’s Cane elimination race — a switch to driver David Miller and the addition of the respiratory bleeding medication Lasix.

“I thought he raced very well last week in the elimination and definitely drew a good spot,” said Miller, who attended the Thursday morning post position festivities. “You never know what will happen until the gate folds, but I feel pretty good about our chances. I’ll just hope for the best.”

Yankee Skyscaper will leave from post two in the Cane, carded as race 14 on the Labor Day program. He is rated the third choice in the morning line at 9-2. The slight favorite’s role at 2-1 falls to Southwind Lynx, who has banked $1 million this year with victories in the Art Rooney and the Meadowlands Pace. He leaves from post three.

The Joe Holloway-trained duo of Fresh Deck (post five) and Always A Virgin (post eight) are listed at 5-2.

Miller has won the Cane twice before — with Four Starzzz Shark in 2001 and No Pan Intended in 2003.

The Cane, which debuted at Yonkers in 1955, will be contested over the Freehold half-miler for the tenth time. It is the opening leg of the Pacing Triple Crown which also includes the Little Brown Jug and the Messenger Stakes.

At 2, Yankee Skyscaper finished first or second in six of nine starts and concluded the year with $545,500 in earnings for the Yankee Skyscaper Partners, who are Brittany Farms of Versailles, Kentucky; John Fodera of Staten Island, New York; Martha Frank of Fair Lawn, New Jersey; Fred Mansoor of Toronto, Ontario; and Stephanie and Myron Bell’s Riverview Farms of North Bergen, New Jersey.

This year the $60,000 Lexington Selected Sale purchase has added another $225,961 to his bankroll with three wins, two seconds and a third in 10 starts.

He was second by a head to Fresh Deck in the $500,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic and won the $62,800 Jersey Cup, both at the Meadowlands.

As for the million-dollar stops on the 3-year-old stakes schedule, after winning his elimination, he finished sixth in the North America Cup. He failed to win a berth in the Meadowlands Pace Final.

Miller first got behind the Chris Ryder-trainee on August 17, winning a Freehold qualifier by 23 lengths in 1:53.4.

Yankee Skyscaper was back on the track last Saturday for the Cane elimination and finished second by three lengths to Always A Virgin whose entrymate, Fresh Deck, was third.

Yankee Skyscaper is among six of the eight Cane finalists who are products of the New Jersey Sires Stakes program.

“I only started racing him,” Miller noted. “Last week was the first time I drove him. And they added Lasix to him. Actually, he raced quite well in the elimination, and that was off a layoff. So I hope he’ll be in top shape coming in. Everything seemed good in the elimination.

“Artzina (the divisional champion at 2 who has post seven) is coming back off a start, and should be sharper,” Miller added. “Always A Virgin and Fresh Deck have been racing well. I think those are the three to beat, but I definitely have the post edge on them. I’m feeling good on our shot.”

The post position draw for the $297,500 Cane Pace, from the rail out with driver, trainer and morning line odds: Tiber Hanover, Jack Baggitt, Jr., Brett Bittle, 15-1; Yankee Skyscaper, David Miller, Chris Ryder, 9-2; Southwind Lynx, Tim Tetrick, George Teague, Jr., 2-1; Honky Tonk Hanover, Ron Pierce, Richard Norman, 10-1; Fresh Deck, George Brennan, Joe Holloway, 5-2; Ghee’s House, Yannick Gingras, Robert Siegelman, 10-1; Artzina, John Campbell, Dylan Davis, 6-1; and Always A Virgin, Brian Sears, Joe Holloway, 5-2; Fresh Deck and Always A Virgin are coupled in the wagering.