by Dean A. Hoffman

Total Truth’s victory in the Progress Pace at Dover Downs over the weekend pushed his seasonal earnings to $1,432,926, virtually assuring that he’ll be the richest pacer in the sport in 2006.

Total Truth has had a remarkable season, as he won the North America Cup in Ontario in June and is still going strong in November by winning a major event such as the Progress Pace. Trainer George Teague says that the son of Jenna’s Beach Boy is not done for the year, however, and plans to start him in the Matron Stakes for sophomores at Dover.

FOTOWON

Total Truth, shown above winning Sunday’s Progress Pace, has seasonal earnings of $1,432,926.

In 17 starts this season Total Truth has compiled a 7-3-3 slate and earned a mark of 1:49.1.

He is currently about $120,000 behind Glidemaster, who reigns as the richest horse in harness racing this season. Glidemaster, the winner of the Hambletonian and Kentucky Futurity, has banked $1,554,236. In 14 starts, he has finished first seven times and second seven times. His 1:51.1 in the Hambletonian was the fastest renewal ever of America’s greatest trotting classic.

Glidemaster and Total Truth are among five millionaires in 2006. The others are Majestic Son ($1,208,236), Sand Vic ($1,100,180), and Passionate Glide ($1,087,900). All earnings are expressed in U.S. dollars.

Majestic Son spent his entire season in Ontario and took on Glidemaster several times, beating the Hambo winner in the Breeders Crown, Canadian Trotting Classic and Goodtimes. He has won 14 times in 19 tries this year, and his record is 1:52.2.

Sand Vic has been the dominant older trotter in North America this season, winning 10 of 16 starts, and picking up a record of 1:51.2 along the way.

Passionate Glide has been near-perfect throughout most of 2006, winning 13 times in 15 starts, including the Hambletonian Oaks and Kentucky Futurity filly division among her big wins.

Passionate Glide and Majestic Son have ranked 1-2 in the Hambletonian/Breeders Crown Top-10 Poll in recent weeks.

After the top-five leading moneywinners in the sport, Liz Mara ranks sixth at $967,485, and his season is done. Artistic Fella, a standout this summer with 10-straight wins, ranks seventh, with earnings of $941,385.

As the 2006 racing calendar moves into its final six weeks the battle for honors as the richest Standardbred of the seasons shapes up as a duel between Glidemaster and Total Truth.