by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — Meadowlands Pace winner Art Official and Battle of the Brandywine champ Badlands Nitro were among three supplemental entries to the Cane Pace, which is the first jewel in Pacing’s Triple Crown. The connections of Adios runner-up Major General also paid the $35,000 fee to supplement to the race.

Two seven-horse eliminations will be contested Saturday and the final will be held Labor Day, September 1, at Freehold Raceway. The top four horses from each elim will advance to the final.

USTA/Ken Weingartner photo

Badlands Nitro’s connections celebrated with the trophy after his win last Sunday in the Battle of the Brandywine.

“He came out of the (Brandywine) good; he seems fine,” trainer and co-owner George Teague, Jr. said about Badlands Nitro. “He had nothing else on his schedule leading up to the Little Brown Jug, so we decided to enter. He’s very versatile; real handy. He can spring off the wings when he needs to and he can follow cover. He’s a real perfect-gaited horse.”

The Little Brown Jug, contested in heats, is September 18 at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in Ohio. The Jug is the second leg in the Triple Crown, followed by The Messenger on October 25 at Yonkers Raceway.

Badlands Nitro, in addition to winning the Battle of the Brandywine, captured the Art Rooney Pace at Yonkers and the Max Hempt Memorial at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. He was second to Somebeachsomewhere in the North America Cup and finished seventh in the Meadowlands Pace while battling illness.

A son of Badlands Hanover-Pleasant Thoughts, Badlands Nitro has won seven consecutive races on tracks either five-eighths-mile or half-mile in circumference and is undefeated lifetime on a half-mile oval. In his career, Badlands Nitro has won 14 of 19 races and $1.2 million for owners Teague Inc. and John Celii.

“I think he’s equally good on a big track if he gets a good trip and he’s healthy,” Teague said. “Some of those races on big tracks might not look as much because he was racing against Somebeachsomewhere, but I don’t see any bad races in him. If he’s healthy, he’s going to give you a big effort no matter the size of the track.”

Badlands Nitro, with regular driver Brian Sears, will start from post six in the first of the two eliminations. The remainder of the field is Major General, Jo Pa’s Wild Card, U Smooth Talker U, McCedes, Star Artist, and Meant To Be Me.

Major General is owned by Brittany Farms and Reality Stable. He is trained by Ervin Miller.

“Based on his recent races, we thought he deserved a shot,” said Tony Alagna, Miller’s assistant trainer.

Art Official, owned by Jim and Joyce Jesk, will start from post six in the second elim. He has won eight of 14 races and earned $987,039 this year. In addition to winning the $1.1 million Meadowlands Pace in a world record 1:47 over previously undefeated Somebeachsomewhere, the colt won the $500,000 Hoosier Cup and the $150,000 Monument Circle.

“It seems like there’s such a long gap to his next race; he’s got a void in there to fill,” trainer Joe Seekman said about the decision to enter the Cane Pace. “And, he’s earned it.”

Art Official has six wins and three second-place efforts in his last 10 starts. He has never raced on a half-mile oval, such as Freehold Raceway.

“I don’t think it will be an issue,” Seekman said. “He trains on a half-mile track and has trained some good miles on a half. I don’t think it’s an issue.”

The rest of the field for the second Cane Pace elim is Mystery Chase, Rudy Rednose, Trade Editor, Moon Beam, Lis Deo, and Daley Deposit Only.

Mystery Chase was second in the Battle of the Brandywine while Rudy Rednose, another Teague trainee, was second in the New Jersey Classic.

Moon Beam and Meant To Be Me won consolation divisions of the Battle of the Brandywine.

The eliminations are part of a big, 11-race all superfecta card to be contested on Saturday. Here are the fields, with drivers and morning line odds.

First elimination
1. Major General (Andy Miller) — 7-2
2. Jo Pa’s Wild Card (Jason Bartlett) — 9-2
3. U Smooth Talker U (TBA) — 10-1
4. McCedes (Daniel Dube) — 8-1
5. Star Artist (Jason Bartlett) — 5-1
6. Badlands Nitro (Brian Sears) — 5-2
7. Meant To Be Me (Ron Pierce) — 6-1

Second elimination
1. Mystery Chase (Dave Palone) — 4-1
2. Rudy Rednose (Brian Sears) — 10-1
3. Trade Editor (Andy Miller) — 8-1
4. Moon Beam (Yannick Gingras) — 5-1
5. Lis Deo (Tim Tetrick) — 6-1
6. Art Official (Ron Pierce) — 2-1
7. Daley Deposit Only (Dan Daley) — 12-1