By:Don Bielak, Freehold Raceway Publicity Director
Freehold, NJ — Timesareachanging and Camelot Hall, rivals who finished only a head apart in track record time in last week’s Cane elimination, head a field of eight in the $334,875 Cane Pace Final at Freehold Raceway on Labor Day.
The Cane is the first jewel of the Pacing Triple Crown for three-year-olds, which includes the Messenger Stake and the Little Brown Jug.
Timesareachanging, who will race coupled with Western Terror as part of the Perfect World Enterprises-owned entry, has been made the slight 9-5 choice in the morning line. The gelded son of Cam’s Card Shark sports a 6-4-1 across the board record in 12 outings this season and earnings of $569,406.
His biggest victory came in the $350,350 Adios Final at the Meadows on August 14 when he set a world record of 1:493 for three-year-old pacing geldings on a five-eighths mile oval.
Despite having to rally three-wide around the final turn in last week’s elimination, Timesareachanging missed victory by only a head behind Camelot Hall.
Ron Pierce, who was aboard for Timesareachanging’s world record at the Meadows, will drive for trainer Brett Pelling. The duo will leave the gate from post six.
Camelot Hall, who is owned by David Scharf, Steven Arnold, Jerry Silva and Sampson Street Stables, will open on the board as the 2-1 second choice in the early line.
In last week’s Cane elimination, the Blissful Hall colt set fractions of :263, :542, and 1:222 and held off a fast-closing Timesareachanging to set a new Freehold track record of 1:511 for sophomore pacing colts.
Camelot Hall has drawn post two for the Cane Final. George Brennan, who has been trainer Mark Harder’s reinsman of choice for Camelot Hall, will be in the sulky.
Pelling, the only trainer in the race to have won a Cane Final, having scored victories with Silky Stallone (1991) and Shady Character (1998), spoke about last week’s elimination.
“He (Timesareachanging) went a huge trip in his elimination,” said Pelling. “It was probably one of the biggest efforts I’ve ever seen on a half-mile track. He had to come from pretty far back and he had horses in front of him for most of the mile. Even with all that, he almost won.”
Concerning the Cane Final, Pelling offered, “I expect the final might be a little different. In the elimination, it was a 10 horse field and a couple of them really couldn’t go enough and that hurt us. He ought to be a couple of lengths closer at the half this time.”
Pelling added that Timesareachanging has demonstrated a complete propensity for half-mile ovals, such as Freehold’s.
Harder also said that he expects a big race from Camelot Hall in Monday’s marquee event.
“He came out of the elimination great and he’s had a good week,” Harder said. “He raced big in the elimination and he should do well in the final, too.”
When asked about Camelot Hall’s racing style, Harder commented: “At this stage he’s probably one dimensional, yes. But on half-mile tracks, having that good gate speed works to your advantage.”
Harder added that in a race worth that amount of money — $334,875 — no horse would likely be able to get to the front easily, even Camelot Hall.
The complete field in post position order with drivers and odds are: Mantacular (Catello Manzi, 5-2), Camelot Hall (George Brennan, 2-1), Brandon’s Cowboy (Dan Dube, 15-1), Western Terror (John Campbell, 9-5), Droppin’thehammer (Ryan Anderson, 15-1), Timesareachanging (Ron Pierce, 9-5), Harry Hornet (David Miller, 15-1) and Holborn Hanover (Luc Ouellette, 10-1).