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Art Official wins Cane, will be supplemented to Little Brown Jug

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September 01, 2008

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Art Official won the 54th renewal of the $392,850 Cane Pace Monday afternoon at Freehold Raceway, and it took trainer Joe Seekman about the same time after the race that it took his colt to win the contest to exclaim that it was "official" that he would now be supplemented to next month's Little Brown Jug.

Leaving from post seven with Art Official, driver Ron Pierce left fast with his charge as Badlands Nitro and Brian Sears protected the lead from post one. Pierce hesitated briefly when he got up to third around the first turn as there was a hole to drop into, but the Hall of Famer pressed on to the top with Art Official, securing the front at the :26.3 quarter.

Art Official then set fractions of :55 and 1:23.4, with Yannick Gingras moving first-over with Moon Beam around the final bend. The leader was able to put away that rival but then had to contend with a hard-charging Badlands Nitro, who was trying to mount a rally up the passing lane for Sears. But Art Official was too strong as he reached the finish line a long neck in front of Badlands Nitro, stopping the timer in 1:51.1 to capture the first jewel of pacing's Triple Crown. Moon Beam held for third.

Art Official catapulted himself to the limelight when he upset the previously unbeaten Somebeachsomewhere in the $1.1 million Meadowlands Pace in mid July at the Meadowlands. Since that time the son of Art Major has not been beat, adding victories in the Monument Circle at Indiana Downs, the Horseman at the Indianapolis fairgrounds, and scores in the Cane Pace elims and final. A $35,000 supplement to the Cane Pace, Art Official will also now be supplemented to the Jug, the second jewel by owner James and Joyce Jesk's Sawgrass Farms of Lockport, Ill.

"Delaware, here we come!" also exclaimed Pierce in the winner's circle. When asked about possibly taking the early seat in third, the driver replied, "The thought did cross my mind...but I decided to go for the lead."

When asked by Freehold race secretary Peter Koch about the decision to supplement Art Official into the Cane, Seekman answered, "The horse was very sharp so we thought we'd take a shot at it."

With the victory, Art Official increased his 2008 earnings to $1,222,749.

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