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Winning driver Ron Pierce with trainer Jimmy Takter and his family celebrate with the Metro Pace trophy

The $1 million Metro Pace at Mohawk Racetrack is the richest race in North America for 2-year-old pacers. It was a warm, humid Saturday night in Campbellville, with temperatures in the mid 70's, minimal wind, and intermittent showers. A full field of 10 lined up behind the starter in this standard 1 mile trip around 2 turns of the 7 furlong stonedust oval, with Speed Again sent off as the 9-5 favorite off consecutive wins in the Nassagaweya Stakes first division, followed by his Metro Pace elimination heat. In to challenge him included 2-1 second choice A Rocknroll Dance, winner of his elimination heat in a world record 1:49 1/5 after finishing 8th in the Woodrow Wilson at the Meadowlands, and 7-1 third choice Simply Business, second in the Woodrow Wilson before finishing third in his Metro elimination.

15-1 fourth choice Hurrikane Kingcole was quickest away through an opening 1/8 in 12 4/5 before 21-1 Simply Business took over the lead on the clubhouse turn, parked wide through 1/4 in 26 seconds. Down the backstretch, A Rocknroll Dance passed Simply Business to open a 1 3/4 length advantage through a half in 54 1/5 and 3/4 in 1:22 1/5. A Rocknroll Dance led the field to the 1/8 pole, getting 7/8 in 1:36, but Simply Business came out wide and rallied late to catch A Rocknroll Dance by 1/2 a length at the line in 1:50 1/5 over the fast track. It was another 1/2 length back to late-running favorite Speed Again third.

# Horse Win Place Show 9-Simply Business 43.70 19.30 7.80 5-A Rocknroll Dance 4.40 3.30 3-Speed Again 2.60 Winning time: 1:50.1 $2 Exacta (5-6) paid 6.60 $2 Trifecta (5-6-10) paid 25.80 $1 Superfecta (5-6-10-4) paid 90.35 Results chart

Simply Business in the winner's circle and post parade. His driver Ron Pierce said, "Jimmy (Takter, trainer) and I have been bringing this colt along nice and slow. I love the way he’s bred, I love the way he’s put together, and I loved the way he’s been coming around. Each week, he’s been getting a little better and better. I knew Jimmy could get him to peak tonight. I figured with the right kind of trip, we could lick them. We’ve been racing him from the back most of the time off a helmet but tonight we changed strategy. He’s like a 14 and a half, 15-year-old kid. Not sure what he’s supposed to be doing. Go fast, but not sure if he’s supposed to do it. It couldn’t have worked out any better."

# Horse                      Win  Place   Show
5-American Jewel            3.50   2.30   2.10
6-Economy Terror                   2.60   2.30
10-Pirouette Hanover                      3.60

Winning time:  1:50.2

$2 Exacta (5-6) paid 6.60
$2 Trifecta (5-6-10) paid 25.80
$1 Superfecta (5-6-10-4) paid 90.35

Results chart

American Jewel in the winner's circle. Her driver Tim Tetrick said, "She did all she had to do today. It was a great effort in world record time, how much more there could be I don’t know. She fought all the way to the wire."

# Horse                      Win  Place   Show
4-We Will See               4.80   3.00   2.50
5-Won The West                     4.80   3.40
2-Foiled Again                            2.70

Winning time:  1:47.4

$2 Exacta (4-5) paid 19.30
$1 Superfecta (4-5-2-1) paid 178.20
$2 Trifecta (4-5-2) paid 40.70

Results chart

34-1 Atochia went to the lead immediately getting the opening quarter in 26 seconds befoore Foiled Again took over down the backstretch and on the turn through a half in 53 4/5 and 3/4 in 1:20 1/5, while stalked by 7-1 Art Professor. We Will See, 6th early, came out very wide into the lane, chased by Won the West to his inside. The pair battled to the line, as We Will See prevailed by a neck in a stakes record time of 1:47 4/5, which also tied the current Canadian record. It was another 3/4 length back to Foiled Again third.

We Will See in the winner's circle. His driver Ron Pierce said, "They were racing hard. I was back there coming second over and nice and easy down the back and Jody (Jamieson, behind Art Professor) took a run at Yannick (Gingras and Foiled Again) there, almost got around him and Yannick changed his mind and turned his whip around and they were moving right along and I was just back there licking my chops liking the way things were are going."

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