Elim posts drawn for $1M Pepsi North America Cup

MILTON, ON, June 7, 2022 – The field for the 39^th Pepsi North America Cup will be determined this Saturday through a pair of $50,000 harness racing eliminations at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

This year’s edition of the Cup attracted 17 entrants, split into a field of nine and field of eight for the eliminations. The top five-finishers from each elimination will advance to the $1 million final on Saturday, June 18. The elimination winners will earn the right to select their post position for the final.

Pre-season favourite Pebble Beach (PP4, Todd McCarthy) will have all eyes on him in a stacked first Cup elimination.

The Noel Daley trainee captured a division of the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes (1:51) last Saturday at Mohawk in prep for the Cup. The Downbytheseaside colt is one for two this season after winning seven of 11 starts last season, which included an eye-popping 1:48.4 victory in the Kentucky Sires Stakes Championship.

Ontario sired star Stonebridge Helios (PP5, Bob McClure) will be looking for a bounce back after finishing third in his division of the Somebeachsomewhere. The John Pentland trainee is two for three this season after a four for seven rookie season that saw him never miss the top-three.

Night Hawk (PP6, David Miller) arrives on the Woodbine scene off a 1:48.4 victory in Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) action on May 30. The Brian Brown trainee is three for four this season and five for six in his career.

Jake Leamon trained Mad Max Hanover (PP2, Tim Tetrick) and Nancy Takter trained Market Based (PP7, Dexter Dunn) also come in from PASS action. ‘Mad Max’ has won two of five starts this season and was second to Night Hawk on May 30, while that same day Market Based scored his second win in three starts this season.

Other notables include Tony Alagna’s World Record holder (1:48.3) Caviart Camden (PP3, Andrew McCarthy), who is two for two this season, and Tim Gillespie’s Ontario Sires Stakes Gold winner Kolby Two Step (PP9, James MacDonald), who was second in last week’s Somebeachsomewhere.

The field for the first elimination is completed by Brett Lester trainee Century Inspector (PP1, Louis-Philippe Roy) and Luc Blais student Frozen Hanover (PP8, Roy).

The first Pepsi North America Cup elimination is carded as Race 4 (8:15 p.m.).

The second $50,000 elimination features the season debut of Early Action (PP5, Brian Sears), one of last season’s top performing two-year-olds, and a new driver for the intriguing Beach Glass.

The Joe Holloway trained Early Action has qualified three-times this season at The Meadowlands. His latest qualifier came last Saturday, timed in 1:50.4 with a :26.2 last-quarter, and it was his first appearance since May 6. The gelded son of Huntsville won eight of 13 starts last season, including the Governor’s Cup, and earned over $400,000.

Brent MacGrath trainee Beach Glass (PP8, Yannick Gingras) will be looking to find the magic of his sire Somebeachsomewhere (2008 Cup winner). Yannick Gingras has been tabbed to drive for MacGrath and Schooner II Stable after regular pilot Paul MacDonell made the decision hand over the lines. Beach Glass finished second in last weekend’s ‘Somebeach’, his first start after a three for five rookie campaign.

Local hopeful Magical Arthur (PP3, Trevor Henry) is riding high into his elimination after an upset victory in the Somebeachsomewhere. The Tony Beaton trainee is one for four this season after winning three of eight starts last year.

A past Cup winner and consistent participant, trainer Alagna will be represented by I Did It Myway (PP6, Tetrick). The son of 2013 Cup winner Captaintreacherous is one for two this season after a strong five for eight rookie campaign.

Other notables in the field include Tim Twaddle trainee Fourever Boy (PP1, Mike Wilder), who recently captured a PASS division, and Brown trainee Ario Hanover (PP7, D. Miller), who has been a consistent runner-up with four second-place finishes and a single win in five starts this year.

The second elimination is completed by Mark Evers trainee Velocity Chaps (PP2, Scott Zeron) and James ‘Friday’ Dean student Ron.

The second Pepsi North America Cup elimination is carded as Race 8 (9:55 p.m.).

Saturday’s 11-race card also includes the eliminations for the Roses Are Red, Fan Hanover, and a $65,000 Free For All Pace. Post time is 7 p.m.

Pepsi North America Cup – Elimination #1 – Race 4

1 – Century Inspector (He’s Watching) Louis-Phillipe Roy/Brett Lester
​2 – Mad Max Hanover (Always B Miki) Tim Tetrick/Jake Leamon
​3 – Caviart Camden (Huntsville) Andrew McCarthy/Tony Alagna
​4 – Pebble Beach (Downbytheseaside) Todd McCarthy/Noel Daley
​5 – Stonebridge Helios (Sunshine Beach) Bob McClure/John Pentland
​6 – Night Hawk (Betting Line) David Miller/Brian Brown
​7 – Market Based (Sweet Lou) Dexter Dunn/Nancy Takter
​8 – Frozen Hanover (Somebeachsomewhere) Louis-Philippe Roy/Luc Blais
​9 – Kolby Two Step (Betterthancheddar) James MacDonald/Tim Gillespie

Pepsi North America Cup – Elimination #2 – Race 8

1 – Fourever Boy (Sweet Lou) Mike Wilder/Tim Twaddle
​2 – Velocity Chaps (Well Said) Scott Zeron/Mark Evers)
​3 – Magical Arthur (Artspeak) Trevor Henry/Anthony Beaton
​4 – Ron (Sportswriter) Jody Jamieson/James Dean
​5 – Early Action (Huntsville) Brian Sears/Joe Holloway
​6 – I Did It Myway (Captaintreacherous) Tim Tetrick/Tony Alagna
​7 – Ario Hanover (Captaintreacherous) David Miller/Brian Brown
​8 – Beach Glass (Somebeachsomewhere) Yannick Gingras/Brent MacGrath

by Mark McKelvie, for Woodbine Communications