This year it will take a top two finish to make it to the Pepsi NA Cup finals on Saturday, June 27th at Mohawk in Ontario. The four elimination races this Saturday June 20th are shaping up to be competitive dashes, and some excellent three year old pacing colts will be showing up in the consolation, as only two third place finishers make it to the grand event.
Here are the four elimination races with post positions and drivers:
5 -- Pace, purse $50,000 (EX, P3, SF, TR)
D-PEPSI NORTH AMERICA CUP XXVI - ELIMINATION - 3 YEAR OLDS.
STARTING FEE $8,000 CDN $7,400 U.S.
Post time: 08:54 P.M. Lasix: 04:39 P.M.
1 Fireintheshark G Brennan J Campbell
2***Lisagain(L) Y Gingras E Miller (cog: no test)
3 Carnivore P Macdonell J Darling
4 Well Said R Pierce S Elliott
5 Chasin Racin(L) J Campbell B Teague
6 Glad To Be Back(L) L Ouellette J Wilkinson
7 Waffles And Cream J Morrill Jr T Brainard
8 Captain Sir J Jamieson C Jamieson
9***Nob Hill High D Miller W Webb (cog: no test)
10 Keep It Real S Condren J Shea
Race 5 - Retention Barn - All horses
The undefeated Keep It Real, the surging Carnivore and the highly regarded Well Said are sure to be the 3 favourites here, but consider including Lisagain or Chasin Racin for a bigger payout possibility. Any entrant could win this elim, but the first three mentioned should all be tough.
6 -- Pace, purse $50,000 (EX, P3, TR)
D-PEPSI NORTH AMERICA CUP XXVI - ELIMINATION - 3 YEAR OLDS.
STARTING FEE $8,000 CDN $7,400 U.S.
Post time: 09:15 P.M. Lasix: 05:00 P.M.
1 Stinger Blue Chip J Campbell C Coleman
2 Dial Or Nodial B Sears J Campbell
3 Ok Boromir L Ouellette F Baker Jr
4 Ideal Race Ma Macdonald T Brainard
5 Johnny Z(L) B Sears B Teague
6 Ideal Danny(L) R Pierce E Miller
7 Mysticism T Tetrick S Elliott
8 Bay Of Sharks M Baillargeon B Wallace
9 Hay Goodlooking G Brunet G Brunet
10 Mighty Me(L) J Moiseyev R Furlong
Race 6 - Retention Barn - All horses
Dial Or No Dial is the likely m/l and post-time fave, but Bay of Sharks, Ideal Danny, Johnny Z, OK Boromir and Stinger Blue Chip should all find significant backers.
8 -- Pace, purse $50,000 (EX, P3, SF, TR)
D-PEPSI NORTH AMERICA CUP XXVI - ELIMINATION - 3 YEAR OLDS.
STARTING FEE $8,000 CDN $7,400 U.S.
Post time: 09:57 P.M. Lasix: 05:42 P.M.
1 Schoolkids To Be Announced T Brainard
2***Sheer Desire D Palone R Burke (cog: no test)
3 Arctic Warrior D Miller B Wallace
4 Shipps Xpectancy J Moiseyev J Kopas
5 If I Can Dream(L) G Brennan T Brainard
6 *Stonebridge Terror M Saftic J Darling (cog: 12-AUG-2009)
7***Barber Pole B Sears B Teague (cog: no test)
8 Manhattan Bluechip Ra Waples M Austin
9 Annieswesterncard R Pierce T Deters
10 Passmaster Hanover T Tetrick B Burgess
Race 8 - Retention Barn - All horses
IF I Can Dream looks well positioned for victory in this group but could see some challenges from colts like Schoolkids on the rail, plus Barber Pole and Stonebridhge Terror in the middle. There is wicked speed on the outside also, and any of the 8, 9, or 10 could win with a fortunate trip and a late brush.
9 -- Pace, purse $50,000 (EX, P3, TR)
D-PEPSI NORTH AMERICA CUP XXVI - ELIMINATION - 3 YEAR OLDS.
STARTING FEE $8,000 CDN $7,400 U.S.
Post time: 10:18 P.M. Lasix: 06:03 P.M.
1 Fire On The Water P Macdonell M Brethour
2 Fast Pay P Macdonell D Menary
3 Vintage Master D Dube J Takter
4 Drop Red G Brennan R Horowitz
5 Straight Shooting T Tetrick T Brainard
6 Sombrero Blue Chip S Condren R Laarman
7 Art Colony J Campbell C Coleman
8 Millionaire Cam J Jamieson T Osullivan
9 Mr Wiggles(L) C Callahan B Teague
10 Chief Of The Beach S Filion B Wallace
Race 9 - Retention Barn - All horses
Art Colony is facing mostly pacers that have disappointed of late, and of all 40 entrants he may be best positioned to make it to the final. Challengers will include Drop Red, Vintage Master, Millionaire Cam, Straight Shooting and Chief Of The Beach.
Here is analysis from StandardbredCanada.ca on these races:
Race 5:
Coming in off a Burlington victory in which driver Paul MacDonell found daylight late, Jack Darling-trained Real Desire colt Carnivore (PP3, P. MacDonell) will be looking to gain entrance to the Cup via the first elim. Last season's Breeders Crown winner Well Said (PP4, R. Pierce) has drawn mid-gate for conditioner Steve Elliott. Upstart Real Artist colt Keep It Real (PP10, S. Condren) will be looking to keep his career unbeaten streak intact for trainer Joey Shea. The bay continued to roll right along last week in the Burlington Stakes, but will have a tall task ahead of him from the 10-hole.
Race 6:
After having just missed by a half length last weekend in the New Jersey Classic at the Meadowlands, Western Ideal gelding Dial Or No Dial (PP2, B. Sears) will be representing trainer Jim Campbell in the second of the Cup elims. OK Boromir (PP3, L. Ouellette), the No Pan Intended colt that posted a minor upset in the Burlington, has drawn a favourable post for conditioner Frank Baker, Jr. Ideal Danny (PP6, R. Pierce), representing the Erv Miller barn in the third elim, will also be looking to build upon his Burlington victory.
Race 8:
After going down to Yonkers Raceway and capturing the Art Rooney Memorial by open lengths, Western Hanover colt If I Can Dream (PP5, G. Brennan) has drawn mid-gate for trainer Tracy Brainard in the third elim. Courtesy of a 1:49 mile, three-year-old North American season's leader Barber Pole (PP7, B. Sears) will be looking to improve on a disappointing off-the-board finish in the Rooney. Fresh off victory in the Jersey Classic, Blair Burgess-trained Cams Card Shark colt Passmaster Hanover (PP10, T. Tetrick) will have to overcome a disadvantaged post position if he is to make it to the Cup finale.
Race 9:
Having recently captured an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold final at Rideau Carleton Raceway, Western Terror colt Fast Pay (PP2, P. MacDonell) has drawn favourable in the fourth elimination for trainer Dave Menary. Vintage Master (PP3, D. Dube) almost converted a tough overland trip in the Jersey Classic into pay dirt for trainer Jimmy Takter, but the Western Ideal colt settled for a second-place finish by a mere head. Having finished a neck back in second to Carnivore in the Burlington, Art Colony (PP7, J. Campbell) will be looking to get the job done for trainer Casie Coleman.
More Mohawk Racing on Saturday June 20th:
In addition to the Cup elims, Mohawk Racetrack will also be showcasing some of the continent's top three-year-old pacing fillies in eliminations for the Fan Hanover Stakes. The $35,000 elims have been carded as Races 3, 7 and 10.
Three-year-old trotters are sure to be a draw Saturday at 'The Hawk,' as a trio of $30,000 Goodtimes Stakes elims will also head postward. The Goodtimes elims have been slotted as Races 1, 2 and 4.
Full Entries for Saturday June 20, 2009 Mohawk
