by Greg Gangle, WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — The continent’s finest 3-year-old pacers will go postward Saturday (June 9) at Mohawk Racetrack in two eliminations for the C$1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup, the world’s richest pacing event on June 16.

The C$50,000 eliminations drew a total of 19 Cup hopefuls. Each elimination will qualify the first five finishers for the final.

In addition, the elim winners get to select a post position before the balance of the field is drawn on Tuesday at Mohawk, when New York Rangers’ defenseman Michael Del Zotto will be the guest drawmaster.

Last year, Up The Credit, driven by Jody Jamieson for his father Carl, who was both the trainer and co-owner, won his elim by a half-length, then came back a week later to capture a wide-open Pepsi North America Cup by one length over Roll With Joe in 1:49.3.

The second elimination at 9:37 p.m. is headed by Sweet Lou (post one, Dave Palone), who won 10 of 12 outings last year for trainer and co-owner Ron Burke, including last year’s Breeders Crown at Woodbine, where he romped by 7-1/2 lengths in a career best 1:49 in world record fashion. The son of 2003 Cup winner Yankee Cruiser banked $686,647 in 2011 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Lawrence Karr and Phillip Collura.

This year, Sweet Lou, who was acclaimed champion 2-year-old pacer in the United States (Dan Patch Award), is perfect in two starts, winning Pennsylvania Sires Stakes by daylight at Pocono Downs and The Meadows.

Among his challengers are Warrawee Needy (post six, Jody Jamieson) and Simply Business (post three, Ron Pierce).

Warrawee Needy makes a much anticipated return to the races for trainer and co-owner Carl Jamieson. Last year, the son of E Dee’s Cam starred in the Ontario Sires Stakes program, winning nine of 12 starts and $536,950, en route to an O’Brien Award as Canada’s top 2-year-old colt pacer. His victories included three OSS Gold Finals and the $294,000 OSS Super final, November 12 at Woodbine.

After two qualifiers this year, including a 1:49.2 mark May 10 at Mohawk, Warrawee Needy was headed to the Upper Canada Cup elims at Georgian Downs on May 19, but became sick and was scratched.

“‘Needy’ was sick, but it’s been resolved now and I trained him on Saturday morning,” said Jody Jamieson. “He trained like an absolute monster in 1:54. We would have loved to have two starts into him over Georgian (Downs) but it wasn’t in the cards, so we are going to have to go into the Cup off that qualifier.

“I don’t know if anyone considers him a world champion, but he’s the greatest horse I’ve ever driven. I expect him to be very good, win his elimination and be picking my post (for the final).”

The Jamiesons will be trying to duplicate their success last year in both the elim and Pepsi North America Cup final, which they won with Up The Credit. Jody also steered Tell All to a Cup win in 2007.

“It would be great (to win another cup with my father). Dad keeps a pretty low profile, he doesn’t get worked up over those things. I don’t think it’s ever been done with a father-son combination.”

Simply Business, a son of 2005 Cup winner Rocknroll Hanover, also enjoyed a banner 2-year-old season, winning four of his eight starts for trainer Jimmy Takter, including the $1,020,000 Metro Pace at Mohawk in 1:50.1, for earnings of $682,510.

This year, although winless in three outings, Simply Business signaled a return to form with a closing third place finish, only a neck behind Time To Roll and A Rocknroll Dance in the $150,000 New Jersey Sires Stake Final on June 2 at the Meadowlands, despite being parked for most of the mile and suffering interference in the stretch.

The other starters in the second elim are I Fought Dalaw (post two, David Miller), Hurrikane Kingcole (post four, Tim Tetrick), Major Bombay (post five, Jason Bartlett), Easy Again (post seven, Montrell Teague), Bettor’s Edge (post eight, Tim Tetrick) and Thinking Out Loud (post nine, Randy Waples).

The first elim at 8:34 p.m. not only has the winners of last weekend’s Somebeachsomewhere Stakes (formerly the Burlington) — Michael’s Power and Secretsoftheknight — but also A Rocknroll Dance, Pet Rock and Time To Roll.

A Rocknroll Dance (post six, Yannick Gingras) enters his elim off a nose loss to Time To Roll in the June 2 New Jersey Sires Stake Final at the Meadowlands. Last year, the son of Rocknroll Hanover won seven of 11 starts, including the $510,000 Governor’s Cup at Harrah’s Chester, while banking $863,325 for trainer and co-owner Jim Mulinix.

Time To Roll (post seven, Andy Miller), another son of Rocknroll Hanover, is perfect in two starts this year, after racing only three times at two. Owned by Lothlorien of Cheltenham, Ontario and trained by Jimmy Takter, Time To Roll took his career mark of 1:50 last week at the Meadowlands. Lothlorien has three previous Cup wins, as a partner with Jeffrey Snyder in Red River Hanover (2002), Rocknroll Hanover (2005) and Well Said (2009).

Pet Rock (post two, Brian Sears) comes off a half-length score in the Art Rooney at Yonkers in 1:51, his second win in three starts this year. The son of Rocknroll Hanover has not been worse than second in his eight career outings for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr.

Michael’s Power (post one, Scott Zeron) stayed unbeaten in four starts this year with a comfortable 2-1/2 length score in a division of the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes last Saturday at Mohawk. The son of Camluck, who previously had taken the $582,000 Upper Canada Stakes at Georgian Downs in a career best 1:50 on May 26, is trained by Casie Coleman for owner-breeder Jeffrey Snyder.

Coleman trained 2010 Cup winner Sportswriter, while Snyder has owned/co-owned four Cup winners: Cam’s Card Shark (1994), Red River Hanover, Rocknroll Hanover and Well Said.

Secretsoftheknight (post three, Doug McNair) scored an 8-1 upset in his Somebeachsomewhere division, his second win in six starts this year for trainer Gregg McNair.

Completing the first elim are Dapper Dude (post four, John Campbell), Mel Mara (post five, Luc Ouellette), Allstar Legend (post eight, Tim Tetrick), State Treasurer (post nine, Jody Jamieson) and Hillbilly Hanover (post 10, David Miller).

Since 1984, 16 of 28 Cup winners also emerged victorious in their elimination, including three of the last four — Up The Credit (2011), Well Said (2009) and Somebeachsomewhere (2008).

For further event details, fans can visit www.NorthAmericaCup.com.

Elimination 1
Post-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1. Michael’s Power-Scott Zeron-Casie Coleman
2. Pet Rock-Brian Sears-Virgil Morgan Jr.
3. Secretsoftheknight-Doug McNair-Gregg McNair
4. Dapper Dude-John Campbell-Bob McIntosh
5. Mel Mara-Luc Ouellette-Tony Alagna
6. A Rocknroll Dance-Yannick Gingras-Jim Mulinix
7. Time To Roll-Andy Miller-Jimmy Takter
8. Allstar Legend-Tim Tetrick-George Teague, Jr.
9. State Treasurer-Jody Jamieson-Ian Moore
10. Hillbilly Hanover-David Miller-Nifty Norman

Elimination 2
Post-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1. Sweet Lou-Dave Palone-Ron Burke
2. I Fought Dalaw-David Miller-Sam DePinto
3. Simply Business-Ron Pierce-Jimmy Takter
4. Hurrikane Kingcole-Tim Tetrick-John McDermott
5. Major Bombay-Jason Bartlett-Tony Alagna
6. Warrawee Needy-Jody Jamieson-Carl Jamieson
7. Easy Again-Montrell Teague-George Teague, Jr.
8. Bettor’s Edge-Tim Tetrick-Linda Toscano
9. Thinking Out Loud-Randy Waples-Bob McIntosh