by Harness Racing Communications, a division of the USTA
WHERE: Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto
RACE/POST TIME: No. 6, 9:40 p.m.
HISTORY: The first North America Cup was won by Legal Notice, driven by John Hayes Jr., in 1984 at Greenwood Raceway. The race was held at Greenwood from 1984-93.
RECORDS: Presidential Ball (1:51, 1993) held the stakes record at Greenwood Raceway; Red River Hanover (1:48.4, 2002) holds the mark at Woodbine. Driver John Campbell has won the North America Cup six times, including four in a row from 1994-97.
STATS: Elimination winners have won 11 of the 20 previous North America Cups, including six of the last seven. Since moving to Woodbine, only two horses have won at odds of greater than 4-1 — Straight Path at 29-1 in 1998 and Arizona Jack at 12-1 in 1996.
POSTS: Since moving to Woodbine, the middle posts have dominated. Posts three, five, six and seven have each produced two winners. The Panderosa won from post nine in 1999 and Cam’s Card Shark scored the race’s only victory from the rail in 1994.
Following is a look at the 2004 North America Cup field in post position order.
Western Terror (Western Hanover-Arterra)
Morning Line Odds: 15-1.
2004 Record: 4-1-0-1; 1:51S; $18,402.
Career Record: 14-3-2-2; 1:51S; $69,837.
Owner: Perfect World Enterprises (David and Terry Brooks).
Breeder: Robert Waxman.
Trainer: Scott Forbes (33-12-6-2; $90,984; .485).
Driver: Ron Pierce (1,152-204-151-140; $3.23 million; .290).
The Skinny: Western Terror won his Cup elimination by half a length over Village Hero N in a career-best 1:51 … Also started from post one in his elim … Steve Condren drove Western Terror in his elimination, but is behind Rapid Dialing, also owned by Perfect World, in the final … Pierce is looking for his first Cup victory.
Panspacificflight (The Panderosa-You Can Fly)
Morning Line Odds: 4-1.
2004 Record: 3-3-0-0; 1:50.3S; $57,805.
Career Record: 12-10-0-0; 1:50.3S; $146,418.
Owner: Peter Pan Stables (Bob Glazer).
Breeder: Peter Pan Stables.
Trainer: Kevin McMaster (496-82-74-61; $1.07 million; .289).
Driver: Luc Ouellette (1,057-183-144-129; $2.66 million; .289).
The Skinny: Panspacificflight won his Cup elimination by half a length over Camelot Hall in 1:51.3 … His two career losses came in races in which he went offstride … Won a Bluegrass division at Lexington last year … Ouellette won the 2002 North America Cup with Red River Hanover.
Rogue Hall (Cambest-Roofin Ruth)
Morning Line Odds: 12-1.
2004 Record: 7-5-1-1; 1:51S; $112,963.
Career Record: Same as above.
Owners: Robert H. Grand Holdings; Glenview Livestock (Robert Schlegel).
Breeder: Walnut Hall Limited.
Trainer: Rene Laarman (88-15-9-10; $277,998; .265).
Driver: Paul MacDonell (845-104-97-94; $1.82 million; .224).
The Skinny: Rogue Hall won his Cup elimination by three-quarters of a length over Rapid Dialing in a career-best 1:51 from post nine … Paced the final quarter last week in 26.3 seconds … MacDonell is looking for his first Cup win.
Georgia Pacific (Western Hanover-Armbro Savannah)
Morning Line Odds: 9-5.
2004 Record: 9-3-3-1; 1:49.4S; $133,624.
Career Record: 21-10-7-1; 1:49.4S; $229,228.
Owners: Randy Bendis, Susan Castelli, John F. Campbell, Bill Varney.
Breeder: Perretti Farms.
Trainer: Randy Bendis (380-57-73-57; $423,877; .307).
Driver: Brian Sears (1,171-186-191-157; $3.39 million; .294).
The Skinny: Georgia Pacific won his North America Cup elimination by three quarters of a length over Metropolitan in 1:49.4 from post eight … Has won his last two starts in 1:49.4, equaling the fastest miles for a 3-year-old pacer this year … Won a Provincial Cup elim and was fifth-placed-fourth in the May 30 final at Windsor Raceway … Raced primarily on the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes circuit last year … Sears, looking for his first Cup win, leads all drivers in North America in purses.
Village Hero N (Village Jasper-Radiant Guest)
Morning Line Odds: 15-1.
2004 Record: 14-4-3-1; 1:50.3M; $71,602.
Career Record: 16-5-3-1; 1:50.3M; $100,942.
Owner: Annette Hunter.
Breeder: KM Vermeulen.
Trainer: Jerry Silverman (21-3-2-2; $65,933; .228).
Driver: Richard Silverman (206-24-12-15; $351,952; .173).
The Skinny: Village Hero N finished second to Western Terror in his elimination … Won a division of the Burlington at Mohawk on June 5 in 1:51.2, beating a field that included Rapid Dialing and The Preacher Pan . . . In 2003, horses starting from post five at Woodbine won 16 percent of all pace races, the highest win percentage of any post (starters from post six were next at 13.5 percent) . . . Richard Silverman is looking for his first Cup win.
Mantacular (Western Hanover-Between Two Fires)
Morning Line Odds: 25-1.
2004 Record: 6-0-2-1; Q1:56F; $28,752.
Career Record: 19-8-6-1; 1:51.4M; $261,726.
Owner: M And L of Delaware (Ralph and Rosalind Paul).
Breeder: Perretti Farms.
Trainer: Larry Rathbone (7-0-2-1; $30,504; .206).
Driver: Cat Manzi (1,776-313-250-207; $3.02 million; .293).
The Skinny: Mantacular was third in his Cup elimination, finishing behind Western Terror and Village Hero N and was drawn by lot into the race from among the third-place finishers . . . His last win came on November 11 in a Matron elimination at Dover Downs . . . Won divisions of the Bluegrass and International Stallion, both at the Red Mile, in 2003 . . . Manzi, who is second in wins among all drivers in North America, is looking for his first Cup victory.
Rapid Dialing (Jate Lobell-Start Dialing)
Morning Line Odds: 25-1.
2004 Record: 7-0-2-1; Q1:53.3M; $28,631.
Career Record: 14-4-2-2; 1:53M; $122,440.
Owner: Perfect World Enterprises (David and Terry Brooks).
Breeders: Mitchell and Sanford Barron.
Trainer: Brett Pelling (435-70-57-61; $1.07 million; .280).
Driver: Steve Condren (734-104-87-85; $1.79 million; .246).
The Skinny: Rapid Dialing was second to Rogue Hall in his Cup elimination . . . He was second to Village Hero N in a division of the Burlington on June 5 . . . Last won on September 6 at the Red Mile . . . Won a Woodrow Wilson elim at the Meadowlands last July . . . Condren won the North America Cup in 1989 with longshot Goalie Jeff . . . Pelling won the Cup with David’s Pass in 1995 and The Panderosa in 1999.
Metropolitan (The Panderosa-Tallulah Belle)
Morning Line Odds: 3-1.
2004 Record: 4-2-1-0; 1:50.3M; $53,388.
Career Record: 15-5-5-2; 1:50.3M; $183,861.
Owners: Norman and Gerald Smiley, Jeffrey Langfelder, TLP Stable (Louis and Thomas Pontone).
Breeders: Bart Glass, Rich Malone, First Horse Farm.
Trainer: Chris Ryder (254-42-44-43; $660,234; .318).
Driver: John Campbell (322-48-28-29; $1.04 million; .227).
The Skinny: Metropolitan was second to Georgia Pacific in his Cup elimination . . . He won a Burlington division in 1:51.1 at Mohawk on June 5, beating a field that included Western Terror . . . Was second to The Preacher Pan in a division of the International Stallion last year at the Red Mile . . . Campbell has won a record six North America Cup titles.
The Preacher Pan (The Panderosa-Cathedra)
Morning Line Odds: 25-1.
2004 Record: 4-1-0-2; $1:51.3S; $12,997.
Career Record: 16-3-3-4; 1:51.3S; $277,823.
Owner: Peter Pan Stables (Bob Glazer).
Breeders: D’Elegance Stable, Sampson Street Stables, Newman Racing Stable.
Trainer: Kevin McMaster (496-82-74-61; $1.07 million; .289).
Driver: Daniel Dube (1,196-136-131-124; $2.55 million; .209).
The Skinny: The Preacher Pan was third behind Georgia Pacific and Metropolitan in his Cup elimination, and was drawn by lot into the final from among third-place finishers . . . Won a division of the International Stallion at the Red Mile last year . . . Finished second to I Am A Fool in Governor’s Cup in 2003 . . . Dube won the 2000 North America Cup with Gallo Blue Chip.
Camelot Hall (Blissfull Hall-Cirque De Soleil)
Morning Line Odds: 9-2.
2004 Record: 2-0-1-0; Q1:54.3M; $6,388.
Career Record: 10-3-2-3; 1:51.4S; $653,823.
Owners: Dave Scharf, Steve Arnold, Jerry Silva, Sampson Street Stables (Deborah Domiano).
Breeders: Walnut Hall Limited, RL Turner.
Trainer: Darren McCall (173-28-19-16; $340,717; .254).
Driver: George Brennan (1,304-186-179-148; $2.82 million; .257).
The Skinny: Camelot Hall finished second to Panspacificflight in his Cup elimination . . . Won the Metro Pace at Woodbine in a career-best 1:51.4 last August . . . Finished second to Modern Art in the Woodrow Wilson final at the Meadowlands last year . . . Brennan is looking for his first Cup win.