Milton, ON — The field for the 39th Pepsi North America Cup will be determined this Saturday (June 11) through a pair of C$50,000 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 C$1 million final on June 18, and the elimination winners will earn the right to select their post positions for the final.

Preseason favorite Pebble Beach (post four, Todd McCarthy) will have all eyes on him in a stacked first elimination.

The Noel Daley trainee captured a division of the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes (1:51) last Saturday at Mohawk in preparation 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 (post five, Bob McClure) will look to 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 (post six, David Miller) arrives on the Woodbine scene off a 1:48.4 victory in Pennsylvania Sire 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 trainee Mad Max Hanover (post two, Tim Tetrick) and Nancy Takter trainee Market Based (post seven, 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 (post three, Andy McCarthy), who is two-for-two this season, and Tim Gillespie’s Ontario Sires Stakes Gold winner Kolby Two Step (post nine, James MacDonald), who was second in last week’s Somebeachsomewhere.

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

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

The second C$50,000 elimination features the season debut of Early Action (post five, Brian Sears), one of last season’s top performing 2-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 (June 4), 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 (post eight, Yannick Gingras) will be looking to find the magic of his sire, 2008 North America Cup winner Somebeachsomewhere. 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 (post three, Trevor Henry) is riding high into his elimination after an upset 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 (post six, 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 (post one, Mike Wilder), who recently captured a PASS division, and Brown trainee Ario Hanover (post seven, 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 (post two, Scott Zeron) and James ‘Friday’ Dean student Ron.

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

The Pepsi North America Cup elimination fields are as follows:

Pepsi North America Cup – Elimination #1 – Race 4
1. Century Inspector (Louis-Phillipe Roy/Brett Lester)
​2. Mad Max Hanover (Tim Tetrick/Jake Leamon)
​3. Caviart Camden (Andrew McCarthy/Tony Alagna)
​4. Pebble Beach (Todd McCarthy/Noel Daley)
​5. Stonebridge Helios (Bob McClure/John Pentland)
​6. Night Hawk (David Miller/Brian Brown)
​7. Market Based (Dexter Dunn/Nancy Takter)
​8. Frozen Hanover (Louis-Philippe Roy/Luc Blais)
​9. Kolby Two Step (James MacDonald/Tim Gillespie)

Pepsi North America Cup – Elimination #2 – Race 8
1. Fourever Boy (Mike Wilder/Tim Twaddle)
​2. Velocity Chaps (Scott Zeron/Mark Evers)
​3. Magical Arthur (Trevor Henry/Anthony Beaton)
​4. Ron (Jody Jamieson/James Dean)
​5. Early Action (Brian Sears/Joe Holloway)
​6. I Did It Myway (Tim Tetrick/Tony Alagna)
​7. Ario Hanover (David Miller/Brian Brown)
​8. Beach Glass (Yannick Gingras/Brent MacGrath)

The Fan Hanover Stakes, for 3-year-old fillies, will offer a pair of intriguing eliminations on Saturday evening.

A group of 15 sophomore pacing fillies were entered, splitting into two $35,000 eliminations. The top five finishers from each elimination will advance to the $401,000 final on the Pepsi North America Cup card.

The first elimination is stacked with stars, as Treacherous Dragon, Prohibition Legal, Boudoir Hanover and Sea Silk will all line up in a field of seven. The second elimination might not have the name power, but has plenty of talent, including Dont Fence Me In, Lyons Serenity, Wickedly Innocent and Silver Label.

The Fan Hanover eliminations are carded as races two and three on Saturday.

The full fields for the eliminations are listed below:

Fan Hanover – Elimination #1 – Race 2
1. Smuggle Tina (David Miller/Per Engblom)
​2. Girl In A Tavern (Louis-Philippe Roy/Teesha Symes)
​3. Cheryls Shadow (Jonathan Drury/Carmen Auciello)
​4. Treacherous Dragon (Tim Tetrick/Brett Pelling)
​5. Prohibition Legal (James MacDonald/Nick Gallucci)
​6. Boudoir Hanover (Todd McCarthy/Tony Alagna)
​7. Sea Silk (Chris Page/Ron Burke)

Fan Hanover – Elimination #2 – Race 3
1. Love That Smile (Louis-Philippe Roy/Rene Bourassa)
​2. Dont Fence Me In (Scott Zeron/Tony Alagna)
​3. I Love Ongait (Doug McNair/Dr. Ian Moore)
​4. Lyons Serenity (Tim Tetrick/Jim King Jr.)
​5. Queen Of Success (Andrew McCarthy/Tony Alagna)
​6. Wickedly Innocent (Todd McCarthy/Brett Pelling)
​7. Silver Label (James MacDonald/Nick Gallucci)
​8. Free To Be Me (Dexter Dunn/Brian Lee)

Older mares to clash in Roses Are Red eliminations

The Roses Are Red for older pacing mares will also have eliminations contested this Saturday evening.

A total of 15 older mares were entered for the Roses Are Red, and they will battle in two C$35,000 eliminations to determine the field for the C$315,000 final. The top five finishers from each split advance to the final on June 18.

U.S. Horse of the Year Test Of Faith will make her Canadian debut in the first Roses Are Red elimination. The first split also includes local star So Much More, who is approaching a million dollars in career earnings.

Defending champion Lyons Sentinel will make her return to Mohawk in the second elimination. The winner of $2.1 million will have to deal with the likes of Racine Bell, Fire Start Hanover, Karma Seelster and Gias Surreal.

The Roses Are Red eliminations are carded as races six and seven on Saturday.

The full fields for the eliminations are listed below:

Roses Are Red – Elimination #1 – Race 6
1. Test Of Faith (David Miller/Brett Pelling)
​2. Settn A Precedent (Sylvain Filion/Jonathan Panos)
​3. Amazing Dream N (Todd McCarthy/Linda Toscano)
​4. Kickupyaheels N (Sylvain Filion/Carmen Auciello)
​5. Awesome Hill (Trevor Henry/Chantal Mitchell)
​6. So Much More (James MacDonald/Don Beatson)
​7. Dabarndawgswatchin (Jody Jamieson/Dave Menary)

Roses Are Red – Elimination #2 – Race 7
1. Racine Bell (Brian Sears/David Dewhurst)
​2. Lit De Rose (Sylvain Filion/Richard Moreau)
​3. Fire Start Hanover (Dexter Dunn/Richard Norman)
​4. Watch Me Now N (Dexter Dunn/Tony Alagna)
​5. Lyons Sentinel (Tim Tetrick/Jim King Jr.)
​6. Karma Seelster (Doug McNair/Gregg McNair)
​7. Kobes Gigi (TBA/Melissa Essig)
​8. Gias Surreal (Bob McClure/Don Lindsey)

No eliminations needed for Armbro Flight

The Armbro Flight Stakes, for older trotting mares, attracted 10 entrants and will go directly to the final on June 18.

This year’s edition includes the past three winners of the race: Atlanta (2019), Hey Livvy (2020) and When Dovescry (2021).

The field for the Ambro Flight is completed by Amazone Duharas, Bella Bellini, Herculisa, HP Mama B, Next Level Stuff, Royalty Deal and Weslynn Quest.

Goodtimes eliminations set for Friday

The Goodtimes Stakes, for 3-year-old trotters, will see a pair of C$30,000 eliminations contested on Friday evening (June 10).

A total of 20 horses entered, leaving two 10-horse divisions for Friday. The top five finishers from each will advance to the C$251,000 final, which will be raced on the Pepsi North America Cup card.

The first elimination includes 2022 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold winners Esplosione and Duly Resolved, New Jersey Sire Stakes Final winner Pretender and Valley Victory Stakes winner Fast As The Wind.

Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final champion Twin B Archie headlines the second elimination.

The Goodtimes eliminations are carded as races five and seven on Friday.

The full fields for the eliminations are listed below:

Goodtimes – Elimination #1 – Race 5
1. Pretender (Yannick Gingras/Nancy Takter)
​2. Senna (Dexter Dunn/Per Engblom)
​3. Esplosione (Jody Jamieson/Meg Crone)
​4. Duly Resolved (Paul MacDonell/John Bax)
​5. Fast As The Wind (Dexter Dunn/Tony Alagna)
​6. Archery Seelster (Louis-Philippe Roy/Marcel Barrieau)
​7. Delgado (Scott Young/Bob Young)
​8. Safe Conduct (Chris Christoforou/Camilla Christoforou)
​9. Southwind Domino (Louis-Philippe Roy/Desiree Jones)
​10. R Royal Port (Sylvain Filion/Ben Baillargeon)

Goodtimes – Elimination #2 – Race 7
1. Gigondas (Dexter Dunn/Tony Alagna)
​2. Looks Like Moni (Andrew McCarthy/Nancy Takter)
​3. Take Command (Tyler Jones/Dustin Jones)
​4. World At War Deo (Jody Jamieson/Dave Menary)
​5. Drinks At Home (Bob McClure/Luc Blais)
​6. Chulo (Yannick Gingras/Per Engblom)
​7. Twin B Archie (James MacDonald/Scott McEneny)
​8. Royal Leaf (George Ketros/George Ketros)
​9. Mercutio (Trevor Henry/Shane Weber)
​10. Testing Testing (David Miller/George Ducharme)

First post on both Friday and Saturday is 7 p.m.