by Mark McKelvie, WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — Woodbine Entertainment Group today announced that 44 sophomore pacers will be eligible to enter this year’s Pepsi North America Cup. The final sustaining payment for Canada’s richest harness race was due May 15 and the connections of those pacing colts and geldings made the final payment.

The C$1 million Pepsi North America Cup will take place on Saturday (June 17) at Mohawk Racetrack. The eliminations will take place a week prior on Saturday (June 10).

A total of 53 were eligible heading into the May 15 payment. Originally, 60 horses were nominated in February to this year’s Pepsi North America Cup.

The list of 44 eligible 3-year-olds is headlined by Downbytheseaside and Huntsville. The top two pacing colts heading into the season have both made noise early on in their 3-year-old campaigns.

Brian Brown’s Downbytheseaside is two-for-two to start the season with comfortable victories in a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes division and the elimination of the Art Rooney.

Huntsville, who won last year’s Dan Patch Award for his division, has also made two starts this season. The Ray Schnittker trainee won his 3-year-old debut by a stunning ten lengths in a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division on May 6, before finishing second to Brown trainee and Cup eligible Fear The Dragon on May 21.

The list of eligible 3-year-olds also includes Metro Pace winner Beyond Delight, Champlain division winner Ideal Wheel, New York Sire Stakes standout Miso Fast and Battle of Waterloo winner Sports Column.

This year’s Pepsi North America Cup will be the 34th edition and it promises to be the biggest. Admission to the Pepsi North America Cup, including a concert featuring country star Kira Isabella, is $10 and tickets can be purchased here.

Below is the full list of eligible 3-year-olds to this year’s Pepsi North America Cup.

Air Strike
American Sportsman
Arsenal Seelster
Beach House
Beckhams Z Tam
Bettor’s Western
Beyond Delight
Blood Line
Calvin K
Classic Pro
Darling’s Dragon
Dial The Bossman
Downbytheseaside
Dragnet Alert
Eddard Hanover
Fear The Dragon
Filibuster Hanover
Henry The Dragon
Huntsville
Hurricane Beach
Ideal Wheel
Lawrencetown Beach
Mac Attack
Mac’s Jackpot
Major Moe
Mc Mach
Miso Fast
Normandy Beach
Ocean Colony
Odds On Delray
Ozone Blue Chip
Perfectly Close
Photobombr Hanover
R J P
Richard Hill
Santafe’s Coach
Some Attitude
Sports Column
Stealth Bomber
Streakavana
Three More Smiles
Twin B Cowboy
Western Hill
Who Said Not To

Number of eligible horses: 44