by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Toronto, ON — Elimination winners Betting Line and Boston Red Rocks will start from posts No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, when 10 3-year-old male pacers go behind the gate for Saturday’s C$1 million Pepsi North America Cup at Mohawk Racetrack in Ontario.

The connections of the elimination winners selected the starting spots for their horses at Tuesday afternoon’s North America Cup draw and press conference. Casie Coleman, who trains Betting Line and co-owns the colt with Christine Calhoun and Mac Nichol, won the random draw to pick first.

Betting Line and driver David Miller won their elimination last weekend by three-quarters of a length over Lyons Snyder in a career-best 1:49.1. Betting Line has won three of four races this year and finished second once. For his career, he has won nine of 16 starts and earned $473,280.

“He came out of the race great last week,” Coleman said. “I trained him this morning and he trained like a bearcat. Jonathan Drury, who is prepping him for this race for me, trained him this morning and told me it’s the best he’s ever been yet. So, he’s very good right now.”

Coleman won the 2010 North America Cup with Sportswriter.

Boston Red Rocks’ trainer, Steve Elliott, also is seeking a second North America Cup, having won the 2009 event with Well Said. Paul Reid made the post selection today on behalf of Elliott.

Last weekend, Boston Red Rocks won his elimination by a half-length over Big Top Hanover in 1:50.3. For the year, the colt has won two of four races and not finished off the board in any start.

Boston Red Rocks was the 2015 Dan Patch Award winner for best 2-year-old male pacer. For his career, he has won six of 13 races, including last season’s Breeders Crown, and earned $639,455 for owners Peter Blood and Rick Berks.

For a look at all the starters in the North America Cup, click on this link for a draw story on the Woodbine Entertainment Group website.

Below is the compete draw:

PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Line
1. Big Top Hanover – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 6-1
2. Lyons Snyder – Sylvain Filion – Mark Silva – 4-1
3. Betting Line – David Miller – Casie Coleman – 5-2
4. Boston Red Rocks – Tim Tetrick – Steve Elliott – 3-1
5. Michael’s Victory – Scott Zeron – Mark Silva – 12-1
6. Racing Hill – Brett Miller – Tony Alagna – 10-1
7. Beast Mode – Trevor Henry – Christopher Nicol – 20-1
8. Manhattan Beach – Corey Callahan – Ron Burke – 15-1
9. Control The Moment – Randy Waples – Brad Maxwell – 8-1
10. Magnum J – Doug McNair – R. Gregg McNair – 15-1
Connections of Betting Line and Boston Red Rocks selected posts as elimination winners.