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2022 North America Cup Results


Todd McCarthy celebrates with the trophy after winning his first North America Cup with Pebble Beach.
Dateline: 06/18/2022

The 39th running of the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup, Canada's richest harness race, was contested on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park featuring the best 3-year-old pacing males in North America going the standard 1 mile trip around the 7/8 mile stonedust oval in Campbellville, Ontario, in a major prep for the Pacing Triple Crown. Conditions were unusually chilly for mid June in Southern Ontario, with clear skies and a post time temperature of 13.8 C (56.8 F).


Pebble Beach leads down the stretch
Pebble Beach was sent off as the 1-2 favorite in the full field of 10 off his wins in the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes on June 4 followed by his North America Cup elimination. In to challenge him included 4-1 second choice Night Hawk, second to Pebble Beach in the same elimination after winning the Pennsylvania Sires Stake at Pocono, and 11-2 third choice Beach Glass, winner of the other elimination after finishing second in the Somebeachsomewhere.

Driver Louis-Philippe Roy sent 78-1 longshot Frozen Hanover to the lead first time by through an opening quarter of 27 3/5 while pressed by Beach Glass and stalked by 22-1 I Did It Myway. Down the backstretch, favorite Pebble Beach, parked wide on the clubhouse turn, was sent to the lead by driver Todd McCarthy through a half in 55 seconds and 3/4 in 1:22 3/5. Turning for home, Pebble Beach opened up by 2 1/2 lengths. Beach Glass and driver Yannick Gingras attempted to close to no avail as Pebble Beach cruised the rest of the way to win by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:50. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Frozen Hanover third.

Pebble Beach wins the North America Cup.

The Pepsi North America Cup
Purse: $1,000,000     Distance: 1 mile, pacers
Pgm   Horse              Driver            Win   Place  Show
 5   Pebble Beach        McCarthy         3.10    2.40  2.30
 4   Beach Glass         Gingras                  4.40  3.60
 9   Frozen Hanover      Roy                           19.80

Winning Time:  1:50     

$2 Exacta 5-4               10.50
$2 Trifecta 5-4-9          377.90
$1 Superfecta 5-4-9-3    2,150.80

Results chart Race 11

Left: Pebble Beach in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Noel Daley said, "It wasn't where I thought we were going to be, but they were going easy fractions. I left it to Todd to make his decision there and he did the right thing. As you see, he still has his earplugs in, so he wasn't too worried about it. He showed now he's got a bit of versatility – he can do it in front or behind."

Right: The connections with the trophy. McCarthy said, "I would have liked the idea of being able to get in early and make the decision to move, but our hand got forced there and I had to keep pressing," said McCarthy. A :55 [half]... I was pretty happy with that. I just had to look after him from there and I knew he would have a big last quarter for me. He was terrific."

Left: Pebble Beach heads out for the post parade. McCarthy added, "It's so surreal. I'm speechless. I can't thank Noel enough for what he's done for me since I've come over here (from Australia) too. He was a large part in helping me come over and to win this race with him has just been unbelievable. I was lucky enough to pick up this horse early on and he's just been an absolute pleasure."

Right: Pebble Beach shortly after the start.

Left: Pebble Beach warms up earlier in the evening. Daley added, "It's probably our biggest win. Mr Muscleman won a million-dollar race [the 2003 $1.3 million Canadian Trotting Classic] up here. It's good to have a pacer. I've never won a big race with a pacer like this."

Right: Pebble Beach returns after the race.

Left: Second place finisher Beach Glass heads out for the post parade.

Right: Third place finisher Frozen Hanover warms up before the race.



There were five other stakes races on Saturday night. The $401,000 Fan Hanover Stakes is the distaff counterpart to the North America Cup, with a field of ten 3-year-old pacing fillies. 13-1 Silver Label was quickest away through an opening quarter of 26 4/5 before 8-5 second choice Sea Silk took over on the backstretch through a half in 55 seconds. On the far turn 5-1 third choice Prohibition Legal moved up to challenge through 3/4 in 1:22 and led to midstretch. 6-5 favorite Treacherous Dragon, 5th early and parked wide on the far turn with driver Tim Tetrick, rallied to outfinish fellow closer 12-1 Wickedly Innocent by a head in 1:50 1/5. It was another 2 1/4 lengths back to Prohibition Legal third.

Results chart Race 8

Left: Treacherous Dragon in the winner's circle.

Right: Treacherous Dragon shortly after the start.



The $251,000 Goodtimes Stakes featured a full field of ten 3-year-old trotters. 10-1 Looks Like Moni was quickest away through opening fractions of 27 2/5 and 55 1/5 while pressed by 32-1 Southwind Domino and stalked by 11-2 third choice Pretender. On the far turn Looks Like Moni broke stride after 3/4 in 1:23.1, allowing Pretender to inherit the lead. 2-5 favorite Fast As The Wind, 4th early with Dexter Dunn in the bike, outfinished 5-1 second choice Twin B Archie to win by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:52 2/5. It was another 1/2 length back to Pretender third.

Results chart Race 7

Left: Fast As The Wind in the winner's circle.

Right: Fast As The Wind returns after the race.



A field of 10 older trotting fillies and mares faced the starter in the $211,000 Armbro Flight Stakes. 12-1 Herculisa set the pace of 26 4/5, 56, and 1:23 2/5 while pressed by 9-5 second choice Atlanta and stalked by 14-1 HP Mama B. Herculisa continued to lead to midstretch but tired badly in the final furlong. Atlanta and driver Yannick Gingras took over to win by a length over late-closing 15-2 When Dovescry. It was another 1 1/4 length back to 6-5 favorite Bella Bellini third.

Results chart Race 9

Left: Atlanta heads to the winner's circle. This is her second Armbro Flight win in her fourth appearance, also winning in 2019. Winning driver Yannick Gingras said, "She's incredible, as she gets older, you appreciate her even more. She's so game and does her job week in and week out. She deserves the big ones. Ron Burke does a tremendous job bringing horses back year after year after year. I can't praise him enough."

Right: Atlanta warming up earlier in the evening with her pink bunny ears. Gingras added, "You can do whatever you want with her, you can leave or go back to last. She hasn't been as good as perhaps in years past, I wanted to spot her and hope for the best from there. We got a good trip, it worked out perfect tonight."



Immediately before the North America Cup, a field of 10 faced the starter in the $315,000 Roses are Red Stakes for older pacing fillies and mares. Driver Bob McClure sent 51-1 Gias Surreal to the early lead through fractions of 26 3/5, 55, and 1:22 4/5 while pressed by 34-1 Kobes Gigi and stalkedby 14-1 Fire Start Hanover. Gias Surreal continued to lead to midstretch but 1-2 favorite Test of Faith, sixth and parked wide with driver David Miller, rallied by to win by a length over Fire Start Hanover in 1:50 1/5. It was another 1/4 length back to pacesetter Gias Surreal third.

Results chart Race 10

Left: Test of Faith in the winner's circle. Winning driver David Miller said, "I felt pretty good. I know her so well; she was going up with her cover nice and easy. I felt pretty confident. Going into that last turn I felt pretty good."

Right: Test of Faith in the post parade. Miller added, "I'd have to say she's probably the best mare I've ever sat behind. I always liked Glowing Report, Shebestingin was always one of my favourites, and obviously this mare."



Kicking off the stakes sextet on Saturday night, a field of 9 faced the starter in the $100,000 Mohawk Gold Cup Invitational for older pacers. 56-1 Wheels On Fire was quickest away through an opening quarter of 26 seconds before 7-4 second choice Allywag Hanover took over through a half in 53 2/5 while pressed by 17-2 Linedrive Hanover and stalked by 5-4 favorite Jimmy Freight. Jimmy Freight an driver Louis-Philippe Roy came out wide for room and swept to the front through 3/4 in 1:20.1 Linedrive Hanover closed the gap late but Jimmy Freight held him off to win by a nose in 1:48. It was a long 4 lengths back to Allywag Hanover third.

Results chart Race 5

Left: Jimmy Freight in the winner's circle.

Right: Jimmy Freight shortly after the start.

More North America Cup info:

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