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Woodward Stakes Day Mohawk Million Night Woodbine Mile Summer & Natalma Stakes Prince of Wales Stakes |
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 Scott Zeron celebrates with the trophy after winning his second North America Cup with Its My Show. |
The 40th 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 typical for mid June in Southern Ontario, with clear skies and a post time temperature of 15.6 C (60.1 F).
 Its My Show leads down the stretch |
Driver Yannick Gingras sent 38-1 Save America to the lead first time by through an opening quarter of 25 4/5 before Its My Show took over down the backstretch through a half in 54 and 3/4 in 1:20 4/5, pressed by Save America and stalked by 21-1 Christchurch. Turning for home Its My Show and opened up a 1 1/4 length lead. Favorite Confederate, 6th early and parked wide with driver Tim Tetrick, got clear and put in a strong late rally but Its My Show and driver Scott Zeron held him off to win by a head in 1:47 4/5. It was another 2 1/4 lengths back to 8-1 fourth choice Fulton third.
 Its My Show wins the North America Cup. |
Pgm Horse Driver Win Place Show 2 Its My Show Zeron 8.50 3.50 3.00 5 Confederate Tetrick 3.00 2.40 4 Fulton Dunn 3.60 Winning Time: 1:47 4/5 $2 Exacta 2-5 23.90 $2 Trifecta 2-5-4 75.40 $1 Superfecta 2-5-4-6 81.85
Results chart Race 11
Left: Its My Show in the winner's circle. Winning owner-breeder Richard Young said, "It means a lot. I'm a Canadian, you may not know that, and I've been in the business for 30 some-odd years. His brother [Best In Show] won the Meadowlands Pace four years ago and he was in the North America Cup and finished sixth, I think. I haven't had a horse between them, so coming back and winning this one is almost like back-to-back. So, it feels really cool."
Right: The connections with the trophy.
Left: Its My Show heads out for the post parade. Winning trainer Linda Toscano, celebrating her first North America Cup win said, "He's an amazing horse. He disappointed me so much last year and at the end of the year, let's castrate him. I can't be this wrong about this horse and he's come back, and he's been nothing less than perfect. When you can win these kinds of races, this is what you do it for."
Right: Its My Show returns after the race while Toscano and Zeron hug.
Left: Its My Show warms up earlier in the evening with trainer Linda Toscano driving. Winning driver Scott Zeron said, "Well, the thing is my horse can leave faster than anything I've ever drove, and then at the same time I can calm him down if I ask him to. I was confident that I could start him up as hard as I did and was able to seat a bunch of horses. I knew Yannick would be leaving from a better angle from out there and honestly, to get away second was best case scenario for me. So, to be able to remove and control from there was great for me."
Right: Winning driver Scott Zeron kisses the trophy. Zeron added, "Fulton was giving me a hell of a run in the last turn, and I figured Timmy [Tetrick, driving Confederate] had to be right behind him with how great Confederate is. I knew it was going to come right down to the finish."
Left: Second place finisher and beaten favorite Confederate warms up earlier in the evening. The Brett Pelling trainee improved his record to 7 wins, 2 seconds, and 1 third in 10 starts, earning $777,825 for owner-breeder Diamond Creek Racing of Wellsville, PA.
Right: Third place finisher Fulton heads out for the post parade. The Linda Toscano trainee improved his record to 9 wins, 2 seconds, and 3 thirds in 14 starts, earning $471,178 for owners Let It Ride Stables and Bottom Line Racing.
Kicking off the stakes action, a field of 9 older trotting fillies and mares faced the starter in the $210,000 Armbro Flight Stakes. 55-1 HP Mama B was quickest away through an opening quarter of 27 seconds before 8-1 third choice Raised By Lindy took over through a half in 56 2/5 and 3/4 in 1:24. Into the stretch, 1-4 favorite Bella Bellini, fourth early, gained a 2 length lead but 7-1 second choice Refined, fifth early with driver Doug McNair, came out and rallied to get up by a head in 1:52. It was a length back to 15-1 Warrawee Xenia third.
Results chart Race 5
Left: Refined heads to the winner's circle. Winning trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. said, "She's just matured. She's always been good, as far as being on the national scene. But last year, she showed up in the Breeders Crown and did some work. She did really good and finished third, then she finished second in the TVG [Mares Trot at The Meadowlands]. So we had some high hopes coming into this year for her. Late, late [in the mile], she's just so game; she tries so hard. And it showed up tonight."
Right: Second place finisher and beaten favorite Bella Bellini warms up before the race. The Richard "Nifty" Norman trainee improved her record in 2023 to 1 win, 2 seconds, and 1 third in 5 starts, and boosted her career earnings to $2,231,480 for owner-breeder David McDuffee.
The $250,000 Goodtimes Stakes featured a field of nine 3-year-old trotters. 14-1 Warrawee Yang was quickest away through an opening quarter of 28 seconds before 3-4 favorite Gaines Hanover took over down the back through a half in 55 4/5 and 3/4 in 1:23 4/5. Gaines Hanover led through the stretch but 5-1 third choice Southwind Coors, 4th early with driver Scott Zeron, rallied to win by a nose in 1:52. It was another 3/4 length back to 7-2 second choice Tuscan Prince third.
Results chart Race 7
Left: Southwind Coors in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Matt Bax said, "I thought Scott was a great fit for him and they worked well together tonight. It's been a long trip with him, he was a little nervous, green. I have to give a lot of credit to (driver) Mike Saftic last year, he really managed him (driving him in all 11 of his rookie races). He wouldn't be here where he is now without that. He's been coming off trips, he likes coming off a helmet and this year he's really turned a corner and coming into tonight he's never been better."
Right: Second place finisher and beaten favorite Gaines Hanover in the post parade. The Richard Moreau trainee improved his record to 5 wins, 2 seconds, and 1 third in 11 starts, earning $576,601 for owner Gestion J.Y. Blais.
A full field of 10 faced the starter in the $100,000 Mohawk Gold Cup Invitational for older pacers. 14-1 Billy Clyde set the early pace of 26 2/5 and 54 3/5 while pressed by 74-1 Wheels On Fire and stalked by 2-1 second choice Linedrive Hanover. At the top of the stretch, Billy Clyde broke stride and interfered with both Wheels On Fire and 118-1 longest shot Whichwaytothebeach, causing both horses to fall, unseating drivers Doug McNair and Travis Cullen respectively. 7-2 third choice Abuckabett Hanover, 5th early with Andrew McCarthy, inherited the lead through 3/4 in 1:21 3/5 and cruised to win by 1 3/4 lengths over late-running 8-5 favorite Tattoo Artist in 1:47 2/5. It was a long 4 1/2 lengths back to 2-1 second choice Linedrive Hanover third.
Thankfully both affected horses and their drivers walked off the track under their own power, with Cullen booking off the rest of his drives and McNair driving (and winning) the very next race (Roses are Red Stakes) but booking off the rest of the card (he did not have a drive in the North America Cup). The judges disqualified Billy Clyde from 6th placing him 8th, which moved up 115-1 Poseidon Seelster from 8th to 7th and 5-1 fourth choice Allywag Hanover from 7th to 6th.
Results chart Race 8
Left: Abuckabett Hanover heads out for the post parade. Due to the accident, there was no winner's circle ceremony. The Andrew Harris trainee improved his record in 2023 to 2 wins in 2 starts, and boosted his career earnings to $1,123,980 for owners William Pollock, Bruce Areman, and Andrew Harris.
Right: Second place finisher and beaten favorite Tattoo Artist. The Dr. Ian Moore trainee improved his record in 2023 to 2 wins, 2 seconds, and 1 third in 9 starts, and boosted his career earnings to $2,281,136 for owners Let It Ride Stables, Frank Cannon, Diamond Creek Racing, and Bottom Line Racing.
A field of 10 faced the starter in the $305,000 Roses are Red Stakes for older pacing fillies and mares. 13-2 third choice Silver Label was quickest away through an opening quarter of 25 3/5 before driver Doug McNair moved even-money favorite Grace Hill to the front through a half in 53 4/5 and 3/4 in 1:21 1/5 pressed by Silver Label and stalked by 46-1 Kobes Gigi. In the stretch, Grace Hill drew off to win by 2 1/2 lengths over Silver Label in a new track, stakes, and Canadian record time of 1:47 4/5. It was another 2 1/4 lengths back to 15-1 So Much More third.
Results chart Race 9
Left: Grace Hill in the winner's circle. Winning owner Tom Hill said, "Virgil [Morgan Jr., trainer] has been telling me for the eight, nine months he's had her that she's the best mare on the planet. She's proved it tonight."
Right: Grace Hill returns after the race. Winning driver Doug McNair, who was unseated during the previous race, said, "15, 20 minutes ago I'm laying on the track not knowing what's going on. Next thing you know, I'm standing in the winner's circle for the Roses Are Red on one of the greatest mares to ever see through a bridle, I think. She felt great. Dexter [Dunn with Treacherous Dragon] had the 2-hole, so we kind of wanted to get advantage of him coming out of the turn. Once the dust settled, I put her on the front and she did the rest. I was just a passenger… it was just outrageous."
Results chart Race 10
Left: Sylvia Hanover in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Shawn Steacy said, "She's an amazing animal. I don't think she knows how to get tired, she's incredible, I don't know how else to put it. She can do things most normal horses can't do."
Right: Sylvia Hanover in the post parade. Winning driver Bob McClure said, "She likes a target (but she doesn't need one). Last year she used to get lazy on the front. But she wasn't sitting in that hole any more today. We got slowed up and ? she wanted to roll, I couldn't let horses get outside me and take the chance of never getting out, so I took a shot. When she cleared the front and Dex (Dunn aboard Twin B Joe Fresh) came at her she just did the rest on her own. She's a very special horse, I just have to stay out of her way. I've never sat behind anything like her, she's always going to give you everything she's got."
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