With an elimination win under his belt and a team consisting of a Hall of Fame trainer and the winningest driver in the history of the $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup, Dapper Dude heads into Mohawk Racetrack's signature event on Saturday with many factors in his favour.
Driven by John Campbell, who has won the North America Cup a record six times, Dapper Dude enters the final off a thrilling 1:49.3 elimination win by a head over Time To Roll. The top five finishers -- all of which advanced to the final -- were separated by a half-length.
Dapper Dude (The Panderosa-Dress To Suggest) was in seventh place, trailing leader Mel Mara by 6-1/2 lengths, when the field reached the three-quarters point.
“I was pretty happy with his elimination,” Campbell said. “He came from not a great spot going into the last turn and paced over a good bunch of colts and held off a really good colt [Time To Roll] on the outside. I was very happy with his race.
“He certainly dug in right at the wire, and that was the difference between winning and losing.”
The connections of elim winners were rewarded with the chance to pick their horse’s starting spot for the final. Dapper Dude will begin the race from post two while 3-5 morning line favourite Sweet Lou, who won the other Cup elim in a Canadian record 1:47.4, leaves from post four.
“[Dapper Dude] is not a super speed horse out of the gate, but he gets out of the gate OK,” Campbell said. “I wanted to be inside of Sweet Lou and hopefully be in the middle or forward part of the pack going to the quarter. I thought the two was more advantageous for getting a good start than having the rail. You don’t want to get back too far in the field because that’s very difficult to overcome when they all get together.”
Dapper Dude, 8-1 on the morning line, has won three of four races this season, earning $114,556, for trainer Bob McIntosh, who bred and owns the colt with Al McIntosh Holdings. McIntosh’s Thinking Out Loud also reached the final and will start from post five with driver Randy Waples.
Campbell has driven Dapper Dude in his three most recent starts -- a win on the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes circuit at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, a second to Michaels Power over a sloppy track in a division of the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes at Mohawk, and the Cup elim.
“I was pretty impressed with his race at Pocono,” Campbell said. “I liked him right off the bat. The night he was second he raced OK, but the track was really sloppy that night and I don’t think he cared for that quite as much. He didn’t seem quite as sharp, but he bounced back with a real good race. He certainly is in excellent form.”
Last season, Dapper Dude set the track record of 1:51.2 at The Meadows in a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division in August. He was limited to five starts, winning two, because of growing pains.
“I think my horse is going to race well,” Campbell said. “I also realize we’re in with a couple of really high-powered colts in Sweet Lou and Warrawee Needy; I was very impressed with his race as well. We just have to wait and see how the trip is going to work out and if my colt can step up and pace more than he did last week. He’s going to have to go more, there’s no question about that, unless the weather doesn’t cooperate.”
Sweet Lou enters the North America Cup final three-for-three this season and the winner of 13 of 15 lifetime starts. Last season, he set the world record of 1:49 in winning the Breeders Crown for two-year-old male pacers at Woodbine.
“It’s impossible not to be impressed with him,” Campbell said. “His last start of the year in the Breeders Crown was just sensational. He’s come back and he’s filled out and is bigger and stronger than he was last year. He’s certainly done everything they’ve asked of him -- and in impressive fashion so far.”
McIntosh, who is in the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in the U.S. as well as the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, is seeking his first win in the North America Cup.
“If he can get his first and I’m riding his coat-tails, that would be great,” Campbell said.
Here is a look at the field in post position order with drivers and morning line odds listed:
$1.5 Million Pepsi North America Cup
Post Position - Horse - Driver - Morning Line Odds
1 - Bettors Edge - Tim Tetrick - 30-1
2 - Dapper Dude - John Campbell - 8-1
3 - Time To Roll - Andy Miller - 12-1
4 - Sweet Lou - Dave Palone - 3-5
5 - Thinking Out Loud - Randy Waples - 12-1
6 - State Treasurer - David Miller - 20-1
7 - A Rocknroll Dance - Yannick Gingras - 10-1
8 - Warrawee Needy - Jody Jamieson - 9-2
9 - Pet Rock - Brian Sears - 15-1
10 - Simply Business - Ron Pierce - 25-1
AE1 - Easy Again – TBA
(With files from HRC)