NA Cup Eligible Colts Sharpening
As stakes season picks up and three-year-old pacers start to target Canadian harness racing's biggest prize, Trot Insider will track the contenders and eligibles as they prepare for the 2018 Pepsi North America Cup.
This year's edition of the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup will take place on Saturday, June 16 at Mohawk Racetrack. The eliminations will be held a week prior.
For the past several years, Trot Magazine's Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book has served as an initial barometer for the colts and geldings that may be in the running for the sophomore pacing set's single biggest payday. As in past years, the Spring Book appeared in the April issue of Trot.
Here are the horses that have made the April 15 N.A. Cup nomination payment and have raced or are in-to-go as of May 18, 2018. Of the 70 horses sustained, 68 have charted lines this year.
The main stakes action for North America Cup-eligible horses this weekend comes at three different racetracks -- Mohegan Sun Pocono (15 horses), Yonkers Raceway (5 horses) and Flamboro Downs (11 horses).
Always Bet De Grey - last qualified on April 28 at Hoosier Park, finished first in 1:51.2
American History - last qualified on May 5 at The Meadowlands, finished second, individually timed in 1:52.2; entered to race on May 19 at The Meadowlands
Atomic Seelster - last raced on on May 17 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished second, individually timed in 1:52
Avalon Hanover - last qualified on on May 14 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished second, individually timed in 1:55.2; entered to race on May 20 at Flamboro Downs
Babes Dig Me - last raced on May 12 at The Meadowlands, finished first in 1:53.4; entered to race on May 19 at Yonkers
Backstreet Shadow - last raced on May 10 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished first in 1:52.2; entered to race on May 20 at Flamboro Downs
Beachin Lindy - last raced on May 12 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished third, individually first in 1:52.1
Big Talking Man - last qualified on on May 14 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished second, individually timed in 1:55
Burning Midnight - last qualified on May 4 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished third, individually timed in 1:54; entered to race on May 20 at Flamboro Downs
California Cruisin - last raced on May 12 at The Meadowlands, finished third, individually timed in 1:54.2; entered to race on May 19 at The Meadowlands
Cam I Am - last qualified on April 30 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished sixth, individually timed in 1:59
Captain Deo - last raced on May 5 at The Meadows, finished third, individually timed in 1:51; entered to race on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
Casimir Richie P - last raced on May 14 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished first in 1:51.3; entered to race on May 20 at Flamboro Downs
Chocolate Swirl - last raced on May 10 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished fourth, individually timed in 1:54.1; entered to race on May 20 at Flamboro Downs
Cinnamack - last raced on May 6 at Miami Valley Raceway, finished fourth, individually timed in 1:51.1
Closing Statement - last raced on May 5 at The Meadows, finished sixth, individually timed in 1:53.4; entered to race on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
Courtly Choice - last qualified at Woodbine Mohawk Park on May 7, finished first in 1:51; entered to race on May 19 at Mohawk
Declan Seelster - last qualified on on May 14 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished first in 1:54.3; entered to race on May 20 at Flamboro Downs
Done Well, last qualified on May 15 at Scioto Downs, finished first in 1:53.2
Dorsoduro Hanover - last raced on May 5 at The Meadows, finished first in 1:50.3; entered to race on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
Dragon Time - last qualified on on May 18 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished second, individually timed in 1:56.3
Fashiononthebeach - last raced on May 2 at Harrah's Philadelphia, finished first in 1:52; entered to race on May 20 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
GD Western Joe - last raced on May 5 at The Meadows, finished sixth, individually timed in 1:51.3; entered to race on May 19 at The Meadows
Ghost Dance - last raced on May 3 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished first in 1:51.2
Grand Teton - last qualified on May 12 at The Meadowlands, finished fourth, individually timed in 1:51.2; entered to race on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
Hayden Hanover - last qualified on May 5 at The Meadowlands, finished third, individually timed in 1:51.4; entered to race on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
Hitman Hill - last qualified on May 9 at Mohegan Sun Pocono, finished first in 1:53; entered to race on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
Hudson Phil - last raced on May 12 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished seventh, individually timed in 1:51.3; entered to race on May 19 at Mohawk
Jimtastic - last raced on May 12 at Yonkers Raceway, finished fourth, individually timed in 1:55.4; entered to race on May 19 at Yonkers
Justwiggleit - last raced at Harrah's Philadelphia on May 6, finished eighth, individually timed in 1:55.1; entered to race on May 20 at Philly
Karpathian Kid - last qualified on May 12 at The Meadowlands, finished third, individually timed in 1:51.2; entered to qualify on May 12 at The Meadowlands
Kwik Talkin - last raced on May 12 at Yonkers Raceway, finished seventh, individually timed in 1:56.2; entered to race on May 19 at Yonkers
Larrys Petrock - last raced on May 17 at Scioto Downs, finished third, individually timed in 1:53.3
Lather Up - last raced on May 6 at Miami Valley Raceway, finished first in 1:50
Levis Day - last raced on May 10 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished second, individually timed in 1:54.1; entered to race on May 20 at Flamboro Downs
Lost In Time - last qualified on May 5 at The Meadowlands, finished first in 1:51; entered to race on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
Macadoodledoo - last raced on May 12 at YOnkers Raceway, finished eighth, individually timed in 1:55.3
Major Authority - last raced on May 11 at The Meadowlands, finished second, individually timed in 1:51; entered to race on May 19 at Yonkers
Mission Three - last raced on May 14 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished first in 1:53.1; entered to race on May 20 at Flamboro Downs
Nutcracker Sweet - last qualified on May 12 at The Meadowlands, finished first in 1:50.2; entered to race on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
Odds On Lauderdale - last raced on May 12 at The Meadowlands, finished fourth, individually timed in 1:53; entered to race on May 19 at The Meadowlands
Pedro Hanover - last raced on May 5 at The Meadows, finished sixth, individually timed in 1:52; entered to race on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
Phil The Thrill - last raced on May 10 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished sixth, individually timed in 1:54.4
Points North - last raced on May 6 at Harrah's Philadelphia, finished fifth, individually timed in 1:50.3; entered to race on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
Pro Beach - last qualified on May 5 at The Meadowlands, finished third, individually timed in 1:51.2; entered to race on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
Rootin Tootin - last raced on May 12 at The Meadowlands, finished first in 1:52.1
Scouts Report - last raced on May 17 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished third, individually timed in 1:52.2
Seeing Eye Single - last raced on May 6 at Miami Valley, finished second, individually timed in 1:51.2
Shadow Moon - last raced on May 12 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished eighth, individually timed in 1:52.1; entered to race on May 20 at Flamboro Downs
Shnitzledosomethin - last qualified on May 12 at Hoosier Park, finished first in 1:53.2
Sometimesawinner - last raced on May 5 at The Meadows, finished fourth, individually timed in 1:51.2; entered to race on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
Sports Legend - last raced on May 10 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished third, individually timed in 1:54.2; entered to race on May 21 at Mohawk
Springsteen - last qualified on May 9 at Mohegan Sun Pocono, finished first in 1:54; entered to race on May 19 at Yonkers
St Lads Neptune - last qualified on May 7 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished second, individually timed in 1:51.1; entered to race on May 20 at Flamboro Downs
Stay Hungry - last qualified on May 5 at The Meadowlands, finished fourth, individually timed in 1:51.2; entered to race on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
Summer Travel - last raced on May 10 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished fourth, individually timed in 1:54.2
Talbotcreekwhiskey - last raced on May 3 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished first in 1:52.1
Thomas B Hanover - last raced on May 16 at Harrah's Philadelphia, finished sixth, individually timed in 1:55.3; entered to race on May 23 at Philly
Topville Olympian - last qualified on May 18 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished first in 1:55.3
Trump That - last qualified on May 18 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished first in 1:55.1
Turbo Hill - last qualified on April 19 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished first in 1:54.2
Twin B Tuffenuff - last raced on May 11 at The Meadowlands, finished fourth, individually timed in 1:51.1; entered to race on May 19 at The Meadowlands
Venom - last raced on May 17 at Hoosier Park, finished first in 1:51.4
Wes Delight - last raced on May 12 at Yonkers Raceway, finished first in 1:53.3; entered to race on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
Western Passage - last raced on May 12 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished second, individually timed in 1:52.2; entered to race on May 20 at Flamboro Downs
Whatstroublnurocky - last raced on April 13 at Hoosier Park, finished first in 1:54.1
When You Dance - last raced on May 17 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finished first in 1:51.3
Whos Better - last raced on May 5 at The Meadows, finished fifth, individually timed in 1:55.4; entered to race on May 19 at Mohegan Sun Pocono
Below is the list of current eligible three-year-old pacers to the 2018 Pepsi North America Cup as of the April 15 payment.
ALWAYS BET DE GREY
AMERICAN HISTORY
ATOMIC SEELSTER
AVALON HANOVER
BABES DIG ME
BACKSTREET SHADOW
BEACHIN LINDY
BIG TALKING MAN
BURNING MIDNIGHT
CALIFORNIA CRUISIN
CAM I AM
CAPTAIN DEO
CASIMIR RICHIE P
CHOCOLATE SWIRL
CINNAMACK
CLOSING STATEMENT
COURTLY CHOICE
DECLAN SEELSTER
DONE WELL
DORSODURO HANOVER
DRAGON TIME
FASHIONONTHEBEACH
GD WESTERN JOE
GHOST DANCE
GRAND TETON
HAYDEN HANOVER
HITMAN HILL
HUDSON PHIL
JIMTASTIC
JUSTWIGGLEIT
KARPATHIAN KID
KWIK TALKIN
LARRYS PETROCK
LATHER UP
LEVIS DAY
LOST IN TIME
MACADOODLEDOO
MAJOR AUTHORITY
MISSION THREE
MISTER MOJO RISIN
NUTCRACKER SWEET
ODDS ON LAUDERDALE
PEDRO HANOVER
PHIL THE THRILL
POINTS NORTH
PRO BEACH
ROOTIN TOOTIN
SCOUTS REPORT
SEEING EYE SINGLE
SHADOW MOON
SHNITZLEDOSOMETHIN
SOMETIMESAWINNER
SPORTS LEGEND
SPRINGSTEEN
ST LADS NEPTUNE
STAY HUNGRY
SUMMER TRAVEL
TALBOTCREEKWHISKEY
THOMAS B HANOVER
TOPVILLE OLYMPIAN
TORRIN HANOVER
TRUMP THAT
TURBO HILL
TWIN B TUFFENUFF
VENOM
WES DELIGHT
WESTERN PASSAGE
WHATSTROUBLNUROCKY
WHEN YOU DANCE
WHOS BETTER
[Photo, clockwise from top left: Beachin Lindy, Nutcracker Sweet, When You Dance, Venom)]