Woodbine Mohawk Park is set to play host to three $50,000 eliminations for the 42nd Pepsi North America Cup (Grade 1) this Saturday, June 7.

A total of 23 three-year-old pacers were entered in this year’s Cup, leading to three elimination races to determine the field of 10 for the $1 million final. The top three finishers from each elimination, plus one fourth-place finisher drawn by lot, will advance to the big dance on Saturday, June 14.

Cup-winning trainers Tony Alagna and Ron Burke lead the way with three entrants each. Alagna’s trio includes Metro Pace winner Fallout, while Burke’s top charge is Breeders Crown winner Louprint. ​

Anthony Beaton, who won last year’s Cup with Nijinsky, will send out Lite Up The World, while two-time Cup winner Nancy Takter has entered Captain Optimistic. Brian Brown and Carl Jamieson also have starters to give past Cup-winning trainers 10 of the 23 entrants.

The winners of each elimination will draw for posts two through six in the rich final.

Here’s a breakdown of each elimination.

Elimination #1 (Race 4 – Saturday, June 7)

Captain Optimistic and Swingtown headline the first of three North America Cup eliminations.

Captain Optimistic is one-for-two at Woodbine Mohawk Park, finishing third in last year’s Metro Pace for trainer Nancy Takter. The son of Captaintreacherous finished off a seven-for-11 rookie season with a dominant victory in the Governor’s Cup in November. He finished second in his lone start this season, a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division on May 25.

Just like Captain Optimistic, Swingtown is returning to Mohawk after racing in last year’s Metro. The Burke trainee suffered his first career loss at the Campbellville oval in the Metro elimination before finishing fourth in the final. The son of Downbytheseaside put up strong performances down the stretch of his rookie season, winning a Breeders Crown elimination and finishing second in the Governor’s Cup.

Here is the field for the first North America Cup elimination, with listed driver and trainer.

1. Captain Hurley - Travis Cullen - Jodie Cullen
​2. Bourbon County - Trevor Henry - Paul Reid
​3. Joel And The Jets - Doug McNair - Dr. Ian Moore
​4. Fast Choice - Doug McNair - Jared Bako
​5. Avanti - Yannick Gingras - Melissa Essig
​6. Knockout Round - Andrew McCarthy - Tony Alagna
​7. Captain Optimistic - Dexter Dunn - Nancy Takter
​8. Swingtown - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke

Elimination #2 (Race 7 – Saturday, June 7)

Metro Pace winner Fallout returns to the scene of his biggest victory in Saturday’s second Cup elimination.

The Tony Alagna-trained Fallout won the $1 million Metro in 1:49.1 as part of a rookie season when he posted four wins and nine on-the-board finishes from 11 starts. The son of Captaintreacherous has finished second in both of his starts this season leading up to the Cup.

Ontario Sires Stakes star Crack Shot is one of the top local hopefuls for this year’s race. The Gregg McNair trainee won last year’s OSS Super Final and Grassroots Final before starting this season with a win in the SBOA Stakes.

The Burke barn is also represented in the second split by Sippinonsearoc, who will be making his Mohawk debut. The son of Downbytheseaside was last year’s Ohio Sires Stakes champion and finished second in the Breeders Crown.

The field for the second North America Cup elimination is listed below, with listed driver and trainer.

1. Mad River - Yannick Gingras - Per Engblom
​2. Sterling Choice - Billy Davis - Blake MacIntosh
​3. Papis Pistol - Andy Miller - Sam De Pinto
​4. Lite Up The World - James MacDonald - Anthony Beaton
​5. Crack Shot - Doug McNair - Gregg McNair
​6. Sippinonsearoc - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
​7. Fallout - Tim Tetrick - Tony Alagna
​8. Madden Oaks - Braxten Boyd - Cameron Capone

Elimination #3 (Race 9 – Saturday, June 7)

Louprint, the top ranked Cup contender, will line up in the third and final Cup elimination.

A son of Sweet Lou, Louprint won the Dan Patch Award last season as the top two-year-old colt pacer. The Burke trainee won seven of 10 starts, posting major wins in the Breeders Crown and Kentucky Sires Stakes final. Louprint is a perfect three-for-three this season entering the Cup eliminations.

Prince Hal Hanover is another notable in the final Cup split. The Dr. Ian Moore trainee won a division of the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes last Saturday and is two-for-three this season.

New York Sire Stakes champion Courts On Fire is also among the starters in the third elimination.

The field for the third North America Cup elimination is listed below, with listed driver and trainer.

1. Prince Hal Hanover - David Miller - Dr. Ian Moore
​2. Making History - Brett Beckwith - Tony Alagna
​3. Dandy Ideal - Jason Bartlett - Hunter Oakes
​4. Th Kay C Crunch - Jody Jamieson - Carl Jamieson
​5. Courts On Fire - Doug McNair - Blake MacIntosh
​6. Louprint - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Ron Burke
​7. Pants On Fire - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Brian Brown

To view the full entries for Saturday’s Cup elimination card, click on one of the following links:

• Saturday Entries - Woodbine Mohawk Park
• Saturday Program Proof - Woodbine Mohawk Park
• Saturday Past Performances (courtesy TrackIT) - Woodbine Mohawk Park

The entry box also closed Tuesday for several other major stakes. The number of entrants in each event is listed below.

• Roses Are Red (Mare Pace): 8
• Goodtimes (Three-Year-Old Trot): 14
• Armbro Flight (Mare Trot): 13
• Fan Hanover (Three-Year-Old Filly Pace): 12

(Woodbine)