Captain Optimistic, Lite Up The World and Louprint roll into next week's prestigious $1 million Pepsi North America Cup (Grade 1) at Woodbine Mohawk Park in top-tier form after winning their respective $50,000 eliminations on Saturday, June 7.

If Saturday night's performances are any indication of what’s to come on June 14, the 42nd edition of the premier event for three-year-old pacers is shaping up to be a classic.

In the opening Cup elimination, Joel And The Jets (Doug McNair) jetted to the lead heading into the first turn, followed by Fast Choice (Jason Bartlett), Swingtown (Yannick Gingras) and Avanti (James MacDonald), while Captain Optimistic, sent on his way as the even-money choice, was last of eight early in rein to Dexter Dunn. ​

Arriving at the opening panel in :26.1, Joel And The Jets then yielded the lead to Swingtown, who marched on after failing to find a spot along the pylons. The latter slowed the tempo and marched his rivals through a half in :56, but Captain Optimistic was on the move and making headway on the pacesetter.

On top by 1-1/2 lengths after three-quarters in 1:23.4, Swingtown gave way to Captain Optimistic, who struck front in early stretch. Joel And The Jets found a seam along the inside and attempted to reel in the leader but finished three-quarters of a length back at the wire. Swingtown held for third, while Fast Choice narrowly took fourth. The final time was 1:50.2.

"I felt pretty confident going into the race,” said trainer Nancy Takter, a two-time Cup winner courtesy of Captain Crunch in 2019 and Tall Dark Stranger in 2020. “He’s had a really good week. Obviously, the tempo was kind of slow up to the half… and he had to come from far away. I was really happy with this performance tonight."

Third in last year’s million-dollar Metro Pace, Captain Optimistic is now two-for-three at Mohawk. The son of Captaintreacherous out of Cinamony won seven of his 11 two-year-old starts, along with a pair of seconds and a third, including a four-length romp in the Governor’s Cup in November. ​The bay colt was second in his first start of 2025, a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division on May 25.

“He was running in a lot in the turns and we were losing a lot of momentum in some of the big races,” said Takter. “But he did put it together in the Governor's Cup, which was the last start of the year. So, I was really happy going into his three-year-old season, that his last two-year-old race was so great."

Captain Optimistic paid $4.30 to win.

Bred by Fair Winds Farm Inc., he is owned by 3 Brothers Stables of New York City, New York, Marvin Katz of Toronto, Ont., and Caviart Farms of Vienna, Virginia.

Captain Optimistic's victory marked a career milestone for Dunn, who surpassed the $90 million earnings mark in North America.

In the second elimination, the fast-paced festivities unfolded a few strides after the starter car sped away.

Several hopefuls tussled over early bragging rights as Crack Shot (Doug McNair), 3-5 choice Sippinonsearoc (Yannick Gingras) and outsider Sterling Choice (Billy Davis Jr.) slugged it out into the first turn and through an opening panel in :26.1.

But the fireworks were only starting.

Sippinonsearoc took aim at the front after the first quarter, as Fallout (Tim Tetrick) picked up the chase, while Madden Oaks (Braxten Boyd) went three-wide and powered to the lead ahead of the half in :53.2. Meanwhile, Lite Up The World, with James MacDonald at the controls, watched the proceedings unfold from last of eight.

Madden Oaks held a tenuous lead heading into the turn for home, but Sippinosearoc popped the pocket and held a slim advantage through three-quarters in a brisk 1:21.1, setting up a compelling dash to the wire.

Lite Up The World, still sitting eighth straightening for the stretch drive, then began to meticulously pick off his rivals one-by-one en route to a 2-1/2-length score in a career-best 1:48.3, punctuated by a final quarter in :26. Crack Shot dug in to finish second, while a game Madden Oaks hung on for third. Fallout was fourth.

“Last week, I thought I had a great horse and I was just trying to do too much and put him in a bad spot and didn't get the job done,” said MacDonald, of a runner-up finish in an $81,500 Somebeachsomewhere Stakes division. “And then tonight, it was such a competitive elim.

“I thought there were five, six or seven horses that could win it, so I was trying to just float and come with cover and hopefully they mixed it up. And I floated, but they were all leaving. There was nowhere for me to go and I had to take back. I knew once he got rolling, he went by one and he just took off. So, it was a good feeling."

Lite Up The World lit up the toteboard as he paid $18.30 for the mild upset.

Trained by Anthony Beaton and owned by Mac & Carol Nichol of Burlington, Ont., Lite Up The World now sports a record reading 5-2-0 from eight starts, including a 2-1-0 summary in four 2024 starts.

The bay son of American Ideal out of Turnoffthelights was bred by Steve Stewart, John Lengacher and Minisink Farms. 

In the third elimination, it was Louprint for the win.

Sent off as the 1-2 choice, the Ron Burke trainee came into his latest test fashioning a perfect three-for-three record in his sophomore season.

He had to work late to keep his unbeaten string intact.

Prince Hal Hanover (David Miller) fired out to the early lead, followed by Dandy Ideal (Jason Bartlett), Making History (Brett Beckwith) and Louprint, who sat fourth through a single-file opening quarter in :27 for driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr.

Wrenn, then had Louprint on the move as the Sweet Lou-Rockin Racer colt responded with a quick turn of foot to grab control before the half in :55.3 and kept the momentum going through three-quarters in 1:23. It appeared the popular brown colt was well on his way to a comfortable score, but Prince Hal Hanover and Dandy Ideal both came calling late.

At the wire, Louprint emerged a head in front of Prince Hal Hanover, with Dandy Ideal in third. The latter survived an inquiry after taking what appeared to be an awkward step or two nearing the half. The final time was 1.49.1. ​

“It was closer than I wanted it to be, but he had the ear plugs in and he was really strong finishing, so I was happy with him tonight,” said Wrenn. “This horse is the best horse I've ever driven and he's a great horse to drive. And you know, I'm just enjoying it."

Louprint won the Dan Patch Award last season as the top U.S. two-year-old colt pacer. He took seven of 10 starts, posting notable victories in the Breeders Crown and Kentucky Sires Stakes final during a million-dollar campaign and was the top pick in the TROT Magazine Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book.

The homebred is owned by Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, Pennsylvania, Weaver Bruscemi of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, Phillip Collura of Mountain Top, Pennsylvania and Lawrence Karr of Randolph, New Jersey.

Louprint paid $3 for his latest success.

The top three finishers from each elimination, plus one fourth-place finisher, Fast Choice, who was drawn by lot, will contest the North America Cup final. The post position draw will take place on Monday, June 9 at Mohawk, beginning at 5 p.m.

Chantilly Remains Undefeated Heading To Fan Hanover 

Both star three-year-old pacing fillies, Chantilly and Miki And Minnie, excelled over the Mohawk surface in their respective $35,000 Fan Hanover eliminations on the Saturday evening card.

Reigning Horse of the Year Chantilly maintained her unbeaten record with a 1:50.1 stroll in the second of two Fan Hanover eliminations.

Leaving from the pylon post, driver James MacDonald settled Chantilly in fourth while The Last Martini (Doug McNair) marched to lead into a :28.2 first quarter with Rodeo Drive Deo (David Miller) pressing outside. Rodeo Drive Deo suddenly broke stride entering the backstretch and as she came back on stride, MacDonald launched off the pegs to brush Chantilly to the front. Chantilly took over the lead to a :56 half and cruised through the last turn, clicking past three-quarters in 1:24. MacDonald stayed poised in the sulky as the Big Jim-Shiraz Seelster filly sprinted for the finish to win handily by five lengths. The Last Martini held second while Westwinds (Tim Tetrick) soared from last for third, Wickedpace (Jody Jamieson) held fourth and Rodeo Drive Deo (David Miller) faded from a wide trip in fifth to complete the scratch-reduced field all advancing to the final.

“I just tried to let her float out and feel her way into the race,” said MacDonald after the race. “Dougie [McNair] made front easy, but when [Dave Miller’s] horse made a break and the quarter was soft, it was a pretty easy decision to flip her to the lead and let her float along.”

Undefeated in 12 starts (including three this year), Chantilly has now earned $915,256 for owner/breeder Millar Farms of Stouffvile, Ont. The Nick Gallucci trainee, who paid $2.80 to win, deferred into the Fan Hanover after talks of tackling the boys in the Pepsi North America Cup, which was a difficult decision for owner George Millar.

“It was tough. I mean, talk to my wife – she’s still calling me a chicken for not putting her in,” said Millar, with a laugh. “I just want to try and do what’s best for the horse. I wish there were maybe one or two more races under her belt so I could’ve made a better decision. It’s a long season and she’s got a lot of races and money to go for, and sometimes if you just race a horse a little too hard, you take the heart out of them. I didn’t want to see us do that to her because she’s a one-in-a-lifetime type horse. I think I made the right decision, my wife will say I never did but she’s got to live with it.”

Chantilly will join the other Fan Hanover elimination winner, Miki And Minnie, last season’s Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Pace champion, in next week’s final. 

After Chantilly’s win in the elimination, MacDonald said, “She always wraps herself up pretty good, but next week will be a different story. I don’t think anyone will be winning wrapped up. You got a pretty good masterclass on what makes Dexter [Dunn] so great after the trip he gave Miki And Minnie today. Just a perfect elimination going in, and I really look forward to the matchup.”

In the other Fan Hanover elimination, odds-on chalk Miki And Minnie uncorked an effortless sprint down the centre of the track to claim the first elimination of the Fan Hanover in 1:50.2.

Driver Dexter Dunn landed in fourth with Miki And Minnie as pylon-starter Outtathisworld Deo (Trevor Henry) hustled forward for the lead and Thebeautifulthings (Kyle Husted) crossed over from the outermost post for the pocket. Outtathisworld Deo clocked the first quarters in :26.2 and hit the breaks entering the backstretch, prompting Cant See Me (Louis-Philippe Roy) to pull from third and brush for the lead. Cant See Me cleared control into a :56.2 half while Dunn waited to make his move.

Dunn managed to flush cover from Thebeautifulthings into the final turn and rolled forward as that tow went toe-to-toe with Cant See Me heading to three-quarters in 1:24.3. Upon straightening, Dunn fanned Miki And Minnie off the helmet and glided past the competition under no encouragement to storm home a 1-1/2-length winner over Cant See Me. Thebeautifulthings held third from a fast-closing Perfectly Chic (Bob McClure) while Outtathisworld Deo faded to fifth.

“Last year, she just kept getting better as the season went on,” said Dunn in a post-race interview. “She got turned out and she’s really filled out and come back stronger this year. I’m happy with the way she’s started the season. She felt great. The middle two quarters were pretty sedate, but we were close enough and she’s versatile; she can grind it out the hard way or show a turn of foot. It makes my job easy with her and she knows where that finish line is, that’s for sure.”

A homebred daughter of Always B Miki out of Thats The Ticket, the Chris Ryder-trained Miki And Minnie remained unbeaten from two starts this season while collecting her eighth victory from 13 starts overall, good for $1,188,822 in earnings for owners Craig Henderson of Chicago, Illinois, Robert Mondillo of Delaware, Ohio and Lawrence Minowitz of Greenwich, Connecticut.

Sent postward as the 1-9 favourite, Miki And Minnie paid $2.10 to win.

The top five finishers from each of the Fan Hanover eliminations advance to the final, scheduled for Pepsi North America Cup night next Saturday, June 14. Each elimination winner earned a protected draw between posts two through six for the final, which is listed below in post position order.

$390,000 Fan Hanover Stakes (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Trainer
1. Cant See Me - Shawn Steacy
2. The Last Martini - Jared Bako
3. Chantilly - Nick Gallucci
4. Perfectly Chic - John Pentland
5. Miki And Minnie - Chris Ryder
6. Wickedpace - Paul Cameron
7. Thebeautifulthings - Meg Crone
8. Westwinds - Noel Daley
9. Outtathisworld Deo - Chantal Mitchell
10. Rodeo Drive Deo - Ron Burke

Fields Set For Armbro Flight, Goodtimes

The eliminations for the Armbro Flight and Goodtimes, delayed by a day due to poor air quality from the Canadian wildfires, turned into an appetizing prelude for Saturday’s Pepsi North America Cup eliminations with a set of chalks delivering and a set of longshots surprising.

Even-money favourite Dial Square S zipped off the pegs, waited on a helmet and lunged forward in the stretch to open the afternoon session with a win in the first $35,000 Armbro Flight elimination for trotting mares, timed in 1:51.1.

Trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt settled the five-year-old Ready Cash-Eileen Boko mare into fourth out of post five as 40-1 shot Golden Rain S  (Doug McNair) strutted to the top through a :26 first quarter. Svanstedt waited until just after a :55.1 half to edge off the cones and he managed to catch cover midway around the last turn from pocket-popping M Ms Dream (David Miller). Golden Rain S clung to a diminishing lead by three-quarters in 1:23.4 before caving to pressure in the lane. Dial Square S vaulted off the helmet of late leader M Ms Dream mid-stretch to grab the lead and then held firm from a last-to-first rally by Emoji Hanover (Tyler Jones) to win by three-quarters of a length in a lifetime-best mile. M Ms Dream settled for third with Nelsonbriteagle NO (James MacDonald) fourth and Golden Rain S well back in fifth.

“She was much better than last time,” said Svanstedt after the race. “Last time [in the Miss Versatility at The Meadowlands], she was pulling so hard. We made some changes and today she was nice to drive.”

An import from Sweden for owners Stall Arsenal AB of Delray Beach, Florida and Ake Svanstedt Inc. of Wrightstown, New Jersey, Dial Square S kept her unbeaten record in North America with her second win. Lifetime, she’s won four races from 15 starts and has now earned $244,242. Before coming to North America, she had just two wins on her resume but around $200,000 banked through her Swedish campaign.

“She was maybe top five in Sweden in the stakes races when she was three and four,” said Svanstedt. “She was a really good horse. She didn’t win any races last year, but she raced good.”

Dial Square S paid $4.20 to win.

Two-time O'Brien Award winner Willys Home Run hugged the pylons through most of the mile and barrelled through traffic to snag a lifetime-best 1:51.1 victory at odds of 29-1 in the second Armbro Flight elimination.

Driver James MacDonald floated Willys Home Run away sixth to a :26.2 first quarter carved out by longshot Legacy Affair (Jody Jamieson), who later relinquished control to pocket-popper Call Me Goo (Ake Svanstedt) on the march to a :55.1 half. Bravo Angel S (Bob McClure) tipped first-over out of third – carrying Drawn Impression (Louis-Philippe Roy) and Elista Hanover (David Miller) on the rim – while Willys Home Run stayed steady third on the inside to three-quarters in 1:24. MacDonald angled to the two-path spinning for home and found a split mid-stretch to dart through and lay aim on weary leader Call Me Goo, as well as rallying Drawn Impression to the centre of the track. Drawn Impression took the lead in the closing stages, but Willys Home Run surged with just enough momentum to put a nose in front on the beam. Call Me Goo, the defending Armbro Flight champion, finished third with Elista Hanover fourth and Bravo Angel S rounding out the finalists.

“She’d just been kind of struggling and I’ve given her some bad trips too, but she’s always been able to sprint fast and today I was able to drive her conservatively," said MacDonald after Willys Home Run scored her first win of the season in five starts. "When she saw daylight, she just launched. I was just as surprised as you, not that she had a performance like that in her, but her form just hadn’t been quite like how she’d been. Good to see her bounce back.”

A four-year-old daughter of Archangel and Rite Outa The Park trained by Kyle Fellows, Willys Home Run earned her 11th win from 28 starts and has accrued $980,516 for owners Dr. Sara Gatchell and Jake Higgs of Strathroy, Ont., breeder Reg Higgs of Blenheim, Ont., and Yolanda Fellows of Rockwood, Ont.

She paid $60.40 to win.

Longshot Galen Erso scored a pillar-to-post 1:53 lifetime-best win in the first $30,000 Goodtimes elimination for three-year-old trotters. 

Driver Doug McNair plugged out of post three with Galen Erso to seize the lead to a :27.2 first quarter and cooled on the engine up the backstretch to a :57 half. As half the field tipped off the pylons to the final turn, McNair slammed the pedal to clock three-quarters in 1:24.4 and braved the swarming herd late to hold onto the win by a length. Landing On Time (James MacDonald), the 3-5 favourite, kicked home from third-over for second while LMC Wagon Wheel (Tyler Borth) blasted from near last for third. P L Spencer (Bob McClure) and Gap Kronos S (Ake Svanstedt) took the remaining berths, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.

“He was a little aggressive getting out of there – this was the first time he’s had the closed bridle on him this year," said McNair of the SBOA Stakes winner. "I figured one of the favourites, either Ake [driving Gap Kronos S] or James [driving Landing On Time], would’ve covered him up but they left him alone. I let him buzz the third quarter and he did the rest from there.”

McNair's father Gregg trains Galen Erso, a colt by Green Manalishi S out of Wygant Princess, for owner Brad Grant of Milton, Ont. Galen Erso, now two-for-four this year, collected his fifth win from 11 career starts and has now banked $291,604 in earnings. 

He returned $61.60 to win.

Heavy favourite Emoticon Legacy emerged victorious in his first sophomore foray with a lifetime-best 1:52.1 victory in the second Goodtimes elimination. 

Planted into fourth by driver Louis-Philippe Roy, Emoticon Legacy sat behind a shuffle on the lead through early fractions of :28 and :56.3 before entering a first-over attack in the final turn. Roy caught brief cover from a late-pulling Fadeaway Hanover (Doug McNair) reaching for three-quarters in 1:24.4 before unleashing Emoticon Legacy three-wide for the stretch drive. Emoticon Legacy grabbed the lead in the lane while Roy kept him to task to win by 1-3/4 lengths over a game Eugene The Genius (James MacDonald) in second. Fadeaway Hanover held third with Blank (Bob McClure) snatching fourth and Wildturkey Hanover (Phil Hudon) taking fifth.

“I didn’t have much of a plan, but I was pretty confident in my horse,” said Roy after the race. “I just played it the way it was going to go and I was happy with the effort. All of Luc [Blais]’s horses – his ‘A’ team – have all been coming back good this year. They’re all tight and ready to go, so I was confident with both this afternoon.

“Last year, he actually changed so much over the summer that it was hard for me, sitting behind him, to know what kind of horse I was going to have,” added Roy. “He started the season really hot and then we tried managing to keep him quiet a little more and then he almost got too quiet. Right now, he seems like a nice racehorse. He’s a little on the bit, but he’s not stupid and he’s not lazy either, so I think that’s a big change for him this year. If he stays the same start after start, it’s going to make our job way easier.”

Luc Blais trains Emoticon Legacy, a colt by Walner out of Emoticon Hanover, for owner/breeder Determination of Montreal, Que. Emoticon Legacy earned his fifth win from eight career starts and has now banked $235,637 in earnings. 

He paid $2.30 to win.

The top five finishers from each elimination of the Armbro Flight and Goodtimes advance to their respective finals, scheduled for Pepsi North America Cup night next Saturday, June 14. Each elimination winner earned a protected draw between posts two and six for their respective finals. Below are the fields for next week’s Armbro Flight and Goodtimes finals.

$210,000 Armbro Flight Stakes (Grade 2)
Post - Host - Trainer
1. M Ms Dream - Ron Burke
​2. Golden Rain S - Per Engblom
​3. Bravo Angel S - Per Engblom
​4. Call Me Goo - Ake Svanstedt
​5. Dial Square S - Ake Svanstedt
​6. Willys Home Run - Kyle Fellows
​7. Emoji Hanover - Luc Blais
​8. Drawn Impression - Luc Blais
​9. Nelsonbriteagle NO - Ake Svanstedt
​10. Elista Hanover - Annie Stoebe
​AE. Chake - Per Engblom

$227,000 Goodtimes Stakes (Grade 2)
Post - Horse - Trainer
1. Fadeaway Hanover - Benoit Baillargeon
​2. Gap Kronos S - Ake Svanstedt
​3. Galen Erso - Gregg McNair
​4. Emoticon Legacy - Luc Blais
​5. P L Spencer - Stephen Bossence
​6. LMC Wagon Wheel - Benoit Baillargeon
​7. Landing On Time - Rick Zeron
​8. Wildturkey Hanover - Ron Waples Jr.
​9. Eugene The Genius - Melissa Essig
​10. Blank - Marcus Melander
​AE. Tregaron - Bob Young

Preferred Pacers Prep For Cup Night

A pair of $36,000 Preferreds featured pacers tuning up for the Mohawk Gold Cup Invitational and Roses Are Red Stakes.

Rebounding from a pylon placing in the Camluck Classic, bettors' choice Brue Hanover ($3.50) powered to a new lifetime mark in 1:48 flat with James MacDonald driving, finishing one length ahead of Taurasi (Doug McNair) in second with Abuckabett Hanover (Dexter Dunn) third. Owned by Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi, the five-year-old Stay Hungry-Blind Ambition gelding is now eight-for-nine since joining the Dave Menary stable.

Making the second start of her five-year-old campaign, Sylvia Hanover ($4) and driver Bob McClure got up in the closing strides to win the distaff division in 1:50.2, besting Grit N Grace (Jody Jamieson) by a head with Odds On Platinum (Louis-Philippe Roy) settling for third. The former Horse of the Year, a $2 million earning daughter of Always B Miki and Shyaway, is trained by Shawn Steacy and owned by Hudson Standardbred Stable of Hudson, Que.

The field for the Roses Are Red Stakes, which did not require eliminations, was drawn during Saturday's card and is listed below.

$287,000 Roses Are Red Stakes (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Trainer
1. My Girl EJ - Andrew Harris
2. Odds On Platinum - Ian Moore
3. Aardie B Miki N - Per Engblom
4. Twin B Joe Fresh - Chris Ryder
5. Blue Pacific - David Menary
6. Soft Shot - Jessica Roegner
7. Sylvia Hanover - Shawn Steacy
8. Valar Dohaeris - Ake Svanstedt

To view Saturday's complete harness racing results from Woodbine Mohawk Park, click the following links: Saturday Afternoon / Saturday Night.  

(Woodbine & Standardbred Canada) 

Photo: top row left to right, Captain Optimistic, Lite Up The World, Louprint / middle row left to right, Dial Square S, Galen Erso, Miki And Minnie / bottom row left to right, Willys Home Run, Emoticon Legacy, Chantilly)

The live stream for the afternoon and evening cards is available below.