World champion Odds On Mr Mamba shipped north from Indiana and vanquished the unbeaten Beau Jangles while Sweet Lovin Lou stoutly powered first over to give driver James MacDonald a difficult choice after he guided both to victories in the pair of $50,000 Pepsi North America Cup eliminations on Saturday, June 6 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

MacDonald worked a covered trip for Odds On Mr Mamba and exploded with fervor down the grandstand side to land the win in his North America Cup elimination in a 1:48.2 mile.

Melillo (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) looped after his stablemate Ubrute (Yannick Gingras) rushing into a :26.2 first quarter and grabbed the lead, but Gentlemans Club (Andy McCarthy) soon swung out of third and swept to the front as the field rolled up the backstretch. Beau Jangles, the 2-5 favourite, gapped in fourth but received the cue from driver Bob McClure to attack past three-eighths and moved through the gears to hit top speed into a :54.1 half. Brandon Blvd (Dexter Dunn) tracked the favourite through the turn with Odds On Mr Mamba perched third over.

Beau Jangles blitzed Gentlemans Club rounding the last turn but failed to clear to the lead. He held a head up on Gentlemans Club past three-quarters in 1:21.1 while Brandon Blvd fanned three wide and Odds On Mr Mamba unwound even wider spinning for home. Beau Jangles inched by Gentlemans Club while Brandon Blvd and a drifting Odds On Mr Mamba burst past the inside pair to battle for the lead late. Brandon Blvd dug in on a straight line but failed to stave Odds On Mr Mamba’s momentum late in a neck decision on the finish. Beau Jangles held third with Melillo and Redland Rocket Man (Louis-Philippe Roy) securing the last berths into the final.

“I just wanted to get myself into a good spot turning for home where I could let him do his best work, whether that was too far back or whatever,” MacDonald — who picked up the drive on Odds On Mr Mamba when Dexter Dunn opted for Brandon Blvd — said after the race. “They told me what a kick he had and Dexter said the same thing, so I thought if I could be second, third over it would work out great. In the first turn I was happy to get Dexter in because I thought Beau [Jangles] would move back to the lead. It worked out amazing tonight. A lot of times when they run out like that down the lane, they usually can't get there, they lose the competitive raciness because they don't have someone right beside them. I know I'm confident they'll get them straightened out for next week.”

Trainer Melanie Wrenn said picking James MacDonald to drive Odds On Mr Mamba was “a pretty easy decision. James is a great driver, and his home turf, the whole nine yards. How could we go wrong? And plus, we had one start, and ‘Mamba’ is probably better off the pace like that, and we didn't really want to be in the hunt, so we knew that James would do the right thing.”

And despite the long-awaited matchup against Beau Jangles coming inside the North America Cup elimination, MacDonald also said that “I think it's going to add more to the race, some people look at it as Beau Jangles not being undefeated anymore, but I think we've learned over the years champions bounce back. And I think for Beau Jangles, Doc Moore will have him amazing, Bob will drive him perfect, and it's going to be a heck of a horse race.”

A homebred Odds On Equuleus gelding for Dana Parham’s Odds On Racing of Boca Raton, Fl., Odds On Mr Mamba stayed unbeaten from two starts this year and won his ninth race from 10 starts in his career, earning $528,219.

“He's grown a bit, but he's still not a big horse, but he has a huge heart, and he just wants to do it,” trainer Melanie Wrenn said after the race. “He did everything perfectly. He didn't miss a meal. He shipped fantastic. It wasn’t a problem.”

Sent off the second choice in the betting, Odds On Mr Mamba paid $7.40 to win.

Odds-on favourite Sweet Lovin Lou cruised uncovered into the last turn and persisted to overhaul tiring horses in the first North America Cup elimination in 1:48.2.

Following a recall to repair a broken overcheck on Al Papi, Gingras blasted that one off the starting car to take the lead through a :26.3 first quarter. He pocketed No Waitlist (Doug McNair) heading into the backstretch with pylon-starter Superchamp Hanover (Jason Bartlett) following in third and Sweet Lovin Lou landing into fourth. Al Papi motored to the half in :54.1, at which point driver James MacDonald tipped Sweet Lovin Lou off the pylons from fourth and advanced on the outside while Al Papi continued to speed towards three-quarters in 1:20.4. Sweet Lovin Lou lunged forward as the pace flattened into the stretch and spurted away under a hand drive to a 1-1/4-length victory over a game Al Papi in second. Azrael Blue Chip (Andy McCarthy) rallied from second over for third ahead of an even No Waitlist while Lindy Dragonwater (Wrenn) secured the last spot into the final.

“Dan [Lagace] did a great job training him down and we just kind of brought him along each start,” driver James MacDonald said after the race. “Raced him off the pace, last week [in the Somebeachsomewhere] he was closing again and I thought tonight he was ready to do a little work and he showed he was. I just kind of rode out there first over – last year he’d get a little rolly in the turns, but he was flawless tonight. Dan did a great job, smoothed him out, had him perfect so that made my job easier. I just coasted up to the lead and when I called on him at the top of the stretch he just exploded.”

A colt by Sweet Lou out of Lovers Dream, Sweet Lovin Lou nabbed his first win of the season in his third start and his fourth win in his career from 12 starts, earning $312,317 for owners Lagace Stables of Cambridge, Ont., Edwin Buhler of Wantagh, N.Y., Big Als Stables of Woodbridge, Ont. and Brittany Farms Micki Rae of Versailles, Ky. The victory lowered Sweet Lovin Lou’s lifetime mark by more than two seconds.

“He’s always showed the speed, he’s just been mature – he actually turns three tomorrow,” trainer Dan Lagace said after the race. “We spent all winter and his first couple of races just try to teach him to relax, to settle, and James has done a great job. He’s the same way as last year. His hopples are four inches longer, but other than that he’s the same. We had him in an open [bridle] all winter just to teach him that it’s okay to relax and settle. Chasing good horses for a long season and being immature, when you’ve got someone like James in your corner and he’s teaching them and letting them finish strong, you can’t ask for anything better.”

Sent off as the 3-5 favourite, Sweet Lovin Lou paid $3.20 to win.

Loua Dipa Rebounds, Be Perfect BG & Perfect Thought Score in Fan Hanover Eliminations

World champion Loua Dipa returned to Woodbine Mohawk Park off a defeat in her debut to rip a 1:48.3 mile and win the last of three $35,000 Fan Hanover eliminations – a Grade 1 Stake for three-year-old pacing fillies – on Saturday night.

Sliding into fourth approaching a :27 first quarter, Loua Dipa gathered steam for driver Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. down the backstretch and hustled after leader A Clean Deal (Doug McNair) as she maintained speed into a :54.1 half. Loua Dipa stretched forward to grab the lead from A Clean Deal moving for the far turn and breezed past three-quarters in 1:20.2. She muscled through the stretch and held a healthy advantage to the finish to stride in a 2-3/4-length winner over Daya (Jody Jamieson), who skimmed the pylons to grab second from A Clean Deal.

“She’d been real sharp qualifying,” said Wrenn when asked whether he was concerned about Loua Dipa’s last race being a month ago. “Nothing surprises me with her, but she put in a game effort and beat a couple of really nice fillies in there so I was proud of her. She definitely grew up a little bit and they changed her bridle, but she feels like her old self. She was awesome tonight.”

Loua Dipa, a homebred daughter of Sweet Lou, won for the 10th time from 15 starts in her career and padded her bankroll to $1,174,788 for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC of Fredericktown, Pa. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC of Canonsburg, Pa. The Ron Burke trainee paid $3.20 to win.

Tony Beaton’s undefeated filly Be Perfect BG trounced her peers under no urging to post a 1:48.4 effort in the second Fan Hanover elimination.

Driver Dexter Dunn eased Be Perfect BG, the 1-5 favourite, towards the lead out of post six and smoothly cleared pylon-starter Easy Station (McNair) to a :26.4 first quarter. Be Perfect BG grabbed a slight breather to a :54.4 half and rolled steadily through the turn with Easy Station anxiously tracking Dunn’s helmet. However the favourite faced no trouble after three-quarters in 1:22 as she peeled away in the stretch for a 2-1/4-length win under wraps over Easy Station and Sangria Summer (Louis-Philippe Roy) in third.

“She did everything that was asked of her last year and in impressive fashion,” Dunn said after the race. “Obviously had a good break – I think that probably really helped her. Just looking at her physically, she really bulked up this year and she’s come back better than ever. She was doing it pretty easy. We came to three-quarters and she started to pick the tempo up herself. She’s a real racehorse; she really wants to do it.”

Be Perfect BG (Perfect Sting-Jk Mardi Says) has now won nine straight from nine starts in her career and banked $343,318 for owners Gaston Bibeau of Sorel-Tracy, Que., Gestion Eric Bibeau Inc. of Ste-victoire-de-sorel, Que., and Ecurie CSL of Sorel-Tracy, Que. She paid $2.30 to win.

The first elimination saw a surprise with odds-on favourite Topville Lucky toppled by a furious charge down the centre of the track from Perfect Thought to score the win in a 1:49.3 mile.

Lavender Seelster (Roy) launched for the lead to a :26.2 first quarter and settled into the backstretch as the two favourites began a brush for the front. Seaside Charm (Yannick Gingras) led the charge and cleared command while Topville Lucky and driver Dunn steadily ground forward and eventually crossed to the lead after a :54.1 half. All the while driver James MacDonald angled Perfect Thought into a second-over position nearing three-quarters in 1:21.4 and started fanning towards the centre of the track. Seaside Charm took a shot out of the pocket after Topville Lucky as she laboured for home before she plateaued. Perfect Thought hit top gear once the top pair tired and swooped to the lead with ease and crossed the beam a winner by 1-3/4 lengths. Lavender Seelster zipped through a seam at the inside for second while Jen Tilly (Wrenn) kicked from last for third.

Coming into the Fan Hanover, Perfect Thought’s last race came nearly a month ago after she scratched from the New Jersey Sire Stakes final. On the scratch, MacDonald said “She’s a filly and unpredictable weather in the year; it was just a case she tied up. But Scott [Zeron] and Megan [Scran] have done such a great job with her. She was coming into the race really, really good and I was fortunate enough to get on her at the right time. She felt like a million dollars and I saw she was always charging late, but I moved her over and she just jumped forward. Hopefully she can bring her ‘A’ game next week.”

Harry Poulton trains Perfect Thought, a daughter of Perfect Sting out of Think Pink, for owner Thestable Perfect Thought of Brunswick, Oh. She won her first race of the year from three starts and her fifth race from 13 starts in her career, earning $297,274. Sent off the fourth choice in the betting, she paid $24.40 to win.

Louies Girl N and Miki And Minnie Take Roses Are Red Eliminations

Louies Girl N and Miki And Minnie were winners in Saturday evening’s Roses Are Red eliminations at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The older pacing mares for the Roses Are Red delivered a pair of exciting splits to determine the field of 10 for next Saturday’s $220,000 Grade 1 final.

Louies Girl N and driver Jason Bartlett went a big trip first-up to win the first $35,000 elimination in 1:49.4. The even-money favourite moved out from third nearing the half to make a bid for the lead and ended up in a third-quarter throwdown with leader Always B Naughty (Austin Hanners), reaching that marker in 1:21.2.

In the stretch, Louies Girl N took a clear lead and then had to dig deep late to hold off a challenge from 99-1 shot Always Dawn (Tyler Borth) to hold on for the win. Rodeo Drive Deo (Gingras) was third, while Twin B Joe Fresh (Dunn) finished fourth in her season debut. Grit N Grace (Jody Jamieson) got the last spot into next week’s final with a fifth-place finish.

A six-year-old New Zealand bred daughter of Lord Forbes-One Bad Dream, Louies Girl N is now seven for nine on the season with more than $330,000 earned. The Per Engblom trainee has stepped up big to join the Grand Circuit ranks for owner Peaceful Acre Farm of Litiitz, Pa.

"After we raced her a couple of times, I was hoping she was going to be an open mare at Yonkers, because you showed that pretty quick, and well, she just kept getting better and better,” said Engblom. “This was the first race on a big track, and I thought it was going to be a long way home for being first up, but she handled it well."

Louies Girl N paid $4.20 to win.

Miki And Minnie and driver James MacDonald converted off a second-over trip to win the second elimination in 1:50.1.

Getting away fourth, the Chris Ryder-trained Miki And Minnie was able to follow The Last Martini (McNair) around the last turn in that second-over position as Aardie B Miki N (Bartlett) cut out fractions of :26.2, :55.1 and 1:23.1.

In the stretch, Miki And Minnie muscled by The Last Martini to pick up her first win as a four-year-old. The Last Martini held second, while Absolution (Trevor Henry) got up for third at 25-1. The top five finishers were rounded out by Talk Curdy To Me (Roy) and Skywalker Sea (Hanners).

A daughter of Always B Miki-Thats The Ticket, Miki And Minnie is now one-for-two to start her four-year-old campaign. The career winner of $2.7 million picked up her 20th lifetime win from 28 starts for owners Craig Henderson of Chicago, Il., Robert Mondillo of Delaware, Oh. and Lawrence Minowitz of Greenwich, Ct.

Miki And Minnie paid $2.10 to win.

The draw for the Roses Are Red was conducted after the elims.

1. Skywalker Sea
2. Miki N Minnie
3. Louies Girl N
4. Grit N Grace
5. Rodeo Drive Deo
6. The Last Martini
7. Talk Curdy To Me
8. Always Dawn
9. Twin B Joe Fresh
10. Absolution

Ervin Hanover Delivers In 2026 Debut

Wondering if Ervin Hanover is ready to defend his title in the older pacing horse division? Wonder no longer. Making his six-year-old pari-mutuel debut, Ervin Hanover delivered impressively on his 3-5 favouritism with a 1:49.1 victory in the $40,000 Open Pace.

Driver Dexter Dunn watched Remember The Alamo (Tyler Borth), Brue Hanover (James MacDonald) and Calicojack Hanover (Bob McClure) all vie for early command, with Calicojack Hanover clearing to the top through a :26.2 opening quarter as Ervin Hanover continued to grind away on the outside. Just before the :54.3 half, Ervin Hanover landed on the lead and the award winner kept on motoring through a stout 1:22.1 third station.  Calicojack Hanover angled back out in the stretch to pressure the public choice but Ervin Hanover maintained his position on top through the wire as a 1:49.1 winner. Calicojack Hanover finished second back less than a length, with Brue Hanover completing the 2025 O'Brien Award finalist-comprised triactor.

Surpassing $1.7 million in career earnings, Ervin Hanover (Captaintreacherous - Eloquent Grace) is trained by Dave Menary for owner Pollack Racing LLC of Venetia, Pa. That's win no. 27 in his career, and he's likely pointed for his 28th in one week's time in the Mohawk Gold Cup.

To view the results from Saturday's stakes-packed card of harness racing in Campbellville, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Rounding out the stakes slated for next Saturday, the $215,000 Armbro Flight received 11 entrants and will proceed right to the final on North America Cup night. The draw took place on Friday, June 5.

1. Stormont Beautiful
2. Monalishi
3. Kadiddle
4. Warrawee Michelle
5. Nelsonbriteagle No
6. Yo Tillie
7. Dial Square S
8. Bravo Angel S
9. Bourbonista S
10. Champagne Problems
11. Miracle Maven

The full card replay from Saturday is available below.

(Woodbine and Standardbred Canada)