Woodbine Entertainment announced on Monday, March 10 that 69 three-year-old pacers, including filly Chantilly, have been nominated to this year’s $1 million North America Cup (Grade 1) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
This year’s North America Cup, scheduled for Saturday, June 14, will be the 42nd edition of Canada’s most prestigious harness race for three-year-olds pacers.
A total of 68 colts and geldings and one filly were nominated to this year’s event, up from 67 in 2024. The five-year trend of nominees includes a 13-year high of 86 in 2023, 61 in 2022 and 72 in 2021.
Headlining the group of Cup nominees is Canadian Horse of the Year Chantilly. The undefeated three-year-old daughter of Big Jim-Shiraz Seelster is believed to be the first filly ever nominated to the North America Cup. A homebred for three-time Breeder of the Year Millar Farms of Stouffville, Ont., Chantilly went a perfect nine-for-nine in her two-year-old season, earning $761,000. She posted victories in the Shes A Great Lady Stakes and Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final as part of her award-winning season. Chantilly is trained by Nick Gallucci, who captured his first O’Brien Award for Trainer of the Year in 2024.
Another featured nominee is Breeders Crown champion Louprint. The Ron Burke trainee capped off his Dan Patch Award-winning rookie season with the Crown title to go an impressive seven-for-10. Owned by the Pennsylvania-based Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and Phillip Collura, the homebred son of Sweet Lou-Rockin Racer also captured the Kentucky Sires Stakes final in 1:48.4 at The Red Mile during his million-dollar campaign stateside.
Metro Pace winner Fallout will also be pointed to the Cup and a return to Woodbine Mohawk Park for trainer Tony Alagna. The son of Captaintreacherous-Aria Hanover set a Mohawk track record with his 1:49.1 victory in the $1 million Metro last summer and lowered his mark to 1:48.4 in his following Grand Circuit stakes start at The Red Mile. The career winner of $772,115 is owned by Robert Leblanc of New York City, Pryde Stables Inc. of North York, Ont., and Caviart Farms of Vienna, Virginia.
The nominees include O’Brien Award winner Stonebridge Wizard, who is trained by Jared Bako for owner David Kryway of Amherstburg, Ont. Going five-for-nine, the Dancin Lou-Odds On Magic gelding won a pair of Ontario Sires Stakes Gold divisions and the Battle of Waterloo during his two-year-old campaign.
Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final winner Crack Shot is also among the nominees for trainer Gregg McNair, who co-owns with Dale Hunter of London, Ont., Frank Brundle of East Garafraxa, Ont., and George Kerr of Gowanstown, Ont. The Bettors Delight-Beautyonthebeach colt pulled off the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Final and Super Final double as part of a five-for-eight rookie season.
Another notable nominee is Governor’s Cup winner Captain Optimistic. Trained by Nancy Takter, the colt by Captaintreacherous out of Cinamony won seven of 11 starts and finished off his season with a dominant 1:49.3 four-length score in the Governor’s Cup for owners 3 Brothers Stables of New York City, Marvin Katz of Toronto and Caviart Farms.
The Burke-trained world champion Sippinonsearoc is among the nominees as well. The Downbytheseaside-Queen Ann M became the sport's fastest two-year-old with a 1:48.2 victory at The Red Mile in Kentucky Sires Stakes action during his six-for-11 season. He is owned by Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi along with Ohio's R A S Racing and Knox Services Inc.
The first sustaining payment for this year’s North America Cup is due next Monday, March 17. Additional sustaining payments will follow on April 15 and May 15. The eliminations are scheduled for Saturday, June 7.
The full list of Cup nominees is available below. To view the eligible horses for all of Woodbine’s 2025 major Standardbred stakes, click here.
AMERICAN SON
AQUINAS HANOVER
AVANTI
BANDERAS
BET I WILL
BOLD VENTURE
BOOMERANG
BOURBON COUNTY
BRIGADE
BUNKHOUSE BOSS
CAPTAIN HURLEY
CAPTAIN INCREDIBLE
CAPTAIN OPTIMISTIC
CHANTILLY
COURTS ON FIRE
CRACK SHOT
CURRYS FLURRY
D A LOVE BOAT
DANDY IDEAL
DISMAS
DONCIC
DONTQUITYOURDAYJOB
DREAMBOAT HANOVER
EXPEDITED SERVICE
FALLOUT
FAST CHOICE
FIFTH AND FIVE
FLOOR IT FREDDIE
GLOWING LOU
GO GO GRASSHOPPER
GOT BOURBON
HELLO DARKNESS
INTERSTATEDAYDREAM
JOEL AND THE JETS
JON I LOVE DAT
KNOCKOUT ROUND
LITE UP THE WORLD
LOUPRINT
LYONS MOONSHADOW
MADDEN OAKS
MAD RIVER
MAKING HISTORY
MIKI ON THE RUN
NIKOLA J
PAC MAN HANOVER
PANTS ON FIRE
PAPIS PISTOL
POWER CODE
PRINCE HAL HANOVER
READYFORPRIMETIME
RED BLOODED
SEAWORTHY HANOVER
SET SHOT
SIPPINONSEAROC
STEAL AWAY HANOVER
STERLING CHOICE
STONEBRIDGE WIZARD
STRANGERINTHENIGHT
STRANGERONTHEBEACH
SWINGTOWN
TH COLBY
THE MAGIC MOMENT
THE REAL THING
TH KAY C CRUNCH
TIP OF TIME
TWIN B FRESH BET
WAVEMAKER
WELCOMETOTHESHOW
WILD BILL WYATT
(With files from Woodbine)