Carnivore continues to prep for the $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup, and this morning the Real Desire colt put in a sharp mile during Mohawk Racetrack's six-race
qualifying session.
A trio of Jack Darling trainees took to the track in Race 3, as Carnivore was joined by fellow 'Cup' eligibles Stonebridge Terror and 2008 O'Brien Award winner St Lads Popcorn.
Carnivore left from Post 6 with driver Paul MacDonell and threw down a gate-to-wire performance, stopping the clock in 1:53.2, three quarters of a length the best. Shacked Up finished second, while Stonebridge Terror, in rein to Mike Saftic, finished third, also by three quarters of a length. St Lads Popcorn was fourth throughout the mile and finished in that position, pacing her mile in 1:54.1 for driver Jason Brewer.
Manhattan Bluechip, the other Cup eligible contesting Race 3, made a break before the gate, but still paced his mile in 1:56.1.
Carnivore is listed at odds of 22-1 in Trot Magazine's 2009 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book, while Stonebridge Terror has been rated at 60-1 and Manhattan Bluechip 90-1.
Another Cup eligible contested Race 5, as the Luc Ouellette-driven and Dan Ater-trained J Cruise converted a pocket trip. Rated at odds of 80-1 in spring book, J Cruise sprinted off to a three-length victory in 1:56.
Click here to view the charted lines from the Mohawk qualifying session.