"It's a business and he's got to do what he thinks is right. I hope he's wrong."
With a smile, Dan Lagace made that statement regarding James MacDonald's choice to drive Odds On Mr Mamba in the 2026 Pepsi North America Cup. However, Lagace's smile will be much bigger and last much longer should his colt, Sweet Lovin Lou, prevail in the million-dollar main event of the star-studded card of harness racing on Saturday, June 13 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Both Sweet Lovin Lou and Odds On Mr Mamba won 2026 Pepsi North America Cup elims this past Saturday in 1:48.2. Both colts were piloted by five-time O'Brien Award winner James MacDonald, still in search of his first North America Cup trophy. Faced with that difficult decision after Saturday's elim sweep, MacDonald sided with Odds On Mr Mamba — a winner of his last nine pari-mutuel appearances and the sport's fastest ever two-year-old pacer.
That's part of the business, and Lagace knows that part of the business all too well. And in an interview conducted after the 2026 Pepsi North America Cup Post Position Draw, the veteran trainer displayed professionalism and poise when asked about being left at the proverbial altar ahead of Canadian harness racing's biggest race.
"I wanted to smack talk James a lot," said Lagace with a smirk. "James is a great driver and I'll use him when I can and we'll win lots of races together in the future. I respect his decision."
They just won't connect as a team in the 2026 Pepsi North America Cup. The driver tabbed to replace MacDonald aboard Sweet Lovin Lou is no stranger to success in this race. In fact, in the two editions of the Cup won by driver Scott Zeron — in 2019 with Captain Crunch and 2023 with Its My Show — he wasn't favoured on either occasion. There's a good chance that Sweet Lovin Lou, the 9-2 third choice on the morning line, won't get the bulk of the public support on Saturday, but Lagace is confident in his team.
"Scott Zeron, I think, is a perfect fit for the horse," noted Lagace. "I think that him and James are quiet and lethal at the same time and that matches my horse."
A son of Sweet Lou from the Somebeachsomewhere mare Lovers Dream, Sweet Lovin Lou sports a record of 4-3-4 from 12 career starts and $312,317 in earnings for trainer Lagace and 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. In his only finish out of the top three, he suffered from broken equipment.
"I think he'll do whatever it takes to win a race, but he's matured this year — a lot — on where he'll let the driver drive him instead of him drive the driver. He's just always had natural fast speed, and one of his great things is he's always in a great attitude."
To watch the full interview with Lagace, where he also comments on his colt's elimimation performance as well as the field of colts his pupil faces on Saturday, click the play button below.
The complete field is listed below in post position order.
$1 million G1 Pepsi North America Cup - Race 11 (10:45 p.m. ET)
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer - Odds
1. Melillo - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Ron Burke - 15-1
2. Redland Rocket Man - Louis-Philippe Roy - John Pentland - 25-1
3. Odds On Mr Mamba - James MacDonald - Melanie Wrenn - 9-5
4. Sweet Lovin Lou - Scott Zeron - Dan Lagace - 9-2
5. Beau Jangles - Bob McClure - Dr. Ian Moore - 7-5
6. Lindy Dragonwater - Jason Bartlett - Ron Burke - 25-1
7. Azrael Blue Chip - Andrew McCarthy - Besim Odza - 20-1
8. Al Papi - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke - 20-1
9. No Waitlist - Doug McNair - Blake MacIntosh - 25-1
10. Brandon Blvd - Dexter Dunn - Andrew Harris - 8-1
The lucrative undercard will include the Grade 1 filly companion stakes, the $420,000 Fan Hanover Stakes, along with the $320,000 Roses Are Red Stakes (Grade 1) for older pacing mares, $240,000 Goodtimes Stakes (Grade 2) for three-year-old trotting colts, $215,000 Armbro Flight Stakes (Grade 2) for older trotting mares, the $100,000 Mohawk Gold Cup Invitational, and a $65,000 Free-For-All Trot. Those stakes fields and Saturday's complete entries are available by clicking one of the following links: Woodbine Mohawk Park — Saturday Entries || Saturday Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT).
(Standardbred Canada)