Live video is available as Woodbine Mohawk Park hosts its all-star card offering $2.5 million in purses on Saturday, June 13, headlined by the $1 million Grade 1 Pepsi North America Cup.
Post positions were drawn for the 43rd edition of the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup on Tuesday, June 9 at a press conference at Woodbine Mohawk Park. 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.
Doors open at 5 p.m. and first-race post time for the Cup card at Mohawk is slated for 6:30 p.m. To view Saturday's complete entries, click the following links: Woodbine Mohawk Park - Saturday Entries || Saturday Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT).
The complete field for the 2026 Pepsi North America Cup 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
Three-year-old pacers Odds On Mr Mamba and Sweet Lovin Lou won their respective Cup eliminations last Saturday, June 6 and earned the opportunity to draw for posts two through six for the 10-horse final. After the elimination winners received their posts, the remaining horses and post positions were drawn. Odds On Mr Mamba landed post three and Sweet Lovin Lou drew post four.
It was a dramatic face-off last Saturday when Odds On Mr Mamba handed Beau Jangles his first loss in the second Cup elimination. Trainer Melanie Wrenn was pleasantly surprised by Odds On Mr Mamba’s victory.
“I knew he was a super nice colt but I truly didn't think we were gonna win,” shared Wrenn. “Beau Jangles is pretty massive and it was a big surprise for me. I knew he was fast, but he's really fast.”
James MacDonald, the driver of both Odds On Mr Mamba and Sweet Lovin Lou in their respective eliminations, has selected to drive Odds On Mr Mamba in the Cup final for Wrenn and breeder/owner Odds On Racing of Boca Raton, Fl.
“It's always tough when you bring a horse along at two, you baby race them, you fall in love with them, and it's always hard to make a decision like that,” shared MacDonald.
“I think the North America Cup is, in my opinion, one of the premier races in the world, and it's going to be a big crowd, and they, I can't wait to see the great racing, and [the Cup] is going to be a war.”
The fastest two-year old in harness racing history by virtue of his 1:47.4 score last year at Harrah's Hoosier Park, Odds On Mr Mamba heads into Saturday's Cup final with nine wins in 10 starts.
“He [Odds On Mr Mamba] clearly was drifting a little bit, as everyone saw, but Melanie and Pete [Wrenn] were confident they could have him steering better, and I think no matter how the race goes, it's good to have that kick, and hopefully I can work a trip out and do something productive, because he's a special horse,” said MacDonald.
Sweet Lovin Lou had a powerful performance to win last Saturday’s first elimination for trainer/co-owner Dan Lagace and co-owners Edwin Buhler of Wantagh, N.Y., Big Als Stables of Woodbridge, Ont., and Brittany Farms Micki Rae of Versailles, Ky. Lagace announced Scott Zeron will drive, a decision he came to easily.
“Even when I raced 'Lou' last year in Kentucky, I listed James down first, but I put Scott down as an alternative if James wasn't going to make it. I think they both have the same style and fit the horse great,” said Lagace.
Reigning Horse of the Year Beau Jangles drew post five. The superstar went into the elimination undefeated with 15 wins, including the Metro Pace and Breeders Crown. He suffered his first loss on Saturday night, but he will look to rebound for trainer Dr. Ian Moore.
“We figured [the loss] was going to happen at some point in time. It might have happened at the wrong time, hopefully not, but I still think he raced very well under the circumstances, and he seems to be fine. I jogged him today after a couple days off. So, hopefully, we'll have him ready to go on Saturday," shared Dr. Moore. “I don't think we've ever drawn inside of eight in this before. So, it's that was good to see that five for sure, and that is my lucky number.”
Ron Burke trains three of Saturday’s Cup contenders: Melillo, Lindy Dragonwater and Al Papi. Burke goes for his third North America Cup win after winning last year’s edition with Louprint (in a stakes record 1:47.1) and in 2014 with JK Endofanera.
Melillo, to be driven by 2025 Cup winner Ronnie Wrenn Jr., drew post one. Lindy Dragonwater, the 2025 Ohio Sire Stakes champion, has post six with Jason Bartlett picking up the drive. World record holder Al Papi drew post eight and gets the services of Yannick Gingras.
Azrael Blue Chip starts from post seven for driver Andy McCarthy and trainer Besim Odza, making his Cup debut. Azrael Blue Chip comes into Saturday's Cup with seven wins in lifetime 13 starts.
Brandon Blvd, winner of the Grade 3 Somebeachsomewhere Stakes, is one of the major players in the Cup, but had no luck in the draw, landing post 10. The Andrew Harris trainee has nine wins in 13 starts.
“Brandon Blvd has done a lot of firsts, I mean, last year as a two-year-old, he was the first 1:48.4 pacer here at [Mohawk], and last week, he was the first horse to go by Beau Jangles, so if there are any first out there he can accomplish, maybe this is it,” said Harris.
Local hopeful No Waitlist drew post nine for owner Tim Dickieson, trainer Blake MacIntosh and driver Doug McNair.
Redland Rocket Man will be looking for the upset from post two for first-time Cup starter John Pentland of Dorchester, 2024 Cup-winning driver Louis-Philippe Roy, and owners Pentland, Murray Cox of Rockwood and Gary Volpe of St. Thomas, Ont.
The $1 million Pepsi North America Cup is certainly the main event of Saturday’s 13-race card, but is complimented by several prominent stakes throughout the evening. Below is a look at some of the key storylines and contenders in Saturday’s stakes.
Race 10 - $420,000 Grade 1 Fan Hanover Stakes – Three-Year-Old Filly Pace
World champion Loua Dipa leads a deep field for the Fan Hanover. The Ron Burke trainee was one of three elimination winners, posting a near track record clocking of 1:48.3.
The elimination win was just the second start of the season for Loua Dipa, who had suffered a narrow loss in her season debut on May 1. It was also the return to the track (Mohawk) where she won two Grade 1 races at age two (Shes A Great Lady and Breeders Crown).
“Nothing surprises me about her,” said driver Ronnie Wrenn after Loua Dipa’s elimination win. “She grew up a little bit [from age two] and they changed her bridle. She feels like her old self and she was awesome.”
Be Perfect BG enters the Fan Hanover with a perfect nine-for-nine career record. The Tony Beaton trainee is the expected second-choice, which would be the first time in her career she wasn’t the favourite.
Already a winner of the New Jersey Sires Stakes this season, Be Perfect BG was making her first jump into Grand Circuit action by entering the Fan Hanover eliminations. She passed the test with flying colours, winning in a lifetime best 1:48.4.
“She did everything that was asked of her last year and in impressive fashion,” said Be Perfect BG’s driver Dexter Dunn after the elimination. “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.”
Perfect Thought was an 11-1 upset winner of the other elimination. She is owned by TheStable Perfect Thought and will have a large rooting section with many members of the fractional ownership group TheStable.ca planning to be in attendance.
The post position draw wasn’t kind to last year’s O’Brien Award winner A Clean Deal, who drew post 10 after finishing third behind Loua Dipa.
Race 8 - $320,000 Grade 1 Roses Are Red Stakes – Mare Pace
The Roses Are Red for older pacing mares is highlighted by Chris Ryder’s award-winning one-two punch of Miki And Minnie and Twin B Joe Fresh.
The 2024 U.S Horse of the Year Twin B Joe Fresh is looking for her third straight win in the event, posting a 1:48 win in 2024 and a 1:48.4 victory last season. The six-year-old was making her season debut last Saturday and finished fourth in her elimination.
Twin B Joe Fresh is co-owned by driver Dexter Dunn, which in turn opened up the drive on the well-accomplished Miki And Minnie. The top pacing filly of the last two seasons partnered with Mohawk's top reinsman James MacDonald to win her elimination in 1:50.2.
Now a four-year-old, Miki And Minnie looks like a serious win contender in her first major race of the season again older rivals. A victory over older rivals isn’t new to the Ryder trainee, as she stepped up to defeat veterans in last year’s Fan Duel Mare Pace in November.
Per Engblom trainee Louies Girl N has been racking up the wins this season, making seven visits to the winner’s circle from nine starts. She captured her elimination in 1:49.4.
Race 7 – $215,000 Grade 2 Armbro Flight Stakes – Mare Trot
The Armbro Flight did not require eliminations and will have an overflow field of 11 clash on Saturday.
Dan Patch Award winner Warrawee Michelle will make her season debut for trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt. Her biggest win of last season’s award-winning campaign was a triumph in the Breeders Crown at Mohawk.
Svanstedt will be well represented, as he also sends out Nelsonbriteagle NO and last year’s Armbro Flight winner Dial Square S.
The top local hopeful is Stormont Beautiful for trainer Kevin Benn. The four-year-old showed well in Grand Circuit races last season in her O'Brien Award-winning campaign, finishing second in the Grade 1 Elegantimage and Grade 1 Breeders Crown. She’s winless in three starts this season, but has been rising with each start, including a hard-closing third in her most recent start, individually timed in 1:51.3.
Race 3 - $240,000 Grade 2 Goodtimes Stakes – Three-Year-Old Trot
The Svanstedt stable could get Saturday’s card off to a hot start if Magic Punk can pick up another stakes win in the Goodtimes.
Following up a win in the Grade 3 Dexter Cup at The Meadowlands on May 2, Magic Punk cruised to a 1:52.1 victory in his Goodtimes elimination for driver Yannick Gingras.
“Ake [Svanstedt] said he’d be a little aggressive in the post parade and race two-fingered,” said Gingras after the elimination win. “He had a lot of trot; push-button in the race. I used him a couple of times the way the race shook out, but he was well in hand."
Magic Punk just missed a Grade 1 win last season at Mohawk, finishing second in the rich William Wellwood Memorial.
Gingras also won the other Goodtimes elimination, guiding Neighver Punt to his first win of the season. It was a sparkling career best effort of 1:51.4 for the Marcus Melander trainee.
Dexter Dunn has been the primary driver of Neighver Punt and takes back the controls for Saturday’s final, while Gingras stays with Magic Punk.
Ontario Sires Stakes standout Touchedbyanangel just got picked off by Neighver Punt in the elimination and will look to rebound for the Fellows stable.
Race 9 - $100,000 Grade 3 Mohawk Gold Cup Invitational – Open Pace
The Mohawk Gold Cup always provides fireworks on North America Cup night.
A field of the 10 best Open pacers in the sport will clash, led by last season’s O’Brien and Dan Patch Award winner Ervin Hanover. The Dave Menary trainee had a stellar 10 wins and $1.1 million earning season in 2025. He returned to the races last Saturday to win the Open in 1:49.1. Dexter Dunn pilots Ervin Hanover.
The tough Prince Hal Hanover will get another crack at older foes for trainer Dr. Ian Moore. The four-year-old already has five starts this season, posting three wins, a second and a third. His most recent start was a narrow runner-up in last Saturday’s Battle of Lake Erie at Northfield Park. Prince Hal Hanover will reunite with driver Todd McCarthy for the Gold Cup.
Trainer Per Engblom will send out a pair of starters. Coaches Corner has fought in all the big races over last year and into this season, while Lou Hill is entering off a win in the Camluck Classic at Western Fair Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada and Woodbine)