The first thing Serge Savard did after the draw for Saturday's $1.5-million Pepsi North America Cup was check Mohawk Racetrack's post position stats
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It confirmed what he suspected. The two most productive winning post positions at Mohawk from May 19 through June 13 were six (17.8 per cent) and eight (14.7 per cent). The two Cup starters that he co-owns, Rockabillie and Eighteen, will start from posts six and eight.
"I loved the draw," said the longtime star defenceman for the Montreal Canadiens, now a prosperous Montreal businessman.
Savard, who plans to attend the Pepsi North America Cup, has had a long association with harness racing and savoured success in that sport as well, notably with Shadow Play, winner of the 2008 Little Brown Jug.
Rockabillie and Eighteen will be outsiders Saturday but Savard thinks they've got a shot.
"They're nice colts. We stopped them at two because they weren't ready to challenge the best,” said Savard. “This year, they've been improving every week. Anything can happen. And we'll have Brian Sears and Paul MacDonell driving."
Eighteen owes his name to the number Savard wore during his hockey career.
"It was my idea. I had a lot of success with that number and I'm not the superstitious type," Savard added. "My next one's going to be named Spinnerama (the name announcer Danny Gallivan gave Savard's trickiest on-ice move)."
The long-time standardbred owner started purchasing horses in the 1970's as a hobby while he played for the Canadiens. Savard and his closest friend and teammate the late John Ferguson, would often spend their downtime at the racetrack.
Savard became the Canadiens GM from 1983 to 1995, putting his hobby on hold for awhile.
After a 12-year hiatus, Savard was ready to get back in to the racing game. He met Moore, a native of Charlottetown, P.E.I., after he moved a junior hockey team he owned from Montréal to Charlottetown.
“Dr. Moore had some success with good horses like Astronomical and I asked him, ‘If you buy a horse, I’ll be interested in buying a piece of it,’” recalled Savard. “He came back to us a year later and said, ‘I got one.’ It was Shadow Play and you know the story of Shadow Play.”
Savard admits winning the famed Little Brown Jug in world record fashion for two heats (a then sizzling 1:50 stakes record in the first heat and 1:50.1 in the final) is still something special.
“I’ve had a lot of sensational moments in my career,” said the man who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986. “As a hockey player and GM, I’ve been involved in 10 Stanley Cups. I also won the Little Brown Jug, it’s different, but still a great thrill. When I won the Jug,
it’s probably the best thrill, sports-wise, in my career after hockey.
“Being in the winner’s circle for the Pepsi North America Cup would be a great thrill, too. It’s already a great feeling to have two horses in the final. It would be awesome beating the best three-year-olds in North America.”
Moore notes that both colts are coming into Saturday's event in excellent condition.
"Rockabillie's been a real pleasant surprise for us this year, he's getting better everytime we race him," Moore told Trot Insider at Tuesday's post draw. "Eighteen's always been a bit better than Rockabillie but last week Rockabillie stepped up. Both colts are coming into the race in good shape."
With no clear standout, Moore agrees with the consensus that this year's Cup final is a wide-open affair.
"I think this is probably one of the more wide-open fields they've had in here, several horses could step up and win the race unless Big Jim returns to his form of last year there's really no standout. I'm looking forward to it and hopefully we'll be in for another surprise," said Moore with a grin.
Leaving from Post 6, Rockabillie (15-1) will have the services of top driver Brian Sears, who won his first Cup six years ago to the day with the sire of Rockabillie, Rocknroll Hanover.
"Rockabillie seems to like an aggressive drive so I think Brian will be a real nice fit for him."
Eighteen (25-1) might be a horse to watch after an equipment adjustment to keep the colt steadier around the turns.
"I snugged up the hopples one more hole on Eighteen," noted Moore. "He throws in a couple steps on the last turn when the pace quickens and he loses a length or two each time which is very critical. Paul [MacDonell] really likes him but if we can get that issue fixed up he should be that much better."
Post Position - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds
1. Big Jim - Phil Hudon - James Dean - 7-1
2. Up The Credit - Jody Jamieson - Carl Jamieson - 5-2
3. Powerful Mist - David Miller - Wayne Givens - 6-1
4. Big Bad John - Brett Miller - Ron Potter - 2-1
5. Shadyshark Hanover - Tim Tetrick - Erv Miller - 5-1
6. Rockabillie - Brian Sears - Dr. Ian Moore - 15-1
7. Roll With Joe - Randy Waples - Ed Hart - 8-1
8. Eighteen - Paul MacDonell - Dr. Ian Moore - 25-1
9. Dutch Richman - Scott Zeron - Erv Miller - 30-1
10. Foreclosure N - Sylvain Filion - Mark Steacy - 25-1
Harness racing's richest pacing event, the Pepsi North America Cup goes this Saturday night with first post at 7:10 p.m. The race will be broadcast nationally on The Score from 8:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. (E.T.) For entries, click here.
(with files from Paul Delean and WEG)
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