Odds On Mr Mamba’s thrilling victory in the 43rd Pepsi North America Cup highlighted a tremendous 2026 event at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
As reported in the full coverage of the North America Cup contested on Saturday, June 13, the highly anticipated showdown between top three-year-old pacers Odds On Mr Mamba, Brandon Blvd and Beau Jangles helped drive a North America Cup race record handle of $687,448, topping the previous record of $681,716 in 2015. The race handle was also up 25.5 per cent over last year.
The all-sources handle for the 13-race card was $5,610,228, the fourth highest ever. This year’s handle delivered a number that would rank at the top if you remove the effect of Jackpot Hi-5 mandatory payouts on Cup cards since 2016.
“We witnessed an incredible race on Saturday night,” said Michael Copeland, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment. “The hype for this year’s race was the highest in recent memory and the horses, drivers, trainers and connections all delivered.
“The energy onsite was excellent and that clearly was felt across the racing world by the record handle for the Cup race. Fans love stars and we love hosting the best of the best at Woodbine Mohawk Park.”
Odds On Mr Mamba edged Brandon Blvd and Beau Jangles in an epic stretch battle to win the $1 million Grade 1 stakes event. It was the first Cup win for James MacDonald, Mohawk's leading driver and the O'Brien Award-winning Driver of the Year in Canada each of the past five seasons. Trainer Melanie Wrenn became the seventh woman to train a Cup winner, while owner Dana Parham’s Odds On Racing earned its first Cup win.
MacDonald’s dream night also included a victory in the $320,000 Roses Are Red Stakes (Grade 1) with pacing mare Miki And Minnie. That victory gave trainer Chris Ryder three consecutive wins in the event.
Dexter Dunn, a five-time U.S. Driver of the Year award winner, had a terrific evening by winning three graded stakes, the Goodtimes Trot (Grade 2), Armbro Flight Stakes (Grade 2) and Mohawk Gold Cup (Grade 3). Dunn, in total, won four races on the 13-race card.
The $420,000 Fan Hanover Stakes (Grade 1) for three-year-old pacing fillies produced a memorable stretch duel, with Loua Dipa and driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. winning by a head over the previously undefeated Be Perfect BG. The Ron Burke-trained Loua Dipa has now won three Grade 1 races at Mohawk after capturing the Shes A Great Lady and Breeders Crown in 2025.
Live harness racing at Mohawk does not slow down following the Cup, as the Campbellville, Ont. oval is set to add Thursdays to its racing schedule on June 25 and will race five-nights-a-week through Oct. 12.
The remaining major race dates for 2026 at Mohawk are listed below:
- Saturday, Aug. 29 - William Wellwood Memorial Trot (Grade 1), Peaceful Way Stakes (Grade 1)
- Saturday, Sept. 5 - Canadian Pacing Derby (Grade 1), Maple Leaf Trot (Grade 1)
- Saturday, Sept. 26 - Mohawk Million (Grade 1), Metro Pace (Grade 1), Canadian Trotting Classic (Grade 1), Shes A Great Lady Stakes (Grade 1), Elegantimage Stakes (Grade 1)
- Saturday, Oct. 3 - Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Finals
- Saturday, Oct. 10 - Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Super Finals
(With files from Woodbine)