Give full marks to pacing colt Powertrain, who wasn't North America Cup-eligible but certainly showed he belongs with those colts with a dazzling mile in a $50,000 Three-Year-Old Open Pace contested on the 2021 Pepsi North America Cup undercard.
Leaving from post five, driver Sylvain Filion left aggressively with Powertrain and briefly entertained company in the form of Summa Cum Laude (Yannick Gingras) before forcing that foe to take the tuck through a :27 opener.
Favoured Century Heineken (Doug McNair) came with a backside brush move that looked impressive enough to clear, but Filion and Powertrain had other ideas and parked out that rivals through a :54.4. half and 1:21 third station. Turning for home, Powertrain had every excuse to pack it in but instead he poured it on. A two-length lead was maintained through the stretch as Summa Cum Laude tried to narrow that gap but wasn't able. Powertrain tripped the timer in a lifetime best 1:48.2, with Summa Cum Laude the only one even close. Twin B Heart Throb was best of the rest in third.
Another solid performer from the Nick Gallucci / Millar Farms tandem, Powertrain (Shadow Play - Mmillion Blue Chip) picked up his fourth win in nine tries this season. The winner's share of the purse lifts the sophomore's bankroll to $96,825 — all earned in his three-year-old season.
The three-year-old open was contested on a stakes-packed card anchored by the 2021 Pepsi North America Cup. Read all the recaps from Cup night in the 2021 Pepsi North America Cup News Centre.