The final preparations for the Pepsi North America Cup and a chance to witness history are on tap Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack.
Saturday’s Somebeachsomewhere Stakes for three-year-old pacers serves as a final prep for the Pepsi North America Cup eliminations, which will take place on Saturday, June 13.
A pair of $78,767 divisions, each of which will feature 10-horse fields, will be contested Saturday evening. The Somebeachsomewhere splits have been carded as Race 5 and Race 9.
Fourteen of the 20 ‘Beach’ starters are Pepsi North America Cup eligible.
The first division features the season debut of Breeders Crown champion Traceur Hanover.
The Normand Bardier Jr. trainee is coming into his first start of the season off a qualifying victory last Friday at Mohawk in 1:52.4. Traceur Hanover won five of 14 starts last season for earnings of over $423,000. He will start from rail Saturday evening with driver Randy Waples at the controls.
Pierce Hanover will be looking to improve to three for three this season in the first Beach division.
The Ken and Ralph Sucee stable star is coming into Saturday night off two impressive victories to start his sophomore season. Pierce Hanover will start from Post 9 Saturday with driver Jody Jamieson.
The first division features nine horses that are Pepsi North America Cup eligible.
In the second division, the Hall of Fame duo of John Campbell and Bob McIntosh team up with Go Daddy Go.
The son of Ponder won his season debut impressively last Friday in an Ontario Sires Stakes gold event at London. Go Daddy Go battled with the top colts last season and was victorious in his eliminations for the Metro Pace and the Breeders Crown.
The McIntosh trainee will have to overcome Post 10 in Saturday’s second split.
Allbeef N Nobull, who will start from Post 2, has been listed as the 2-1 morning line favourite in the second division.
The son of Mcardle ships north of the border off a victory on May 28 in a division of the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes. Allbeef N Nobull has two victories this season, while finishing no worse than second in five starts.
Last season, Allbeef N Nobull was a perfect four-for-four in his rookie campaign. He will be driven by Brett Miller Saturday night.
The second Somebeachsomewhere division will feature five Pepsi North America Cup eligible starters.
Ontario Sires Stakes action will also be on tap Saturday night. A pair of $105,000 Gold divisions for the three-year-old pacing fillies will take place as Race 6 and Race 8.
Live racing gets underway Saturday at 7:25 p.m., but fans will want to arrive early to witness potential history.
The Belmont Stakes and American Pharoah’s quest for the Triple Crown will be shown live on the infield screen with full sound. Post time for the Belmont is approximately 6:50 p.m.
Horseplayers looking to catch all the action from Belmont will be able to watch and wager on the entire card in the Mohawk Race Book located inside the OLG Slots.
First-race post time Saturday at Belmont is 11:35 a.m.
Doors to live racing at Mohawk will open Saturday evening at 5:30 p.m.
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Mohawk, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Mohawk Racetrack.
(WEG)