Peter Wrenn expects Shnitzledosomethin to do something he always does when it comes time to race at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday in his Pepsi North America Cup elimination: be right in the mix.
Over the course of his 15-race career, Shnitzledosomethin has posted seven wins and hit the board a total of 14 times. The only time the colt finished outside the top three came last October when he was pulled up because of broken equipment. Three of his five runner-up finishes came by a neck or less, including his setback to Stay Hungry in last season’s Breeders Crown for two-year-old male pacers.
“He’s not scared of speed and he’s got good manners, so those are probably two things in his favour,” Wrenn said. “He doesn’t get too wound up and he’s a big enough horse where fractions don’t hurt him too badly. He’s not going to walk away from [anybody], but they’re going to know he’s in the race some. He’s a very nice horse.
“He was a player last year, and he’s a player this year.”
A total of 29 horses entered the 35th North America Cup, one of the sport’s premier events for three-year-old male pacers, and the group was divided into three eliminations (for more information, click here). The top three finishers from each division plus one fourth-place finisher drawn by lot will advance to the $1 million final, which will be contested on June 16 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Shnitzledosomethin will face the gate for the third elimination, which also includes Dan Patch Award winner Lost In Time and two horses that are unbeaten this year, Courtly Choice and Lather Up. Lost In Time won last year’s Metro Pace at Mohawk while Courtly Choice (two-for-two in 2018) and Lather Up (four-for-four) are two of the three fastest three-year-old pacers this season.
Lather Up is the 9-5 morning-line favourite. Shnitzledosomethin, who has recorded a win and a second in two starts this year on the Indiana Sires Stakes circuit, is 8-1.
The first elimination features Breeders Crown two-year-old champion Stay Hungry, stakes-winner Hayden Hanover, and undefeated Done Well. Hayden Hanover was last season’s fastest two-year-old male pacer, with a mark of 1:50. Done Well, who was sidelined by a cannon bone fracture last year, is five-for-five lifetime.
Stay Hungry is the 9-5 morning-line favourite.
The second elimination includes Somebeachsomewhere division winner Burning Midnight as well as two more of the season’s hottest three-year-olds, Dorsoduro Hanover and Wes Delight. Dorsoduro Hanover is undefeated in three races this year, while Wes Delight has won four of five in 2018, with his lone setback having been a second-place finish to Dorsoduro Hanover.
Dorsoduro Hanover is the 5-2 morning-line favourite.
The Pepsi North America Cup eliminations have been carded as races four, five and eight on Saturday’s program. The elimination winners will earn the right to select their post position for the final. The post-position draw will take place this coming Tuesday during a special luncheon and media conference at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Shnitzledosomethin, pictured victorious with Peter Wrenn at Hoosier Park (Linscott Photography)
“There are a lot of horses in these divisions that could step up and get the job done,” Wrenn said. “There are no horses that lay five lengths over the field. It’s an evenly-matched group.”
Wrenn, who last appeared in a North America Cup final in 1999, where he finished fourth with Sioux Dawn, has driven Shnitzledosomethin in every start of his career. All but one of those races came in Indiana, a third-place finish in the Matron Stakes at Dover Downs in Delaware.
Shnitzledosomethin, a son of Fred And Ginger out of Summer N Sand, is trained by Dylan Davis. He is owned by BFJ Stable, Thomas Lazzaro, Ed Gold, and Abraham Basen.
“He’s a bigger, stronger horse, which a lot of them get that way,” Wrenn said about the 2018 version of Shnitzledosomethin. “He had a lot of natural talent last year, which has carried over to this year for sure.”
Wrenn is looking forward to driving at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Although he does not drive regularly in Canada, he enjoyed one of his biggest wins north of the border when he captured a Breeders Crown with Yankee Cashmere at Woodbine Racetrack in 1994.
“I’ve had a little luck up there in the past,” Wrenn said. “Maybe not always coming home with a big ‘W,’ but some nice paycheques. Maybe it will work out. I hope I make the final. They put on a nice show. It’s always got a good feeling about being there. The fan base really enjoys racing and they put it all forward. They love it. They’re very enthusiastic.”
Some of the colts and geldings that will be participating in the Cup elims prepped this past weekend in the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes at Mohawk. For a complete recap of the Somebeachsomewhere, click here.
Post time for Saturday’s card is 7:30 p.m. An early program for the Pepsi North America Cup eliminations card is available by clicking here. The card also includes eliminations for the Roses Are Red and Fan Hanover stakes.
To access a free, printable program for Woodbine Mohawk Park’s Saturday card of racing, courtesy of TrackIT, click here.
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Woodbine Mohawk Park, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The full elimination fields – with drivers, trainers, and morning line odds – appear below.
Elimination 1 (Race 4)
(Post – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Morning Line Odds)
1. Hayden Hanover-Andy Miller-Julie Miller-5/1
2. Summer Travel-David Miller-Casie Coleman-6/1
3. Stay Hungry-Doug McNair-Tony Alagna-9/5
4. Major Authority-Yannick Gingras-Andrew Harris-20/1
5. Done Well-Tim Tetrick-Brian Brown-2/1
6. Sports Legend-Bob McClure-Richard Moreau-20/1
7. Rootin Tootin-Mark MacDonald-Blake MacIntosh-15/1
8. Topville Olympian-Jody Jamieson-Dave Menary-15/1
9. Grand Teton-Scott Zeron-Jimmy Takter-10/1
10. Captain Deo-Brett Miller-Tony Alagna-8/1
Elimination 2 (Race 5)
(Post – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Morning Line Odds)
1. Whos Better-David Miller-Brian Brown-8/1
2. Sometimesawinner-Louis-Philippe Roy-Rene Allard-10/1
3. Beachin Lindy-Mark MacDonald-Steve Charlton-20/1
4. Wes Delight-Corey Callahan-Mark Harder-7/2
5. Burning Midnight-Trevor Henry-Corey Giles-6/1
6. When You Dance-Jonathan Drury-Ben Wallace-12/1
7. American History-Yannick Gingras-Tony Alagna-3/1
8. Dorsoduro Hanover-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke-5/2
9. Nutcracker Sweet-Tim Tetrick-Jimmy Takter-10/1
10. Dragon Time-Jody Jamieson-Dave Menary-20/1
Elimination 3 (Race 8)
(Post – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Morning Line Odds)
1. Lost In Time-Scott Zeron-Jimmy Takter-4/1
2. Lather Up-Montrell Teague-Clyde Francis-9/5
3. Venom-Yannick Gingras-Brian Brown-12/1
4. Babes Dig Me-Doug McNair-Tony Alagna-15/1
5. Shnitzledosomethin-Peter Wrenn-Dylan Davis-8/1
6. Hitman Hill-Brett Miller-Chris Oakes-6/1
7. St Lads Neptune-Jody Jamieson-Stephanie Jamieson-5/1
8. Courtly Choice-David Miller-Blake MacIntosh-7/2
9. Levis Day-Tim Tetrick-Victor Puddy-20/1
(USTA)