The richest pacing event in Canadian harness harness goes postward tonight (August 29) with the 37th edition of the Pepsi North America Cup.
A special first-race post time of 6:30 p.m. (EDT) has been set for the Pepsi North America Cup card. The #1 million Pepsi North America Cup has been carded as Race 11 and has a post time of 10:43 p.m. Fans can also watch live coverage of this year’s race on TSN4 from 10-11:00 p.m.
Who do you think will win tonight's race? Have your say in our SC Web Poll. Trot Insider reached out to the connections of the North America Cup finalists for insight on each of the 10 starters.
1. Mayhem Hanover (Randy Waples / Gregg McNair) 20-1
"He's definitely a real nice horse. He kept getting better last year at the end of the year, won the Grassroots Final and then was top five in the Breeders Crown. He's a real nice colt...It looks like the trip [on Saturday] could set up to get him a good piece of it. I wouldn't count him out." - regular driver Doug McNair.
2. Moneyman Hill (Jonathan Drury / Carmen Auciello) 20-1
"I think I should be able to get away and get myself a decent trip behind whomever I want to follow. I fired him out of there last week to get around a couple inside ones, and he settled right down once he got around them, which was nice. I've got a lot of confidence that I'll be able to do whatever I please with him." - driver Jonathan Drury
3. Captain Kirk (Jody Jamieson / Tony Alagna) 3-1
"I thought he raced huge. To be first up for the distance that was first up...he was allowed to go at his own pace but to be screaming through the line like he was after being first up all that time, I thought it was very, very telling of what kind of horse he is." - Jody Jamieson, driver for Saturday's Final.
4. Tall Dark Stranger (Yannick Gingras / Nancy Takter) 7-5
“If my horse was one-dimensional I might worry a bit, but he can do any which way I want. So if they go a quarter in :24, he’ll be racing from second or third over. If they go slow, I’ll be moving. If they don’t go off the gate, I’ll be going forward. I can do whatever I want, and that’s what’s great with Tall Dark Stranger: there’s no certain trip he needs." - driver Yannick Gingras
5. Capt Midnight (Doug McNair / Tony Alagna) 9-2
"It's all going to come down to the trip. I don't think you'll see Yannick [Gingras, driver of Tall Dark Stranger] stroll his way to the lead like he did last week, or go around once and win the race. There's going to be a lot more action and it's going to be an exciting race." - driver Doug McNair
6. Denali Seelster (Trevor Henry / Dr. Ian Moore) 20-1
"Obviously he might be considered a little bit over his head but he's still in the race and he's going to be on the program and you never know. It's a horse race. We're hoping for the best and I'd love to get a win in that, for sure." - trainer Dr. Ian Moore
7. Tattoo Artist (Bob McClure / Dr. Ian Moore) 8-1
"I know it doesn’t look like he had much at the wire, but he had been jerked five different directions, coming home :26, and he still went forward enough to get himself into the final. You have to give him a lot of credit for that. When you leave, get jammed up, locked in, jerk them all over the racetrack, drive them terrible but when you find a lane they still go forward...you can’t teach that." - driver Bob McClure
8. Allywag Hanover (Louis-Philippe Roy / Brett Pelling) 4-1
"Even though Tall Dark Stranger is going to be the obvious favourite, I see it being a race with a lot of movement. I think I can still manage a trip for him and get him in a good spot to give him a shot." - driver Louis-Philippe Roy
9. Captain Barbossa (James MacDonald / Tony Alagna) 15-1
"I talked to Louis [Philippe Roy] after the race and I know Louis was thrilled with how he raced in the elimination, he just didn't get any room. He had lots of pace though. I expect him to be very good, the nine hole hurts but if everything goes our way on Saturday night I wouldn't be shocked if he got a good chunk or all of it." - James MacDonald, driver for Saturday's Final.
10. Odds On Osiris (Sylvain Filion / Melanie Wrenn) 10-1
"I personally see it setting up as a very good race for him. I think we're going to have a chance to see how good he is, and it may work out for the best. I think there's going to be a lot of early speed for position, and it may work out in our favour." - Peter Wrenn, regular driver and husband of trainer Melanie Wrenn