MILTON – The $1 million Pepsi North America Cup is the star of the show Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park, but the undercard features over $1 million in additional stakes, and we’ve previewed all the Ontario Sired content on the undercard.
ARMBRO FLIGHT – Older Trotting Fillies and Mares
ADARE CASTLE (Muscle Mass – Pacific Edge)
The trotting Queen of the Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) made just under $750,000 in the provincial program the last two years.
Trained by Mark Etsell she’s won a Grand Circuit race each of the last three years The Peaceful Way and Champlain in 2021, Casual Breeze in 2022, and the Miss Versatility two weeks ago.
James MacDonald and Adare Castle win a leg of the Ontario Sired Graduate Series at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
She also swept the Ontario Sired Graduate Series this spring, and while she’ll be in tough against reigning US Trotter of The Year Bella Bellini, she’s one to watch in this race.
HP MAMA B (Royalty For Life – Winters Jewel)
The five-year-old mare will be making her 55th career start on Saturday, and is in the Armbro Flight Final for a second straight year.
Trained by Ben Baillargeon, she’s been battling in the Free For All ranks at Woodbine Mohawk Park this spring, and has multiple runner-up finishes, and defeated a group of preferred males on May 8.
Her lone Grand Circuit Score was in the Casual Breeze as a three-year-old in 2021.
MISCHIEVOUS ROSE (Muscle Mass – Vegas Virgin)
She upset Adare Castle in last year’s OSS Super Final for the biggest win of her career.
The Luc Blais trainee kicked off this season with three on the board finishes in four Ontario Sired Graduate Series starts, and was third in her elimination last week.
With a strong performance on Saturday night, she could move over $500,000 in earnings without ever shipping out of Ontario.
GOODTIMES – Three-Year-Old Colts and Geldings – Trot
HASTY BID (My Mvp – Sunshinenlollipops)
He’s made four starts as a three-year-old and finished second each time out, all against stakes company.
Last year he won William Wellwood consolation, and picked off an OSS Grassroots division before shutting down for the year on October 3.
Paige Austin trains the colt who she co-owns with driver James MacDonald.
TUSCAN PRINCE (Kadabra – Tosca)
He trotted home in 27.2 to take an OSS division Leg for sophomore trotters on May 29, rebounding well from a disappointing outing in the SBOA Final where he was the odds on favourite but made a break.
Yannick Gingras has picked up the drive for the Final after piloting him for the first time in last week’s elimination.
Luc Blais trains the colt who has shown plenty of gate speed in his career and has drawn a favourable post in number 6.
GHOSTLY CASPER (Resolve – Cool Creek Breeze)
The talented colt rebounded from a break in the SBOA elimination to an OSS Gold division on May 29, his first career trip to the winner’s circle.
He hit the board in last year’s William Wellwood against Grand Circuit competition, and put over $100,000 on his card in the OSS. He was fourth in his elimination last week.
Benoit Baillargeon trains and co-owns.
MOHAWK GOLD CUP (Older Pacers)
TATTOO ARTIST (Hes Watching – Silent Artist)
A staple in the free for all and aged pacing ranks across North America for the last few years, Tattoo Artist has won 32 times from 80 career starts.
The double millionaire was the runner-up last season to Bulldog Hanover in the Canadian Pacing Derby at Breeders Crown at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
This year he won a leg of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series at Yonkers and comes into the week off a victory against conditioned foes at Mohawk.
POSIEDON SEELSTER (Sunshine Beach – Porsche Seelster)
The six-year-old gelding is making just his second start of 2023, after shutting down for the season following 27 starts and an appearance in the Breeders Crown final last year.
He’s familiar with Woodbine Mohawk Park, as nine of his 12 career wins have come at the Milton oval.
ROSES ARE RED (Older Pacing Fillies and Mares)
SO MUCH MORE (Big Jim – Ladysai)
This fan favourite won the Forest City Pace at her owner’s home racetrack, The Raceway at the Western Fair District, in her last start before her elimination.
At seven-years-old she might be on track for her most successful season yet as she has already defeated the boys in Free For All action at Woodbine Mohawk Park multiple times this year, and has a record of 7-3-0 from 15 starts.
She’s never broken through to win a Grand Circuit race but has a pair of thirds in the 2020 and 2021 Roses Are Red.
SILVER LABEL (Bettors Delight – Hidden Gem)
The 2022 O’Brien Award winner made over $500,000 in two seasons in the OSS and has a career record of 16-7-0 from 27 starts.
She started off her aged career with two wins and a runner-up in the Final of the Ontario Sired Graduate Series, and won the Margaret Juravinski Memorial Pace.
She comes in off a fillies and mares preferred win two weeks ago, and a runner-up finish to morning line favourite Treacherous Dragon in her elimination.
FAN HANOVER (Three-Year-Old Pacing Fillies)
LYONS BETTORDAY (Bettors Delight – Albany Hanover)
She was second in the SBOA Final, won an OSS Gold division on June 2, and overcame rail position and traffic to qualify for the Final, showing some solid form to start her campaign.
As a freshman she banked close to $150,000 with an OSS mark of 1-1-2 from six starts.
This is just her second attempt against Grand Circuit company.