CAMPBELLVILLE, April 25 – The Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) today released the latest update of eligible harness racing horses for this year's Pepsi North America Cup.
Following the April 15 sustaining payment, 53 three-year-old pacers remain eligible to the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup, to be raced on Saturday, June 17 at Mohawk Racetrack. Eliminations will take place on Saturday, June 10.
The latest sustaining payment saw just three horses drop out after 56 three-year-olds were kept eligible following the first sustaining payment. Originally, 60 three-year-old pacers were nominated to this year's race.
The list of 53 eligible pacers is led by last year's rookie sensations Downbytheseaside and Huntsville.
Downbytheseaside, who is trained by Brian Brown, qualified for the first time this season on April 19 at Miami Valley Racing in Ohio and won in 1:53.4. The son of Somebeachsomewhere is entered to qualify again at Miami Valley on Wednesday afternoon.
Huntsville, the 2016 Dan Patch Award winner, turned in his first qualifying mile of the season on April 22 at The Meadowlands. The Ray Schnittker trainee paced a :26.2 final-quarter to power by a pair of rivals in the stretch for a 1:53.2 victory.
With many of the Pepsi North America Cup eligibles starting to appear on the racetrack, the connections of the 53 three-year-olds will have charted performances to assess in advance of the final Pepsi North America Cup sustaining payment, which is due on May 15.
Below is the up to date list of eligible horses to this year's Pepsi North America Cup.
AIR STRIKE – Always A Virgin
AMERICAN SPORTSMAN – Somebeachsomewhere
ARSENAL SEELSTER – Artistic Fella
ART SCENE – American Ideal
BEACH HOUSE – Somebeachsomewhere
BECKHAMS Z TAM – Always A Virgin
BETTORS DREAM – Bettor's Delight
BETTOR'S WESTERN – Bettor's Delight
BEYOND DELIGHT – Bettor's Delight
BLOOD LINE – Somebeachsomewhere
CALVIN K – Classic Card Shark
CLASSIC PRO – Shadow Play
DARLING'S DRAGON – Dragon Again
DIAL THE BOSSMAN – Artistic Fella
DOWNBYTHESEASIDE – Somebeachsomewhere
DRAGNET ALERT – Dragon Again
EDDARD HANOVER – Dragon Again
FEAR THE DRAGON – Dragon Again
FILIBUSTER HANOVER – Somebeachsomewhere
HENRY THE DRAGON – Custard The Dragon
HUNTSVILLE – Somebeachsomewhere
HURRICANEBEACH – Somebeachsomewhere
IDEAL WHEEL – American Ideal
LAWRENCETOWNBEACH – Somebeachsomewhere
LINDYTHEFOURTEENTH – Somebeachsomewhere
MAC ATTACK – Somebeachsomewhere
MAC'S JACKPOT – Somebeachsomewhere
MAJOR MOE – Art Major
MC MACH – Mach Three
MISO FAST – Roll With Joe
MR VARSITY – Roll With Joe
NORMANDYBEACH – Somebeachsomewhere
OCEAN COLONY – Somebeachsomewhere
ODDS ON DELRAY – Somebeachsomewhere
OZONE BLUE CHIP – Bettor's Delight
PERFECTLY CLOSE – Ponder
PHOTOBOMBR HANOVER – Somebeachsomewhere
R J P – Somebeachsomewhere
RICHARD HILL – Mach Three
ROCK IT SCOTT – Roll With Joe
ROCK THIS WAY – Rocknroll Hanover
SANTAFE'S COACH – Bettor's Delight
SOME ATTITUDE – Somebeachsomewhere
SPORTS COLUMN – Sportswriter
STEALTH BOMBER – Rocknroll Hanover
STREAKAVANA – Big Jim
TALBOT ROMEO – Roll With Joe
THREE MORE SMILES – Mach Three
TWIN B COWBOY – Roll With Joe
WESTERN HILL – Western Ideal
WHO SAID NOT TO – Well Said
WINDSONG NAPOLEON – Art Major
YOUNG DRUNK PUNK – Bettor's Delight
Sustaining Payment #2 – 53 horses
Sustaining Payment #1 – 56 horses
Nominated – 60 horses
