by Bob Heyden

Before the 2025 edition of Pepsi North America Cup Night gets underway, let’s look at a few highlights from the past and consider what could happen this year.

THREE AND DUNN?

Dexter Dunn would likely have won his first three Fan Hanover starts if not for COVID in 2020. He debuted and was victorious in 2019 with Treacherous Reign (8-5) for Tony Alagna edging past 1-2 favorite Warrawee Ubeaut at the wire. In 2020, trainer Chantal Mitchell and driver Doug McNair handled Party Girl Hill to a convincing score for Dunn and trainer Chris Ryder. Dunn then doubled up in 2021 with Fire Start Hanover (8-5) getting the measure of 1-2 favorite Hot Mess Express four years ago. This year Dunn could get his hat trick with Miki And Minnie.

JEWEL OF THE MILE

Thirteen years ago, American Jewel didn’t just set a new Fan Hanover stakes mark, she obliterated it. Her 1:48 2 was the first sub 1:50 effort in the 3YOFP stake.

EQUALLY BETTOR

Bettors Delight did something last year only done once before; win the North America Cup and then sire three more Cup winners. Jate Lobell won the Cup in 1987, and then as a sire won it with his first crop with Safely Kept (1992), his fourth crop with David’s Pass (1995) and his sixth with Gothic Dream (1997). Bettors Delight took home first prize in 2001, but unlike “Jate” didn’t sire a winner of the NA Cup until his 11th crop with Betting Line (2016), his 15th crop with Tall Dark Stranger (2020), and his 19th crop with Nijinsky (2024).

NOT BORN IN THE USA

In 2024, a big-time NA Cup oddity occurred. Not a single U.S. born driver got a check. The top five in order were: Louis-Philippe Roy, Yannick Gingras, Sylvain Filion, Jody Jamieson, and Andy McCarthy.

RARE EARLY BIRTHDAY PRESENT

Four days before he turned the big 5-0 in 2006, Ron Pierce guided Total Truth to victory to become the rarest of the rare, by winning his first NA Cup after being inducted into the Hall of Fame (2005).

GIRL POWER

After Brenda Teague conditioned the 2006 winner Total Truth, the North America Cup floodgates for the ladies opened, with Casie Coleman winning with Sportswriter (2010) and Betting Line (2016), JoAnn Looney-King with Wakizashi Hanover (2015), Nancy Takter going back-to-back with Captain Crunch (2019) and Tall Dark Stranger (2020), Kathy Cecchin with Desperate Man (2021), and Linda Toscano with It’s My Show (2023). Takter has a chance to score her third Cup win this year with Captain Optimistic.

THE ONE AND ONLY

Who is the only driver to win the NA Cup in both the 20th and 21st century? Mike Lachance with Safely Kept (1992), Straight Path (1998), and Bettors Delight (2001).

WON AND DONE

Every driver who won the NA Cup in the first seven editions (1984-90) were one and done: Dr. John Hayes, Dave Wall, Trevor Ritchie, Mark O’Mara, Yves Filion, Steve Condren, and Bud Fritz.

DOUBLE, DOUBLE MACDONALD BROTHERS?

Mark MacDonald has already won the NA Cup with Sportswriter (2010) and the Meadowlands Pace with Lawless Shadow (2021), while his younger brother James MacDonald set the Meadowlands Pace standard last year with Legendary Hanover going 1:46.3. James looks for his first Cup this year with Lite Up The World.

HOME ALONE

Louprint is the lone homebred in the Cup this year, but, 13 years ago, it was a NA Cup homebred bonanza, with the top three finishers of 2012 all homebreds: Thinking Out Loud, Time To Roll, and Dapper Dude.

MORE MONEY?

Jason Bartlett is far out in front this year as the leading money-winning driver in North America by a $1.3 million margin. He’s looking to bust through in the Cup.

GARDEN GROWN

Four NJ-breds head the 2025 NA Cup: Lite Up The World, Captain Optimistic, Dandy Ideal, and Joel And The Jets. Did somebody say Garden State steaks, oops, stakes?

WILL HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF

If you are near YouTube anytime soon, do yourself a favor and call up the 1994 Fan Hanover Stakes won by Hardie Hanover. She channeled her inner CR Kay Suzie/Its Fritz in a move for the ages. Sitting eighth past the quarter in a tentative flow, Hardie Hanover was launched/exploded three deep for an extended period then cleared near the half, opened three to four lengths and maintained it to the wire in a stakes best 1:52.4 for Tim Twaddle. Does somebody in this year’s Fan Hanover have something similar up their sleeve?