North America Cup card thoughts and predictions.

by Brett Sturman

Headlined by Pepsi North America Cup #42, Saturday’s (June 14) stakes-laden card at Woodbine Mohawk Park is set, as usual, to deliver the goods. From heavyweights meeting each other for the first time to others renewing their rivalries started as juveniles — and a couple fresh faces altogether — here’s how I see the most high-profile races playing out.

Perfectly placed on the program as the race immediately before the North America Cup is the Fan Hanover, with the long-awaited showdown between Canada’s 2024 Horse of the Year Chantilly against the U.S. Dan Patch winner Miki And Minnie from the 2-year-old pacing division. For me, the race raises the question if it can be considered an upset if a 6-5 morning line horse wins.

For as even as the two fillies are for all intents and purposes, it’s been Chantilly who has garnered almost every single media headline this spring and summer. For all the buzz over Chantilly possibly going into the North America Cup, which was never realistic in my opinion, my thought has always been: Forget about the boys, can she even beat Miki And Minnie in her own division? Fortunately, all the speculation will end Saturday.

In looking at the total picture of both fillies objectively, I’ll go out on a small limb and predict that Miki And Minnie will win in the Fan Hanover. Simply put, Miki And Minnie has been battle tested, and Saturday will be the first time that Chantilly is going to be challenged. How will she respond? While Woodbine Mohawk Park is the only track Chantilly has ever known, Miki And Minnie has consistently fought against open stakes competition at The Meadowlands, The Red Mile, last week at Mohawk and threw in a race for good measure last month at Pocono.

More important than just venues, Miki And Minnie has beaten better competition and under tougher circumstances. As an example, her Breeders Crown win when racing first over from post 9 was truly an exceptional race, as was her win in the Three Diamonds when she tracked down Rodeo Drive Deo to win and end her year in 1:49.2. Some of the best horses you could say Chantilly beat last year were The Last Martini and Can’t See Me, and Miki And Minnie beat them both, as well.

Both top fillies couldn’t have been more impressive in their eliminations last week, but that last quarter of :25.1 under minimal effort from Miki And Minnie shows just how monstrous she can be in her own right and it’s for these reasons why I’m picking her to prevail in the Fan Hanover.

In chronological order for the other stakes, the Roses Are Red goes as race 3, isolated from all the other stakes later in the card presumably for the smaller sized field and a heavy favorite. The blame, if you want to call it that, falls on Twin B Joe Fresh who continues to be simply unbeatable.

A dress rehearsal for this stake played out last Saturday morning (June 7) at The Meadowlands when Twin B Joe Fresh, My Girl EJ and Aardie B Miki N all raced together in the same qualifier. In that race, Twin B Joe Fresh pulled clear from My Girl EJ who backed away somewhat from the pocket, with Aardie B Miki N actually coming on pretty strong at the end to make up good late ground. The Bluechip Matchmaker champion Aardie B Miki N lost for the first time this year to Twin B Joe Fresh in the Betsy Ross at Philadelphia, but that was always going to be an uphill battle that day from the outside post; this spot is more reasonable, and we’ll see if she can put a scare into the champ.

In the Armbro Flight which kicks off the string of five stakes races starting in race 7, a 5-year-old mare by Ready Cash named Dial Square S, already a winner of her elimination last week, makes her third start since arriving from Sweden and is a welcomed newcomer to the older trotting mares division. 

Earning nearly all her career money when being a strong second in last year’s Group 1 Fame And Glory at Jagersro, Svanstedt introduces a new potential trotting sensation. A winner here in North America first out in the Ms Versatility two back in 1:51.3, she bested that last week when moving past M-M’s Dream and holding off Emoji Hanover to win in 1:51.1.

The other Amrbro Flight elimination produced a surprise result when Willys Home Run split horses late at odds of nearly 30-1 to just win over a second-over Drawn Impression. Both of those mares were making only their first start of the year, as was top contender Call Me Goo who tired late to finish third; all of whom certainly have the potential to be even stronger now for the final. But Dial Square S always looked confident last week and will be my selection to win and keep her North American unbeaten streak intact.

In the Mohawk Gold Cup, Brue Hanover has been nearly flawless this year and it took a debatable pylon disqualification in the Camluck Classic to temporarily derail his winning ways. He’s already beaten many of those over the course of all those Mohawk preferred wins but this will be his toughest test to date.

Nijinksy’s only try against Brue Hanover came when making his first start back this year and likewise, Abuckabett Hanover who won this race in 2023 had a big tactical disadvantage last week but closed strongly – either or both of those could present strong challenges to Brue Hanover. Ervin Hanover, barnmate to Brue Hanover, was elevated to first in that Camluck Classic race and will have another shot to finish ahead of his friend and rival while starting from the rail position in the Gold Cup. Oakwood Ardan IR comes off a win in The Meadowlands open where he went by Ruthless Hanover and held off others, and last year’s Breeders Crown winner Coach Stefanos enters the fray as well.

Next up is the Goodtimes, a race last year that put Highland Kismet squarely on the Hambletonian map. So far, it remains to be seen what type of star quality can come out of the race. The odds-on favorite is going to be Emotion Legacy who trotted clear to a measured length-and-a-half win last week in his elimination over Eugene The Genius and Fadeaway Hanover when making his return to the races. A Breeders Crown elimination winner, as well as Champlain division winner, over this track last year, it’ll be his race to win.

Like the Armbro Flight, the other Goodtimes elimination produced an upset winner at the near identical odds of 29-1. That’s when Galen Erso was left alone on the front end through a half mile fraction of just :57 and lasted to the wire in a winning time of 1:53. Bluegrass and International Stallion Stake winner Gap Kronos made a bid but didn’t seriously threaten but is another that could easily be better in his second start back. Odds-on favorite from that elimination Landing On Time found himself third-over but still quite a ways out of it before finding his best stride late to just run out of ground.

In the North America Cup, Dan Patch and Breeders Crown winner Louprint remains unbeaten on the year through four starts and has earned his role of Cup favorite, but this 3-year-old crop remains hyper competitive and talented.

In his 1:49.1 elimination win last week, Wrenn had to put in some late urgent reminders to keep Louprint going ahead in the face of closing rushes from both Prince Hal Hanover and Dandy Ideal. For the final, Prince Hal Hanover has the misfortune of drawing post 9 though Miller will try to put him in play early, while Dandy Ideal comes off that strong first-over try and lands a comfortable post 2.Likely second-choice Captain Optimistic delivered last week when coming first-over from fifth and was under a determined stretch drive to prevail by less than a length in 1:50.2. In that race, Joel And The Jets found room to rally down the inside and outraced his odds; longshot Fast Choice too had some late pace in traffic and now lands the rail. In that race, Swingtown was hard used to the lead being wide early to that :26.1 opening panel and could offer a very square price; completely playable.

The fastest elimination win went to Lite Up The World who launched a massive late rally from well out of it after seeing all the key players battle early and often throughout the mile; another lively pace would give him a big chance in the final. It’s almost not fair Madden Oaks lands post 10 for the Cup final because he may have been the most impressive of anyone last week. Floated away to a third over position from post 8, he took matters into his own hands and quickly brushed three-wide around battling leaders to clear to the lead in a half-mile that went in :53.2. Taking further pressure by three-quarters he held very well and proved his late charge in the Somebeachsomewhere wasn’t a fluke either.Picks: Swingtown, Prince Hal Hanover, Louprint.