2002 North America Cup - Horse Racing

Horse Racing

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Horse Racing

2002 North America Cup

Dateline: 6/18/02

RESULTS and photos

The North America Cup at Woodbine, one of the most important races on the continent for three year old pacers, will be run Saturday night June 22nd. Sponsored by Pepsi and with a purse of $1,500,000 (Canadian) it is the richest harness race in Canada.

Unlike in thoroughbred racing, almost all harness races are run at a mile and entry into the finals of major stakes races involves eliminations the week before. For the North America Cup, three elimination races were run on Saturday, June 15th. The top three finishers in each race plus one fourth-place finisher drawn at random earn berths in the final. These were won by Mach Three, Red River Hanover, and McArdle, the latter posting the fastest winning time, 1:51 flat.

Michael Hartman of race sponsor Pepsi Cola Canada and Toronto Maple Leafs player and honorary drawmaster Alyn McCauley.

First run in 1984, the race has featured a who's who of pacing history, with such winners as Jate Lobell, Precious Bunny, Presidential Ball, Cam's Card Shark and Gothic Dream. The late Cam Fella won the race in 1982 (when it was still called the Queen City Pace), and went on to sire four North America Cup winners: Goalie Jeff, Precious Bunny, Presidential Ball and Cam's Card Shark. 1987 winner Jate Lobell went on to sire three winners of his own: Safely Kept, David's Pass, and Gothic Dream. In 2000, the bay gelding Gallo Blue Chip used his win as a stepping stone to divisional honors in Canada and Horse of the Year distinction in the United States. Last year's winner Bettors Delight won not only the North America Cup, but went on to win the Little Brown Jug and took divisional honors and Horse of the Year in Canada.

Trainer Bill Robinson will send 3 starters to the gate including the top two favorites: Mach Three and Red River Hanover.

Perennial driving champion John Campbell has won the race an amazing six times out of ten appearances, and this year he will drive 7-5 morning line favorite Mach Three. Trainer Bill Robinson has won the race four times already and will send out three horses this year, including the top two favorites Mach Three and Red River Hanover. Robinson said: "I've had heavy favourites before (in the Cup). These are probably the two best horses (Mach Three and Red River Hanover) I've ever had. I think Mach Three is a beast, I really do, for the size of him. You're going to see a track record at Woodbine if the weather's good. I hope it's one of mine, but it might not be. McArdle's a great horse, a real nice horse. Mach Three is small but he's just perfect. He doesn't wear any equipment. He just wears a set of hobbles and a bridle."

The race is the sixth on Saturday and goes to post at 9:42pm ET. It will be shown on The Score in Canada or you can watch it online at the Woodbine website.

Post  Horse               Driver             Odds
 1    MACH THREE          John Campbell       7-5 
 2    UP FRONT WESTERN    Mario Baillargeon  20-1 
 3    MINI ME             Dave Magee         10-1 
 4    BRADS GOLD          Randall Waples     40-1 
 5    SWINGIN AWAY        Doug Brown         30-1 
 6    RED RIVER HANOVER   Luc Ouellette       9-5 
 7    THREE OLIVES        Dale Hiteman        8-1 
 8    ROYAL MATTJESTY     Chris Christoforou 12-1 
 9    MCARDLE             Mike Lachance       6-1 
10    PACIFIC TITAN       Paul MacDonell     40-1