The Canadian Sportsman
July 01, 2010
Despite an influx of top U.S. horses and their connections, the locals — led by trainer Casie Coleman and driver Mark MacDonald, both of Cambridge — dominated Saturday’s rich Pepsi North America Cup card at Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville.
Coleman and MacDonald became the first trainer/driver tandem to win both the $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup for three-year-old pacing colts and the $660,000 Fan Hanover for pacing fillies in the same year in the 27-year history of the Cup. The dynamic duo won the NA Cup with Sportswriter and the Fan Hanover with Western Silk.
MacDonald alone is just the fourth driver to win both of the nation’s richest sophomore pacing events in the same year and the first to do it on the same night.
In the last 20 years, the NA Cup has been won by U.S.-based drivers 15 times, though the tide appears to be turning. Canadian-based reinsmen have won three of the last four Cups, counting MacDonald this year, Guelph’s Paul MacDonell in 2008 with Somebeachsomewhere and Cambridge’s Jody Jamieson in ‘07 with Tell All.
Meanwhile, Mohawk-based drivers won all four major stakes on Saturday’s card. Besides MacDonald’s two wins — which accounted for over $1 million in purse earnings (of which, MacDonald kept five per cent; over $57,000 to be exact) — Jamieson won the $387,000 Goodtimes Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts with Sing Jesse Sing. Jamieson also won last year’s Goodtimes with Federal Flex. Trevor Ritchie of Acton completed the local stakes sweep by winning the $557,000 Elegantimage final for three-year-old trotting fillies with Ultimate Cameron.
Click on the words “Guelph Mercury” to read the article in its entirety.
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June 10, 2010
The latest installment from my weekly Guelph Mercury column…
Before Saturday night is over, fans of the sulky set should have a much better idea which horses will be favoured to win Canada’s richest harness race.
With the $1.5 million Pepsi North America final set for June 26 at Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, this weekend brings a couple of major prep events for three-year-old pacing colts.
This Saturday at Mohawk, 31 horses will compete in three $100,000 divisions of the Burlington Stakes — 25 of them are eligible to the NA Cup.
The same night at the Meadowlands Racetrack the $500,000 New Jersey Classic final will go to post featuring the best New Jersey-bred sophomore pacing males, four of them are Cup-eligible, including elimination winner All Speed Hanover.
Click on the words “Guelph Mercury” to read the article in its entirety.
May 27, 2010
The latest installment from my weekly Guelph Mercury column…
Harness racing’s mega-rich summer stakes schedule kicks off this weekend with a local colt carrying the hopes of nine first-time horse owners.
Grin For Money, a three-year-old pacing colt trained by John Kopas of Milton, has drawn the three-hole for Saturday’s $472,500 Upper Canada Cup at Georgian Downs near Barrie, Ont.
The colt is owned by the Grin For Money Stable, which was cobbled together by the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association. Since 2005, the SBOA has introduced 72 first-time standardbred owners to the sport through its New Owners program.
Click on the words “Guelph Mercury” to read the article in its entirety.
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