MILTON, June 2, 2026 – A pair of eliminations are set for this Saturday at Woodbine Mohawk Park to determine the field for the 43rd Pepsi North America Cup (Grade 1). A total of 16 three-year-old pacers were dropped in the entry box on Tuesday morning for Canada’s most prestigious harness race. The group of 16 was then split by draw into a pair of $50,000 eliminations. The top five finishers from each each elimination advance to the $1 million final on June 13. The draw for the eliminations has shook out arguably one of the biggest elimination showdowns in Cup history. The undefeated Horse of the Year Beau Jangles will find himself up against world champion Odds On Mr Mamba, multiple graded stakes winner Brandon Blvd and Grade 1 winner Gentlemans Club. Those four make up half of the eight-horse field for the second Cup elimination. Dr. Ian Moore trained Beau Jangles will enter the Cup with an undefeated record of 15 for 15. The reigning Canadian and American Horse of the Year has posted three wins to start his sophomore season, picking right up where he left off at the end of 2025 with driver Bob McClure. Beau Jangles is looking to join Tall Dark Stranger as the only horse to ever win the North America Cup after winning the Metro Pace (G1) and Breeders Crown (G1) at age two. Beau Jangles will leave from post seven for owners Graham Grace Stables LLC, Kiwi Stables LLC and Bolton Stables. Beau Jangles, pictured winning last year’s Breeders Crown, enters the Pepsi North America Cup eliminations undefeated. (New Image Media) Driver Dexter Dunn will have a tough choice for which horse he will drive against the undefeated Beau Jangles. Dunn is listed on standouts Odds On Mr Mamba and Brandon Blvd. The Melaine Wrenn trained Odds On Mr Mamba turned heads last season when he set a world record of 1:47.4 at Hoosier Park. Racing exclusively in Indiana, the son of Odds On Equuleus has won eight of nine career starts, including his season debut on May 25 in 1:49. Odds On Mr Mamba has drawn post four for owner/breeder Odds On Racing. Brandon Blvd sent a powerful statement to his Cup rivals with a stakes record 1:48.1 win in last Saturday’s Somebeachsomewhere Stakes (G3). The Andrew Harris trained son of Downbytheseaside has won graded stakes in both of his starts this season, bringing his career record to nine wins in 12 starts. He is owned by Punisher 11 Stable LLC. The second Cup elimination includes the Ron Burke trained duo of Melillo and Ubrute. Burke is looking for back-to-back Cup victories, which would bring him to three overall for his Hall of Fame career. Melillo is two for four this season and comes to Mohawk off a 1:48.4 win at Harrah’s Philadelphia in a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes event on May 24. Ronnie Wrenn, last year’s Cup winning driver, will steer from post three. The regally-bred Ubrute will be stepping back up a level for the Burke brigade. The son of 2020 Cup winner Tall Dark Stranger was last year’s Kentucky Sires Stakes champion and is one for two this season. Yannick Gingras will drive from post five. Slightly under the radar, but well-accomplished in his own right is Gentlemans Club for trainer Aaron Lambert. The Downbytheseaside colt posted a 13-1 upset in last year’s Governor’s Cup (G1) at The Meadowlands. He’s posted a win and a pair of seconds in three starts this season. Andrew McCarthy will drive from post one. Completing the field for the second Cup elimination is the John Pentland trained Redland Rocket Man (1:52, $193,205) from post two with Louis-Philippe Roy and the Jake Leamon trained Talbot Andretti ($93,601) from post six with Dunn the listed driver. The second North America Cup elimination is carded as Race 9 (10 p.m.) The field of eight for the first Cup elimination likely feel they dodged a bullet by missing some of the top contenders. A top five finish will advance to the final, but a victory will secure a starting spot anywhere from post two to six. Burke trainee Al Papi is the top earner in the eight-horse field for the first elimination. The son of Papi Rob Hanover had a tremendous rookie season, winning four of 11 starts and only missing the top three once. However, Al Papi is winless is three starts to begin his 2026 season. Gingras will drive Al Papi from post five. The Burke stable also sends out last season’s Ohio Sires Stakes champion Lindy Dragonwater. Winless in four starts this season, Lindy Dragonwater won five of 10 at asge two. Wrenn Jr. is listed to drive from post four. Sweet Lovin Lou is another top contender for the first split. The Dan Lagace trainee was runner-up last weekend to Brandon Blvd in the Somebeachsomewhere (G3). The son of Sweet Lou was notably third in last year’s Metro Pace (G1) and has only finished off-the-board once in 11 starts, which was due to broken equipment. James MacDonald will guide Sweet Lovin Lou from post six. The Ontario Sires Stakes are represented in the first elimination by Windor (1:51.2, $245,659) for trainer Mike Vanderkemp, No Waitlist (1:53.4Q, $188,743) for trainer Blake MacIntosh and Wholetthedogsout (1:55.2, $23,490) for trainer Pentland. Travis Alexander trained Superchamp Hanover (1:51, $174,646) and Besim Odza trainee Azrael Blue Chip (1:51, $204,082) complete the field. The first North America Cup elimination is carded as Race 7 (9:12 p.m.). The full fields for the North America Cup eliminations are listed below: Elimination #1 – Race 7 1 – Superchamp Hanover (Jason Bartlett – Travis Alexander) 2 – Windor (Doug McNair – Mike Vanderkemp) 3 – Azrael Blue Chip (Andrew McCarthy – Besim Odza) 4 – Lindy Dragonwater (Ronnie Wrenn Jr. – Ron Burke) 5 – Al Papi (Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke) 6 – Sweet Lovin Lou (James MacDonald – Daniel Lagace) 7 – No Waitlist (Doug McNair – Blake MacIntosh) 8 – Wholetthedogsout (Mark MacDonald – John Pentland) Elimination #2 – Race 9 1 – Gentlemans Club (Andrew McCarthy – Aaron Lambert) 2 – Redland Rocket Man (Louis-Philippe Roy – John Pentland) 3 – Melillo (Ronnie Wrenn Jr. – Ron Burke) 4 – Odds On Mr Mamba (Dexter Dunn – Melanie Wrenn) 5 – Ubrute (Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke) 6 – Talbot Andretti (Dexter Dunn – Jake Leamon) 7 – Beau Jangles (Bob McClure – Dr. Ian Moore) 8 – Brandon Blvd (Dexter Dunn – Andrew Harris) Saturday evening’s program will also include the eliminations for the Fan Hanover (three-year-old pacing fillies) and Roses Are Red (pacing mares). All roads through this weekend will lead to Pepsi North America Cup night on Saturday, June 13. Doors will open that evening at 5 p.m. with free admission. Post time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. To learn more, click here. Post time for this Saturday’s 13-race card is 6:30 p.m. Share This:Share
