Although he has drawn the worst post position possible in the biggest race of his career, longshot Foreclosure N’s quick closing speed could catapult him to stardom if the field stacks up just right
in the lucrative $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup on Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack.
Foreclosure N won five of 11 starts during his freshman campaign for trainer Mark Steacy, including his divisional New Jersey Sires Stakes Final and an elimination for the Breeders Crown in which he took his 1:52.1 lifetime mark. He finished fourth in the Breeders Crown final and Governor’s Cup to Big Jim. The son of 2005 Cup champion Rocknroll Hanover banked $236,907 and was assessed as the 7-1 fourth choice in Trot Magazine’s Pepsi North America Spring Book heading in his three-year-old season.
Although he is winless in three sophomore starts, Foreclosure N put his potential on display in his Cup elimination last weekend. After drawing the outside Post 8, the brown colt unleashed the fastest final quarter of all starters to grab one of the final spots in the 10-horse field at odds of 70-1. Foreclosure N and driver Sylvain Filion finished third in a dead-heat with Dutch Richman behind Roll With Joe and elimination winner Big Bad John, the 2-1 favourite entering the Cup.
“Last week I thought the horse raced exceptionally well,” assistant trainer Shawn Steacy told Trot Insider at Tuesday's post draw. “He had a tough day before. He felt a little off, a little sick. But he came through it really well and by game time he was ready to go. That was a huge last quarter last week in :25.4. I think he came his last three-quarters in 1:21.1 and he came out of the race sharper than he went into it. So I’m really looking forward to this week. It looks like he’s over it. I drew his blood [on Tuesday] just to make sure everything is in order, but he’s climbing the wall at home and looking to get at them.”
After drawing the outside Post 10 for Saturday’s rich final, Steacy will look to his driver to help his colt deliver a winning performance. Filion will make his second Cup appearance after guiding Goliath Bayama to a second-place finish in the 1999 edition.
“Nobody wants Post 10 that’s for sure, but we got it so I think he’s just going to have to hopefully float off and look for a spot. If not, Sylvain is just going to have to do what he does and work out a good trip for him. If he can get a good tow into the race where he can be within striking distance without being used too much coming into the stretch, if things work out and the fractions are right, he can go right with them if not beat them so who knows.
“We have to hope for some of the other guys to make silly mistakes and if they make errors, our horse is ready,” he added.
Foreclosure N is also the Steacys’ second chance at Cup glory as the team sent out seventh-place finisher Glass Pack in 2007.
“We had a horse in it about three years ago and he had some tough luck and made a break at the gate, but this is our first real player,” he said.
Owner R. Peter Heffering of Port Perry, Ont. will be looking for his second Cup victory after capturing the 1991 edition with Precious Bunny.
Foreclosure N, who is listed at odds of 25-1 in the morning line, will prep for the race of his life with a jogging routine.
“He had a day off after, just a nice easy, relaxed day. We jogged him three miles after. We’ll jog him up until Thursday. We’ll give him a slow mile on Thursday and just make sure everything is looking good and he’s frisky and sharp. And then to the race we go from there.”
To view entries for Saturday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Saturday Entries - Mohawk Racetrack.