The Woodbine Entertainment Group has announced that 77 horses have been nominated to the 29th edition of the $1.5-million Pepsi North America Cup, one of harness racing's most prestigious events, set for Saturday, June 16, 2012 at Mohawk Racetrack
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Headlining this year's group of nominees is the 2011 O'Brien Award two-year-old champion, Warrawee Needy. Last year in his rookie campaign, the Carl Jamieson trainee won nine of his 12 races and banked $535,000.
Sweet Lou, the 2011 Breeders Crown champion and fastest two-year-old in history courtesy of his 1:49 speed badge, is also on the list and is one of the early favourites for the race. A Rocknroll Dance, the richest two-year-old pacing colt on the continent in 2011 with $858,961 in earnings, is also nominated.
Also named is Simply Business, who rocketed to a 1:50.1 mark at Mohawk Racetrack, when capturing the $1-million Metro Pace.
The Pepsi North America Cup eliminations are set for Saturday, June 9. Sustaining payments will be due on March 15, April 15 and May 15.
The complete list of this year’s Pepsi NA Cup eligibles are listed below.
A ROCKNROLL DANCE
AAHM A GESTURE
ADKINS HANOVER
ALLSTAR LEGEND
AMERICAN GI
ARTS IDEAL HANOVER
ASTOR
ATTA BOY DAN
BEST EARS
BESTJETYET
BETTORS EDGE
CATCH THAT ANGEL
COACH CAL
COLD HEARTED SHARK
COLLEGE MAJOR
COWBOY CODY
D TERMINATA
DAPPER DUDE
DICKEY O
DODGER HANOVER
EASY AGAIN
ESCAPE THE NEWS
FUTURE PLANS
GABLE BLUE CHIP
HILLBILLY HANOVER
HIT THE FAN
HOPE BLUE CHIP
HURRIKANE KINGCOLE
I FOUGHT DALAW
I LIKE DREAMIN
IDEAL ROMANCE
JOSHUA MY BOY
LIFEIMITTATESART
LONG FIGHT HANOVER
LUCKY LIME
LYONS JOSEPHJNR
MACHAPELO
MAJOR BOMBAY
MANCHURIAN
MCERLEAN
MEL MARA
MICHAELS POWER
MUDSLIDE
MYBROTHERGEORGE
ONE LUCKY DRAGON
ONTHECLOCK HANOVER
PANSATIONAL
PANTHER HANOVER
PAPA RAY
PET ROCK
PRIVATE JET
RACING ROCKY
ROCKWEILLER
SCREEN THE CALL
SECRETSOFTHEKNIGHT
SHAKERATTLENROCK
SIMPLY BUSINESS
SING FOR ME GEORGE
SOCIAL NETWORK
SPECIAL BLEND
SPEED AGAIN
SPINARAMA
STARE DOWN
STATE TREASURER
SWEET LOU
TAKE A WALK
TERRORIST ALERT
THE DRAGON
THE GOAT
THINKING OUT LOUD
THUNDER STEELER
TIME TO ROLL
TWIN B WRANGLER
WARRAWEE NEEDY
WHATS WHAT HANOVER
WINDSUN COINTREAU
ZALL GOOD
(With files from WEG)