Although it may have crept up on everyone, the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup is just a month away. While Cup eligibles have been coming out of the woodwork as of late, two of the top-rated ‘glamour boys’ are now set to lock horns this weekend.
Fans that gather at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono this Saturday (May 19) will be treated to a spectacular card of racing. The program will feature three preliminary-leg divisions of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for three-year-old male pacers. It will also feature a pair of $30,000 divisions of the Great Northeast Open Series for older pacers.
The marquee matchup in the PASS action will come in Race 10. The tilt will feature Stay Hungry and Lost In Time, the Cup eligibles that sit atop Trot Magazine’s 2018 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book. The two colts have already traded victories in qualifying races this year, but both will be making their seasonal pari-mutuel debuts in Saturday’s clash.
Stay Hungry is a son of Somebeachsomewhere trained by Tony Alagna for the ownership of Brad Grant and Irwin Samelman. The Breeders Crown winner received year-end hardware on both sides of the border for his strong freshman campaign. Stay Hungry won six of nine races, banked over $557,000 in purses, and took a mark of 1:50.2 over Mohawk as a juvenile. Doug McNair is scheduled to guide Stay Hungry from Post 3 on Saturday.
Lost In Time is a son of A Rocknroll Dance trained by Jimmy Takter for the combine of Diamond Creek Racing, J&T Silva Stables Inc., William Rufenacht, and Team S Racing Stable. The colt’s ownership gave a stake of the charge to wrestling legend Ric Flair, who accompanied the group to the Dan Patch banquet when the bay received his divisional award. Lost In Time won five of his nine freshman starts and $608,112 in purses last season. He also recorded a nose win over Stay Hungry in the Governor’s Cup at the Meadowlands Racetrack. On Saturday, Scott Zeron will be behind the colt from Post 6 on Saturday.
Fellow Cup eligibles Dorsudoro Hanover and Sometimesawinner will also be in PASS action during the Saturday card.
The Pocono program will start after the Preakness festivities are finished, most likely in the vicinity of 7:30 p.m.
(With files from the PHHA / Pocono)