Somebeachsomewhere sizzles in 1:49

While thoroughbred Big Brown failed to a deliver a Triple Crown in New York, his standardbred counterpart Somebeachsomewhere remained unbeaten with another scintillating performance...this time in one of Saturday's $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup eliminations at Mohawk Racetrack.

With Paul MacDonell in the sulky, the three-year-old pacing machine cruised to his eighth career win, easily taking his elimination by two lengths over Art Official, with Mucho Sleazy third in 1:49, just a fifth of a second off the Canadian and track record and a lifetime best...so far.

The result left no doubt as to who the favourite will be next Saturday. However, no undefeated horse has ever won the Cup since it began in 1984, but 12 of 23 elim winners have gone on to claim the classic.

The top three from each $50,000 elimination, plus a fourth-place finisher drawn by lot, advanced to next Saturday's final, the richest harness race on the continent. The elim winners also get to choose a post position before the balance of the field is drawn on Tuesday.

Sent postward a prohibitive 1-5 choice, the son of Mach Three was third to Mucho Sleazy after the opening quarter in 26.2, but motored to the front after three-eighths, taking the field to the half in 54.1, then blazing to the three quarter mile mark in a blistering 1:21.4.

MacDonell, who has never won the Pepsi North America Cup, then eased up on his charge through the stretch, coasting home under wraps.

Like Big Brown, though, Somebeachsomewhere has foot issues. He's been dealing with an injured hoof for the last six weeks.

"I'm very pleased with the effort," said trainer and co-owner Brent MacGrath of Truro, Nova Scotia. "He stepped on a rock (last month). I couldn't train him at all. He came into last week's race (a division of the Burlington) with only one qualifier. I had planned on training him up to this week. It's tough. The bruise is on the coffin bone, it's kind of a tricky place to deal with.

"But he's a champion horse. I think you'll even see him a little sharper next week. I would guess he's around 80% right now. All athletes, whether horses or humans, hurt a little if they play hard. He's always worked through any problem he's had. This is the first serious problem he's run up against. If I can train him a little bit this week, he'll definitely be a stronger horse here next Saturday night."

Now that's scary.

Owned by the Schooner Stable of Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, Somebeachsomewhere was voted top two-year-old colt pacer in both Canada and the United States last year, earning over $800,000 while setting a world record of 1:49.3 when winning the rich Metro Pace.

It appears he hasn't missed a beat in his return to the races this year. Last week, Somebeachsomewhere began his delayed 2008 campaign by taking a division of the Burlington Stakes by one and one-half lengths in a respectable 1:51.3, ultra impressive considering he'd only had that one qualifier.

The first Cup elimination went to Badlands Nitro, driven by Brian Sears for trainer Brenda Teague, in 1:50.1. Now perfect in four 2008 starts, Badlands Nitro took over from Santanna Blue Chip just before the half in :55.1, then prevailed in a stiff drive down the lane.

Santanna Blue Chip and driver Jody Jamieson, who teamed to win last year's Breeders Crown, took dead aim on the leader in the stretch, while Keystone Horatio and driver Randall Waples were also in a drive on the outside.

But at the wire, Badlands Nitro, who scored in the Hempt final at Pocono Downs two weeks ago, prevailed by one and one-quarter lengths, with Keystone Horatio, a Burlington division winner last week, edging Santanna Blue Chip for second.

Teague trained last year's Cup winner, Total Truth, while Sears won the 2005 Pepsi North America Cup with Rocknroll Hanover.

"He's the kind of horse you want to have because he's smart, fast, and got all the ingredients to be a good horse," said co-owner George Teague. "I didn't want to race too many weeks in a row (on why he gave his colt the week off last week), hoping we'd make it to the (Cup) final."

The third elimination went to Deuce Seelster and driver John Campbell, who upset odds-on Dali at the wire, reached in 1:50.3, with Sand Shooter third.

Trained by Darren McCall, the son of Western Maverick was winning his first race in three 2008 starts, after two runner-up finishes. Last week, he finished a solid second to Keystone Horatio in a Burlington division. Last year, he cleaned up in Ontario Sires events, earning over $630,000 while winning nine of 12 starts.

Dali, another Burlington division winner, and driver Luc Ouellette took over from Lennon Blue Chip after the first quarter and proceeded to hit the half mile in :53.2, then the three-quarters in 1:22.1.

Sand Shooter and driver David Miller took their best shot at Dali coming into the stretch, but was repelled by the favourite, who in turn was just collared by a closing Deuce Seelster and crafty Campbell, who has won a leading six Pepsi North America Cups, although his last victory was nine years ago in 1999 with The Panderosa.

"He's had a battle with sickness since his first start (this year)," said McCall, explaining why he was forced to miss an Ontario Sires gold final on May 24 at Mohawk. "He still scoped sick again last week. So it's been a battle with the weather changing, just trying to keep him healthy.

"He's a pretty decent horse. Tonight was the first time he actually felt better warming up. He acted right in the paddock, he wasn't nervous. We made a bridle change on him that helped him a lot, too."

Lennon Blue Chip, who finished fourth to Deuce Seelster, was the lucky one to draw into the final, along with the top three finishers in each elim. (WEG)

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