The $1 million Pepsi North America Cup, held at Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ontario, just west of Toronto, is one of the richest pacing races in the world and features the top 3-year-old pacers in North America going the standard distance of 1 mile, two turns of the 7 furlong stonedust oval, in what has become a major prep for the Triple Crown of Pacing. Celebrating its 30th running this year, the race has seen some of the greatest names in harness racing including Well Said, Somebeachsomewhere, Gallo Blue Chip, and the great Cam Fella who won the event when it was still called the Queen City Pace.
In addition, this is Mohawk's 50th anniversary season.
Two elimination heats were contested at Mohawk Racetrack last Saturday night, with the rich final to be run this Saturday, June 15. Post positions for the Cup were drawn at a special lunch-hour event at Mohawk on Tuesday. Jake Gardiner, a defenceman for the Toronto Maple Leafs, was on hand to assist as the Honorary Drawmaster. He talked about the team's brief playoff run, a 7-game defeat to the Boston Bruins, and being the first Leaf to score a playoff goal in 9 years. The native of Minnesota was also a member of the U.S. team which upset the home team Canada in the 2010 World Junior Hockey Championships held in Saskatchewan.
The North America Cup posts were determined in two stages. In the first stage, Gardiner randomly drew the names of the three elimination winners, to determine the order in which those entrants' connections can come up on stage to pick the post position. Vegas Vacation had the first pick, chosen by driver Scott Zeron, followed by Fool Me Once, chosen by driver Sylvain Filion, and then Captaintreacherous, whose trainer Tony Alagna made his choice by phone.
After those had been taken, the rest of the field was drawn using the normal double-blind system. Captaintreacherous, who has won 10 of 12 lifetime starts and nearly $1 million in purse money, took post 4 and is the 2-1 favorite, having won the fastest of the eliminations, run in 1:48 4/5. Vegas Vacation is the second choice at 9-2 out of post 2, winner of his elimination in 1:49, then Fool Me Once at 4-1 out of post 3, whose heat went in 1:48 1/5.
The Pepsi North America Cup will go to post at 9:40pm ET on Saturday night carded as race 7 of a 13 race card. The race will be broadcast live on The Score network in Canada in a special telecast from 9:00 - 10:00PM ET, and will be available at simulcast locations across North America. In addition, the North America Cup card will be available on the TVG television network and account wagering system in the United States.
The North America Cup card also includes several other rich stakes races: $391,882 Fan Hanover Stakes, $364,266 Elegantimage Stakes, $271,470 Armbro Flight Stakes, and $225,276 Goodtimes Stakes.
| Post | Horse | Driver | Trainer | Odds |
| 1 | Apprentice Hanover | Jody Jamieson | Ben Wallace | 20-1 |
| 2 | Vegas Vacation | Scott Zeron | Casie Coleman | 5-2 |
| 3 | Fool Me Once | Sylvain Filion | Mark Austin | 4-1 |
| 4 | Captaintreacherous | Tim Tetrick | Tony Alagna | 2-1 |
| 5 | Twilight Bonfire | David Miller | Danny Collins | 30-1 |
| 6 | Wake Up Peter | Ron Pierce | Tony Alagna | 8-1 |
| 7 | Sunshine Beach | Chris Christoforou | Mark Steacy | 15-1 |
| 8 | Odds On Equuleus | John Campbell | Robin Schadt | 8-1 |
| 9 | Captive Audience | Randy Waples | Colin Johnson | 8-1 |
| 10 | Martini Hanover | Dave Palone | Chris Ryder | 25-1 |