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Red River Hanover,
McArdle, Mach Three By Tom White
Delaware, Ohio--All of the big guns were there.
Twenty-four of the best
three-year-old pacers in North America battled each other and the elements
in
three $35,000 eliminations of the $1.5-million Pepsi North America Cup
Saturday night at Woodbine Raceway.
Red River Hanover, McArdle and Mach Three scored
impressive victories and
advanced to next Saturday's rich final along with the second and third place
finishers in each elim. Also, Up Front Western, who finished fourth to
McArdle, won a drawing among all of the other non-qualifiers for the coveted
10th spot in the North America Cup.
The important draw for post positions will be held
Tuesday morning.
Three past North America Cup winners have gone on to win
the Little Brown
Jug including 2001 winner Bettor's Choice. Other previous winners were
Goalie
Jeff in 1989 and Precious Bunny in 1991. The 57th Little Brown Jug will be
raced Thursday, September 19 at the Delaware, Ohio County Fair.
Red River Hanover, racing in a driving rainstorm,
defeated Mini Me by 3
1/2 lengths with Royal Mattjesty third. Owned by Lothlorien Equestrian
Stable
and Jeffrey Snyder, the Western Hanover colt won in 1:51.3 for driver Luc
Ouellette and trainer Bill Robinson.
McArdle, and reinsman Mike Lachance, prevailed over Brad's Gold and
Swingin Away by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:51.
Mach Three returned from the sick list to defeat Three
Olives and Pacific
Titan by one length in 1:52. The Matts Scooter colt, driven by John
Campbell,
is owned by Joseph Muscara and trained by Robinson.
Only McArdle and Mini Me are not eligible to the Little
Brown Jug.
At the Meadowlands, Yankee Landa won the $150,000 New
Jersey Sires Stakes
Final in 1:51.3 over Cori's Gold and Rupp Arena. The Artsplace colt is owned
by Perfect World Enterprises, trained by Brett Pelling and driven by Cat
Manzi.
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