Woodbine Mohawk Park: Analysis and resources for playing Saturday's stakes card

Six major stakes races, including the $1 million North America Cup, are part of a huge card at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday night. Wagering options include a $100,000 Guaranteed Pick 5 (Race 1), $50,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 (Races 4) and $100,000 Guaranteed All-Stakes Pick 4 (Race 9).

Below you will find my trip notes and analysis for the NA Cup, best bets and analysis from some of our 'insiders', my all-stakes Pick 4 analysis, and links to video analysis, FREE Harness Eye past performances, and more.

► Watch as Matt Rose and I discuss the North America Cup

► Read Garnet Barnsdale's full-card analysis for Saturday at Woodbine Mohawk Park

► Get FREE Harness Eye past performances

$100K Guaranteed All-Stakes Pick 4 Analysis

Race 9 - $100,000 Mohawk Gold Cup

(2) MCWICKED came back from winter vacation and had no trouble rolling home in 26 seconds to win a Preferred over this track. He lays over this field on paper despite the four week gap in lines. (9) FILIBUSTER HANOVER reunites with Yannick Gingras, who finished second with him three starts back. He’s a price-play option for the exacta. (8) THINKBIG DREAMBIG has been in some poor positions and that has led to just one win on the season. Nancy Johansson trainee is talented enough to win but will have his hands full trying. (3) JIMMY FREIGHT has been making a good living but can’t seem to get over the hump in 2019. As the likely second choice behind McWicked, I’ll lean to better values in my exotic plays.

Race 10 - $454,000 Fan Hanover Final

(4) WARRAWEE UBEAUT absolutely dominated in her elimination. Yeah, the winning margin was under two lengths, but she had that race wrapped up. She’s a clear single for me here. If you are a non-believer, (1) TALL DRINK HANOVER and (3) TREACHEROUS REIGN are the obvious upset players.

Race 11 - $1 million North America Cup

It really doesn’t matter to me whether or not (8) CAPTAIN CRUNCH jumped a shadow in his elimination. Any horse leaving the first eighth in 12 3/5 seconds while battling between foes and trying to make a left turn to clear the front could roll off stride. Coming into the eliminations everyone thought this guy was an odds-on favorite to win and I haven’t lost any confidence. At what could be a generous 5-2 odds at post time, he’s the no-brainer selection for me. (4) WORKIN ONA MYSTERY turned in the most impressive elimination effort and apparently he scoped sick after the race. He’s the clear favorite but might not be worth odds under 2-1, which is likely what you’ll get. (5) CAPTAIN VICTORIOUS came into the NA Cup off two bad lines and clearly stepped up his game in a big way. Is that a sign of things to come? I wouldn’t fall off my chair if he shocked the crowd. The trip worked out favorably for (3) BETTOR’S WISH in his elimination, but at some point we have to give him credit for being a horse that lives up to the “Just win, baby” motto of former Raiders owner Al Davis. This horse simply knows how to find the winner’s circle and he’s a horse I’ll be using in the Pick 4 as the second or third choice in the field. Everyone saw (2) DE LOS CIELOS DEO roar home in 25 seconds last week and that means short odds for a horse that made one move last time. He’s an overbet contender in a field with multiple options.

Race 12 - $330,000 Roses Are Red Final

(5) BETTOR JOY N seemingly never goes a bad mile and even last week when she missed the top four, she was charging home. We really haven’t had the chance to see how good she really is from my perspective. (4) SHARTIN N is in a class by herself right now and deserves to be the likely 2-5 she’ll offer on race day. I’m merely hoping that with the big money on the line someone will make her work so hard that an upset is possible. (2) CAVIART ALLY has been super but just isn’t Shartin N. She’ll be second choice here and that makes her an undesirable play, though a capable one if the favorite falters. (3) YOUAREMYCANDYGIRL got back on the right track with a solid uncovered mile in last week’s prep. I do believe she is moving in the right direction but I’m not sure the trip will work out for her here.

.20 All-Stakes Pick 4 Ticket: 2 / 4 / 3,4,5,8 / 2,3,4,5 = $3.20

Insider NA Cup Selections & Best Bets

Garnet Barnsdale

NORTH AMERICA CUP

De Los Cielos Deo, Workin Ona Mystery, Captain Victorious, Bettor’s Wish

(2) DE LOS CIELOS DEO kicked home in a sparkling 51 2/5 last week and he draws perfectly here. He may go favored despite not winning his elim and he has a big shot, the only caveat being he may get overbet.

GOODTIMES

I think this race offers value using some price horses underneath (3) PILOT DISCRETION, who simply looks too good for these right now. Use Super Schissel, Smart As Hill and Southwind Avenger underneath in exactas and trifectas

Jay Bergman

NORTH AMERICA CUP

Bettor’s Wish, Workin Ona Mystery, De Los Cielos Deo, Captain Crunch

(3) BETTOR’S WISH answered a major question for me last week and thankfully it is hidden in his past performance line. Three moves and three sub-27 quarters suggest he can carry his speed and fight it out when called upon.

FAN HANOVER

(4) WARRAWEE UBEAUT has come back more manageable and faster this year. Last year she was among the best. This year she’s matured and controllable. With Burke training and Gingras driving expect records to fall starting tonight.

Jeremey Day

NORTH AMERICA CUP

De Los Cielos Deo, Workin Ona Mystery, Bettor’s Wish, Captain Crunch

(2) DE LOS CIELOS DEO appears to have all the kinks worked out after a questionable start to the year. He was locked in last on the rail with nowhere to go into a very soft 56 2/5 first half in his elimination. Once free he paced a monster back half in 51 2/5, just missing.

MOHAWK GOLD CUP

(8) THINKBIG DREAMBIG might be catching McWicked at the right time of the year coming off a month layoff. The 4-year old stallion should get a very fast pace to close into and has always done his best work from far back.

Derick Giwner

NORTH AMERICA CUP

Captain Crunch, Workin Ona Mystery, Captain Victorious, Bettor’s Wish

Coming into the eliminations everyone thought (8) CAPTAIN CRUNCH was the odds-on favorite to win and I haven’t lost any confidence. At what could be a generous 5-2, he’s the no-brainer selection.

MOHAWK GOLD CUP

(2) MCWICKED came back from winter vacation and had no trouble rolling home in 26 seconds to win a Preferred over this track. He lays over this field on paper even with the four week layoff.

Greg Reinhart

NORTH AMERICA CUP

Captain Crunch, De Los Cielos Deo, Workin Ona Mystery, Bettor’s Wish

My North America Cup pick is (8) CAPTAIN CRUNCH, who I think is the best horse and displayed immense class and heart just to make the final. Given the break and outside draw, you may also get a price on him, something along the lines of 5-2 or 3-1.

ARMBRO FLIGHT

I like (3) HANNELORE HANOVER to knock off (4) ATLANTA in the Armbro Flight, knowing the former loves Mohawk and thinking the connections might want to strike early in her campaign as she tailed off some last year as the season continued.

Matt Rose

NORTH AMERICA CUP

Bettor’s Wish, Workin Ona Mystery, Captain Crunch, De Los Cielos Deo I have been on the (3) BETTOR’S WISH bandwagon since his first 3-year-old start, and he’s proven me right by sporting a perfect record. Yes, he did get a bit fortunate in his NA Cup elimination, but that was still a solid three-move effort to get the win. Driver Dexter Dunn has been driving lights-out recently.

GOODTIMES

(5) SUPER SCHISSEL did the best he could from the 10-hole last week and raced very respectably to make the final. Post relief gives him a chance at a price.

Darin Zoccali

NORTH AMERICA CUP

Captain Crunch, Workin Ona Mystery, Best In Show, Bettor’s Wish (8) CAPTAIN CRUNCH will offer a far better price then he should because of the mistake, similar to JK Endofanera a few years ago. Simple angle. Still think he’s the best horse.

FAN HANOVER

(1) TALL DRINK HANOVER She makes her third start back off the lay-off and I expect her to be ready to step up her game. Anything around 5-1 is fair value on her and is worth a win play.

North America Cup Trip Notes & Analysis

1-AFLAME HANOVER tucked in the pocket, wound up sitting fourth, split foes in the lane and lacked a big kick.

He has some early speed in his arsenal and will need it all to gain valuable early position from the tough inside post with multiple leavers likely bearing down on him from the outside of the gate. As a mostly unproven player coming off a subpar elimination mile, it is hard to consider him for anything but the lower rung of exotics.

2-DE LOS CIELOS DEO gapped in last much of the mile but angled at the head of the lane and found another gear to close in 25 seconds like a freight train to finish second.

Following a 1:48 4/5 qualifying win on June 1 at The Meadowlands and an eye-catching elimination rally, he’ll no doubt be the ‘wise guy’ horse in the field. Let’s try to remember that he was gapping at the back of the pack for much of the mile, so as visually impressive as his finish was, he paced just one impressive quarter the entire mile. As an overbet contender in a field with multiple options, he’s a play-against.

3-BETTOR’S WISH moved to the lead at the quarter, yielded to the quick-moving Hurrikane Emperor, waited for the stretch, found room up the cones and held safely under encouragement.

The trip worked out favorably for him in the elimination, but at some point we have to give him credit for being a horse that lives up to the “Just win, baby” moto of former Raiders owner Al Davis. This horse simply knows how to find the winner’s circle and he’s a horse I’ll be using in the Pick 4 as the second or third choice in the field.

4-WORKIN ONA MYSTERY made the top after the quarter from the far outside post, got away with a breather in the second quarter and sprinted from there in a sharp win under urging.

Brian Brown trainee turned in the most impressive elimination effort. If I could poke any holes in the execution it would be that he wasn’t pushed through tough fractions. It is scary to think that Brown said the horse didn’t scope that good after his elimination and could be even better in Saturday’s final. He’s the clear favorite but might not be worth odds under 2-1, which is likely what you’ll get.

5-CAPTAIN VICTORIOUS flashed good speed but wound up coming away third. He angled in the lane and finished up mildly as the only horse gaining any ground into Workin Ona Mystery.

He came into the NA Cup off two bad lines and clearly stepped up his game in a big way. Is that a sign of things to come? I’m not quite convinced he is good enough to win, but it is clear trainer Ron Burke has him moving in the right direction now. I wouldn’t fall off my chair if he shocked the crowd.

6-TYGA HANOVER left well to make the front at the quarter, yielded into the pocket behind the favorite and lacked a closing kick.

His game has been early speed and he showed it in his elimination, but you can’t get out-kicked by two horses in the lane and be taken seriously as a win player. His speed will keep him in play and the fact that post six wins at over 19% provides some hope for those who take a positive view; only underneath for me.

7-BEST IN SHOW was fourth along the cones, split foes in the lane and gained mildly while no threat to the winner.

I haven’t seen enough from him to think he can win, but I also haven’t been turned off by the efforts he’s put forth. Bettor’s Delight colt is clearly comfortable over the surface and it will be interesting to see how he responds to potentially coming from off the pace this week since leaving will be very difficult with #s 1,4,6 certainly showing some early zip. I could be talked into using him.

8-CAPTAIN CRUNCH left well and battled between foes for the lead before getting a bit funky into the first turn causing a break (trainer Nancy Johansson said he jumped the shadow of the starting car). He recovered quickly mid-pack and grinded up into contention. While he lacked a late bid after the eventful trip, he did prove game to make the final.

It really doesn’t matter to me whether or not he jumped a shadow in his elimination. Any horse leaving the first eighth in 12 3/5 seconds while battling between foes and trying to make a left turn to clear the front could roll off stride. What matters most is that he showed no other signs of a poor gait the rest of the mile and dug in gamely for fifth. Coming into the eliminations everyone thought this guy was an odds-on favorite to win and I haven’t lost any confidence. At what could be a generous 5-2 odds at post time, he’s the no-brainer selection for me.

9-HURRIKANE EMPEROR uncorked a strong turn of speed to brush to the front at the half, posted a big third quarter and came up a bit flat late.

There is no doubt he needed that mile last week to get up to speed with this group after three easy wins in New Jersey. He should be sharper now and I might have been able to talk myself onto his bandwagon from an inside post, but too much has to go right for him to win from out here.

10-STAG PARTY moved uncovered to the half and was never a serious threat while holding his ground well in the lane.

Looking back at his elimination mile, it was actually a pretty good effort, but it’s been a long time since I watched this colt and came away really impressed. From a post with under a 5% win rate, I just don’t see how he gets lucky enough to be involved.