Last year trainer Anthony Beaton was in the enviable position of sending out a pair of impressive sophomores in the North America Cup. This Saturday he'll return with the Cup champion Nijinsky, who is making his first start in stakes company as a 4-year-old in one of three Graduate divisions at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Beaton's hopes for a second North America Cup victory could come with his lightly-raced but extremely-talented Lite Up The World in one of two Somebeachsomewhere divisions, the final tune-up prior to next Saturday's (June 7) Cup eliminations. The five total stakes are part of a 13-race card that kicks off at 6:35 P.M. (EDT). "We gave him a few qualifiers and then in his first start he went along nicely and finished well," said Beaton of Nijinsky, who landed post six in the C$68,000 second Graduate division for pacers (race 10). "Right now, I'm happy with the way he looks. He's put on weight and kept it, and maybe that has more to do with the weather up here that hasn't even been spring-like yet," said Beaton. "I'm happy with a bit more weight because you know it's going to come off with racing and the warmer weather." Nijinsky showed incredible improvement from his 2-year-old campaign to his sophomore season and won 11 times while finishing second on four occasions during a brilliant campaign. On Saturday he'll look to get back on the winning track following a solid second-place finish in his season's debut on May 17. The six rivals on Saturday include Calicojack Hanover, who enters the Graduate riding a two-race win streak after sweeping both his Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup elimination and the final at Flamboro Downs for trainer Luc Blais. The son of Captaintreacherous has already reached his sophomore earnings level in just four starts this year but will be stepping up in company over the larger surface. Funtime Bayama (post one) has taken some time to hit his best stride for trainer Andrew Harris but enters the Graduate having won the Ontario Graduate Series final at Woodbine Mohawk Park on May 3 and more recently a qualifying race at the Meadowlands. Funtime Bayama returns to Woodbine Mohawk Park on the anniversary of his victory in a division of the Somebeachsomewhere. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter Beaton is hoping that Nijinsky can get a victory on Saturday and with that pick up enough points in the series so he can stay home until he must ship. "He got invited to the Mohawk Gold Cup (June 14), so if we can get enough points he can skip the next leg at Meadowlands," Beaton said. Lite Up The World made just four starts as a freshman, and Beaton has always been high on the son of American Ideal. "He hurt his tendon when he made a break in the Dream Maker," said Beaton. "We tried to get him back for the Nasssgaweya and Breeders Crown but in the end we thought it would be best to quit for the year and prepare him for his 3-year-old season. Lite Up The World has shown incredible speed and staying power in two starts this year. "He showed a lot in that 1:51 mile he went (May 17). It was a cold and windy night," said Beaton, who will send out Lite Up The World from post six in the eighth race second Somebeachsomewhere division. "James (MacDonald) really likes him," said Beaton of Mohawk's leading driver, who last year guided Legendary Hanover to a Meadowlands Pace and Cane Pace victory, both in New Jersey. Lite Up The World faces seven rivals, including Joel And The Jets (post two), a sharp 1:51 3/5 winner in his sophomore debut for trainer Dr. Ian Moore. The first division of the Graduate goes as race four and finds Juravinski runner-up Howlenthehills (post two) the likely favorite in a field of eight. Trained by Travis Alexander, Howlenthehills was a 13-time winner as a sophomore last year racing in New York and beyond. Prince Hal Hanover (post seven) leads a competitive first C$75,000 Somebeachsomewhere division that kicks off the stakes-filled program as race number two. A recent 1:49 3/5 winner over the five-eighths-mile track at Pocono, Prince Hal Hanover drew outside of six rivals, including the 1:48 2/5 freshman winner D A Love Boat (post two), as well as the 1:49 3/5 multiple stakes-winning 2-year-old American Son, making just his second start of 2025 for trainer Chris Ryder. Just one division of the Graduate for 4-year-old trotters was necessary, with C$102,000 on the line in race six. Last year's Canadian Trotting Classic Champion Amazing Catch (post six) makes his first start for new owners but the same trainer in Ake Svanstedt. The son of Walner won his most recent qualifier at the Meadowlands on May 17 in 1:53 4/5. Hambletonian Oaks champion Warrawee Michelle (post three) is another of four horses in the field from the Svanstedt stable. The huge card at Woodbine Mohawk also finds one of last year's top sophomores and early favorite to capture the 2024 North America Cup - Captains Quarters - making his 4-year-old debut in the first race. Captains Quarters has not raced since the Breeders Crown eliminations last October at the Meadowlands.