Woodbine Mohawk Park: McNair has a big chance to shine on NA Cup Night
Driver Doug McNair is in a better position heading into the 2020 North America Cup Night at Woodbine Mohawk Park than he's been in the past. With COVID-19 restrictions limiting a large number of predominantly U.S.-based drivers from crossing the border, McNair finds himself in a solid position in both the North America Cup and most certainly the Fan Hanover Stakes.
"I wouldn't be driving either of those horses," said McNair, referring specifically to Capt Midnight in the C$1 million Pepsi North America Cup or the undefeated Party Girl Hill in the C$400,000 Fan Hanover stakes.
"Dexter (Dunn) would definitely be driving the filly and I guess Andy (McCarthy) would be driving Capt Midnight," said McNair. "Everything on the undercard would probably be the same."
McNair clearly learned something about Party Girl Hill driving her for the first time and that is likely to go into his thinking with the larger purse up for grabs on Saturday. "She (Party Girl Hill) can get kind of sleepy on the front end. I probably let that other filly (Lady Lou) get a bit too close to me. I would have been better off letting her roll earlier," said McNair.
On Saturday Party Girl Hill will face the other Fan Hanover elimination winner Peaky Sneaky (post 4) as well as Lady Lou (post 5) hoping to keep her unbeaten streak alive. Chantal Mitchell has trained the filly in Canada.
McNair captured the 2017 Fan Hanover with Bettors Up.
In the Pepsi North America Cup, McNair has the assignment behind Capt Midnight for trainer Tony Alagna. The Captaintreacherous-sired colt has been at his best over this track and last week came within a head of defeating Tall Dark Stranger in an elimination race. "I thought he raced exceptionally well," said McNair of Capt Midnight's performance. The colt had previously finished second behind Tall Dark Stranger in the Cane Pace at The Meadowlands after a long coverless trip.
"I think he's a versatile horse that can work out a trip," said McNair, while obviously well aware of the main obstacle, that being Tall Dark Stranger. The driver has an interesting connection to the Pepsi North America Cup favorite having driven his dam Precocious Beauty to major victories as a freshman in 2013, including the She's A Great Lady and Eternal Camnation. "She was a very fast 2-year-old," McNair said of Precocious Beauty. "I think he (Tall Dark Stranger) looks a lot like her and goes a lot like her." Tall Dark Stranger also likes to win, a lot like his dam, having captured 13 of his 15 career starts heading into the richest race of his career this Saturday.
While Tall Dark Stranger is technically the second foal from Precocious Beauty, he's actually the first the mare carried to term herself. McNair guided Precocious Beauty to a second-place finish at Pompano Park in January of 2016 just two months before her first foal was born through a surrogate.
McNair has a few colts entered in the split Nassagaweya Stakes for juvenile pacing colts on the Woodbine Mohawk Park program. "Pirate Hanover is a nice colt," McNair said of the $100,000 yearling purchase from the Tony Alagna barn that he'll pilot in the seventh race $117,029 Nassagaweya division. "That last mile was his first start and it was more like a qualifier," said McNair. "I just sat with him and he paced a last quarter in 26 and change." Pirate Hanover will be stepping up to stakes competition in a field that includes the undefeated Dean B Hanover, but his driver appears to think he is ready to tackle tougher. "I'm not sure he's ready to go in 1:50 just yet but he should race well," said McNair.
Pirate Hanover drew post three in a field of 10 2-year-olds.
McNair will guide Battle of Waterloo champion Bettor Sun in the ninth race Nassagaweya division and he most definitely likes the chances of this son of Sunshine Beach trained by his dad, Gregg. Bettor Sun comes off a second-place finish in an Ontario Sire Stakes Gold division last week over this track. "I think you have to throw that one out," said McNair, who had to use Bettor Sun very hard in the early stages with the colt cutting fractions of 26 2/5, 55 and 1:23 2/5 before being overpowered late in a 1:51 2/5 mile. Bettor Sun's two victories over the half-miler at Grand River were much more controlled, with his performances dominating.
On Saturday, Bettor Sun will meet competition from outside the Province for the first time, with Abuckabett Hanover, a recent Pennsylvania Sire Stakes winner, joining the fray for trainer Tony Alagna. Abuckabett Hanover, a colt from the first crop of Betting Line, took his maiden victory at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono on August 16, pacing to a 1:51 2/5 mile over the five-eighths track. Abuckabett Hanover landed post nine in the field of 10 starters.
The 13-race North America Cup card kicks off with an earlier post time of 6:30 PM and includes nine total stakes races along with a few special wagering opportunities. The first race starts a $100,000 guaranteed Pick 5, race 7 begins an 'All-Stakes' Pick 5, and race 13 closes out the card with a mandatory payout of the $381,378 Jackpot Hi-5.