CAMPBELLVILLE – Pebble Beach really is a special one.
The three-year-old colt completed a perfect three-week stay at Woodbine Mohawk Park, capturing the $1 million North America Cup on Saturday.
Driven by Todd McCarthy, Pebble Beach made the lead just after the half-mile pole and looked comfortable through the stretch, holding off a mild challenge from Beach Glass to win in 1:50 flat.
Typically a closer, McCarthy seemed a bit concerned about putting Pebble Beach on the lead as early as he did but the three-year-old colt handled it perfectly.
“He’s still learning to race that way,” he said. “We didn’t want to do anything crazy. But he surprised me with how easily he did it.”
“He’s a pretty exciting horse going forward.”
Trainer Noel Daley was also a bit concerned during the race.
“I was a little anxious when he was in front,” Daley said. “I was expecting some over-driving in these big races but everybody was driving pretty quiet. He pulled in with his earplugs still in.”
A son of Downbytheseaside, Pebble Beach came to Mohawk two weeks ago to win the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes and then last week, won his Cup elimination in 1:49 4/5.
Last year, Pebble Beach won seven of his 11 starts including posting a 1:48 clocking at the Red Mile. Daley knew very early on that Pebble Beach could be special.
“We knew he was pretty good (as a yearling) but with pacers, you never know,” he said. “I said very early on that he could go 1:48 and he had managed to do that. He’s got a brilliant turn of speed.”
Pebble Beach now has earnings surpassing $900,000.
Beach Glass, the second-place finisher, is one of the final sons of the great Somebeachsomewhere. The legendary champion, who was also a top stallion, died in 2018 but some frozen semen was discovered after his death and Beach Glass was a product of that find. Brent MacGrath, who trained Somebeachsomewhere, is the trainer of Beach Glass.
The Cup was returning to its normal mid-June spot on the calendar after being contested later in the year in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
STARS ON PARADE: Five other stakes were contested at Mohawk. Test of Faith took the $315,000 Roses Are Red with a late stretch charge in 1:50 1/5 with Dave Miller driving for trainer Brett Pelling. Pelling also won the $401,000 Fan Hanover with Treacherous Dragon, who held off stablemate Wickedly Innocent to win in 1:50 1/5.
In the $251,000 Goodtimes final, Fast As The Wind solidified his claim to become the favorite for this summer’s Hambletonian, winning in 1:52 2/5 with Dexter Dunn driving. Atlanta, continued her outstanding career with a win in the $211,000 Armbro Flight in 1:52 2/5 with Yannick Gingras driving. The seven-year-old now has 33 career wins and $3.45 million in the bank.
And Jimmy Freight, brought back to the races late last year after two years in stallion duty, won the $100,000 Mohawk Gold Cup in 1:48
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