The Canadien ChamPion, Tuesday, May 6, 1997-23 For a free brochure about Vilag Ja pe eOr for your local CH showing rea iffreno 1-800-268-0999 ext. 10 Potential jn MOHAWK RACE WAY, GUELPH LIstE, NORTH 0F THE 401, GAMPBELE VILLEý. Ping Series F'RWRKSm- NIQ The $100,000 North Amenica Cup, June 14 at Woodbine, is aI E 1 w little more (han a month away, but several hopefuls were putYOI~ ~ through their paces Fniday in three divisions of the firsi leg oftihe AN -'J W TVN Y I Mohawk Pacing Senies. While not yel in the class of likely Cup lavourites The Big, Dog, His Maîîjcsty and Megamind, a superb effort by Cup eligi- hie Vilage. Jasper in the thîrd division may have indicaied a rosy future i r the lhree-year old pauing son of Jaîe LobelI. With Paul MauDonel in the sulky, Village Jasper, second choice 10 Summers Fury, rocketed ouI of the pockeî in mîd- slrelch and blew byî th e favourîte, anB H o16ouf" ased Up two-length w inner in 1:53.4, Beat tefseto h was the fifth win in - - 10 starîs this year for Village Jasper, co-owned and trained by Cambridge's Bill Wellwood. The colt was unraced as a juveni le. "He's the kind of horse that if he gels a trip, he tires home qUick,- said MacDonell. "He's improving wilh every stant and I can*l sec why he can'î pace wiîh the best oftlhem. We gol a chance 10 race hlm ai Woodbine during the winier and he seems 10 like the long streîch." In the second division, Master Bamey pulled off a major upset by scooîing along the rail in the deep slrelch 10 lake the lead, then holding off Western Dreamer by a head, in 1:54. Heavily favoured Rambaran, the leader for mUch of the conlest, backed up late in the lane 10 finish a disappointing fourth for Ron Vt iples. Also eligible 10 the Cup, Rambaran was suffering only his sec- ond loss in nine starts Ihis year, yel he was only beaten by a lengîh and a haîf. Master Barney, wiîh Dave Wall, twice had a good look aI Rambaran's posterior in his last lwo efforts, but this lime around, the tables were tumed. Il was the gelding's fourth win in Il starts ihis year, as he has now eamned more Ihan $60,000 for tramner Kenneîh Switzer and owner Whiîesand Valley Stables of Schomberg. 'Me firsI division lumed mbt a baIlle of favourites, as Cam's Country Boy, the second choice with Doug Brown, nailed the odds-on paceseller Nashville Road by a head aI the wire, in 1:55.1. Owned by New York's Jeffrey Snyder, Cama Country Boy, a son of the Legendary Cam Fella, was posîing his second win in five starts this year for tramner Shawn Robinson. Snyder raced the 1994 North America Cup winner and lhree-year-old champion Cam's Card Shark. Cam's Country Boy, îhough, is not eligible for the classic. The second leg of the Mohawk Pacing Series is sel for Friday, May 9 with the $75,000 final scheduled for May 16. In Thursday's Acton Series $20,760 final. Becksîead, a fOve- year-old pacer owned and lrained by James Graîton of Parkhill, Ontario, wired the field, winning by one and one-half lengths over Usher Hanover, wiîh Ketîle Bee, last year's victor, a head further back in Ihird, in 1:55.4. As the even-money choice, Beckstead, driven by Reg Gassien, noîched his fourth win (third in a row) in 14 saats Ihis year, in a campaign which has already equalled last season's bankroll. "I'm really proud 10 heat horses of this calibre," said Graîton. 'Three slraighl wins 10 finish the series .... after the second win, 1 wished we could've kepl a rail draw in reserve. Then, when we gol the rail again for the final, well, 1 guess il wasjusî our îum." WOULDN'Tr You RATrHER BE ATr A HoRSE RACE? ACTON MEADOWNS GOLF CLUB ýOn the first Une west of Hwy. 25, just north of Hwy. 7 519-853-0631 rv.êAt ' 2 For 1 GREEN FEES Mon. ta Thurs. 18 MOLES Expires 5/30/97 2 For 1 GREEN FEES SATURDAY 18 MOLES Expires 5/30/97 2 For 1 GREEN FEES SUNDAYS 18 HOLES Expires 5/30/97 I L J _________ I _eý