Putting an exclamation point on what has been a career year, trainer Gerard Demers went beyond $10 million in career earnings when Odds On Carmel paced to a third-place effort in the $20,000 Pop-Up Series final on Thursday, Dec. 19 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Following a victory earlier on the evening at Flamboro Downs with Gascoigne Sundae, Demers entered the Pop-Up final for $8,000 claiming pacers who were non-winners of $4,000 in their last five just $1,500 shy of the milestone.

Driver Louis-Philippe Roy put Odds On Carmel into play early, landing in the third position from post seven as 1-2 favourite G A Speed Sammy (Tyler Borth) laid down a fast opening fraction of :26.2. Odds On Carmel was pinned in by his parked-out stablemate Hes Got Swagger (Phil Hudon) to the half in :55.2 before slipping off the cones and charging first-over from third at three-quarters in 1:24.2. G A Speed Sammy was not to be caught on the lead, pacing to a 4-1/4-length victory in 1:52.4 over Quan Blue Chip (James MacDonald), with Odds On Carmel holding for the show spot and securing the milestone for Demers. 

Since starting his training career in 2002, Demers has banked more than a quarter-million dollars in every campaign since 2007 while conditioning 1,436 winners for his career. This year has been a career year for Demers in both wins and earnings by a wide margin in each category, breaking the million-dollar mark for the first time while his charges visited the winner's circle 143 times thus far. 

As for the winner of the Pop-Up dinal, G A Speed Sammy earned his second consecutive victory on the year for owner and trainer Courtney Bishop. It was career win 31 for the nine-year-old gelded son of Shanghai Phil-Surprise De Mars who sports career earnings of $211,097.

A pair of consolations were also contested on the card for the Pop-Up Series, with Keepamericagreat (Borth, $15.50) taking the $12,000 Consolation 1 in 1:54.2 and Malvolio (Jimmy Gagnon, $27.70) taking the $10,000 Consolation 2 in 1:56.2.

Earlier on the card, Golden Leader delivered as the 3-5 favourite in the $20,000 Pop-Up final for pacing fillies and mares of the same condition. 

James MacDonald had the call for trainer Kyle Fellows from post four, landing in the fourth position on the first turn while La Coeur Chapeau (Jody Jamieson) cut the quarter in :26.2. MacDonald moved the favourite to the top on the backstretch, leading to the half in :56.1 before guiding the field to three-quarters in 1:25. Pacing strongly through the stretch, Golden Leader paced away from La Coeur Chapeau by 2-1/2 lengths on the wire to stop the timer in 1:54. Rambaran Rose (Scott Young) rallied for the third position at 48-1.

The start was the first in the Fellows barn for the seven-year-old daughter of Big Jim-Designated Leader who was claimed by Lynn Cameron following the victory. Golden Leader has won twice in 27 outings on the year, banking $193,635 lifetime.

MacDonald also guided Is He Watching ($3.90) to victory in the $12,000 Pop-Up Consolation 1 for pacing fillies and mares to complete his grand slam to lead all drivers on the evening with four victories. 

To view Thursday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Thursday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(Standardbred Canada; Demers shown above, second from the left, after winning a previous race with Odds On Carmel)