Seven $10,000 splits of the second leg of pop-up series action highlighted the 10-race Thursday (Dec. 12) card at Mohawk, where the driver/trainer tandem of Louis-Philippe Roy and Gerard Demers teamed up to take a pair of divisions.
The series for $8,000 claiming pacers who are non-winners of $4,000 in their last five saw four divisions each for the male competitors, and three for the fillies and mares, the first of which saw Roy and Demers score with even-money favourite, Goldies Rockin.
Making her first start in the Demers barn after being claimed from leg one, Goldies Rockin would have to work hard early from post six, finding herself parked on the first turn to the quarter pole in :29.1 to the outside of Tribal Dancer (James MacDonald). Goldies Rockin cleared briefly to the lead on the backstretch, before Roy relinquished command to the brushing Golden Leader (Brett MacDonald) to the half in :58.1. Goldies Rockin moved to the outside of Golden Leader at three-quarters in 1:27.3 before the two battled well clear of the rest in the lane, with Goldies Rockin prevailing by three-quarters of a length in 1:58.2. Keen Cathy (Phillippe Hudon) finished third, 9-3/4 lengths behind the victor.
Demers co-owns the five-year-old daughter of Rockin Image-A Loskoz Bluegrass with Sylvain Caron. An eight-time winner in 32 starts this season, Goldies Rockin sports seasonal earnings of $52,055.
The three remaining divisions for fillies and mares went to Tamara Hanover (James MacDonald, 1:59) and Acefortyfour Daisy (Jody Jamieson, 1:58.3).
Roy and Demers teamed up with a son of Rockin Image, Odds On Carmel (pictured above), to score their second pop-up victory on the card.
Roy hustled Odds On Carmel to the lead from post four, reaching the quarter first by two-lengths in :28.2. Roy tapped the brakes to the half in :57.4 before maintaining a 1-1/2 length advantage at three-quarters in 1:26.4. Pacing home strongly, Odds On Carmel repelled challenges by Speedy Blinders (Billy Davis Jr.) and Baylor Bobby (James MacDonald) to score the mild 5-1 upset by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:57.
Owned by Marc Lemay, Odds On Carmel has won 8 of 35 on the year, banking $24,100 in 2024.
The remaining divisions for the males belonged to Music To My Gears (James MacDonald, 1:57.4), Our Max Phactor N (Tyler Jones, 1:57.3) and G A Speed Sammy (Tyler Borth, 1:55.2).
The $20,000 finals for each pop-up series are slated for Thursday, Dec. 19 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
To view Thursday's harness racing results, click the following link: Thursday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)