Trainer Jamie Gerard grabbed two of the three $11,644 second leg divisions of the Dasher Pop-up Series at First Tracks Cumberland on Sunday, Dec. 14 amid intermittent snow fall.
Driven by Aaron Hall, he Gerard-trained and owned Echos Sharkie lined up in fourth position behind the Wes Brown starting gate ready to roll, with fans squinting through the snowflakes to catch all the winter action. No post position has accounted for more victories than post four at Cumberland this season, with 100 winners springing into action from the centre of the racetrack. Echos Sharkie was no different, as the field gapped his cover through modest fractions of :31.2 for the quarter and to the 1:03 half.
During the first circuit, Never Say Never N (Kevin Switzer Jr.) sat a loose pocket, with the 3-5 favourite Circling The Prey (Nick Graffam) getting away fourth. Heading to the five-eighths marker, The Big Aristotle (Chris Long) went first-over to challenge with the Circling The Prey grabbing that cover second-over into a swifter 1:32.3 third panel.
Around the final turn, the pacesetting Echos Sharkie gained some separation as the favourite swung three-wide around fading cover. Through the stretch, no one could catch the six-year-old Shadyshark Hanover-Mappos Moenhay gelding, who scored in 2:02.1 well in-hand over the "good" track. Circling The Prey got up for second, 2-1/4 lengths behind, and Never Say Never N was third.
Echos Sharkie reached the double-digit win mark for the season and returned $6.60 as the public’s second choice.
Gerard and Hall teamed up again to take another Dasher division with Quan Blue Chip in 2:01.1.
The nine-year-old son of Sunshine Beach and Amora Hanover left from pylon position and got away fourth amid a blistering :28.2 opening panel set by the headstrong 1-2 favourite, Jones Hanover (Kevin Switzer Jr.). Reys N A Ruckus (Chris Long) pulled going to the quarter pole, which gave Quan Blue Chip and Hall live cover through the :59.2 half before they tipped three-wide down the backside to swoop the front-runners and score by two open lengths. Mr Fantasy (Andy Harrington) finished second and Jones Hanover hung on for third.
Gerard co-owns Quan Blue Chip with Hunter Lofthus. The pacer recorded his seventh seasonal victory and returned $15 to his backers at the betting windows.
The other Dasher division went to the James Dunn trainee General Ward and driver Chris Long in 2:01.2. Owned by Diane Dunn, the eight-year-old Somebeachsomewhere-Podges Lady gelding bested Outspoken Man (Mike Stevenson) and favoured St Ladys Thriller (Nick Graffam), returning $9 to win.
The Dasher is an optional $5,000 USD claiming series.
In the second leg of the Blitzen Pop-Up Series, a conditioned $8,000 USD optional claiming event, Rau Ru ($3.40) extended his win streak to six with a 2:00.2 score for driver Kevin Switzer Jr. and trainer/owner Zachary Vickerson.
Hespoisedtopounce A ($2.80) was a 2:02 winner in the other $11,644 Blitzen division for Hall and trainer Jimmy Nickerson.
(With files from First Tracks Cumberland; photo of Quan Blue Chip winning on Dec. 14)