Late season Pop-Up action continued on Friday, Dec. 20 at Woodbine Mohawk Park with Needabankloan now aiming for a series sweep after winning both of his preliminary divisions.
This Pop-Up event is for male pacers that are non-winners of $30,000 or not averaging $1,500 per start this year in a mininum of 15 starts.
Needabankloan ($4.20) was the fastest winner of the second leg and the only repeat winner of this series, taking the last of four $14,000 divisions on Friday night in 1:52 flat with Tyler Borth working out the winning trip for trainer Raphael Bourassa.
Following a victory in the opening leg last week, Needabankloan was sent postward as the even-money favourite in round two and made the winning move from third on the final turn to blow by pacesetter Day Trader in the stretch, widening by 2-1/4 lengths at the end. Pipewrench Charlie edged out Better B Gouda and Day Trader in the race for place.
A winner in four of his last five starts, the homebred five-year-old son of Toucam Sam is owned by Jacques Lambert of Red Deer, Alta.
A runner-up in the opening leg, even-money favourite Control The Power ($2.70) delivered a 1:52.1 victory this time out for the mother and son, training and driving team of Jodie and Travis Cullen. The six-year-old son of Control The Moment is a homebred for David Snowden of Asphodel Norwood, Ont.
A recent Ontario newcomer for the Pop-Up Series, the five-year-old Articulator gelding Howmac Maximus ($28.40) took a new lifetime mark of 1:52.4 in the first division of the night for driver/trainer Damian MacLellan and owner Grace Sorrie of Montague, P.E.I.
The other division was won by the eight-year-old Art Major gelding Major Fernco N ($8.30), who defeated first round winner HF Pans Shadow in 1:53 with Jody Jamieson driving for trainer Paul Court and M T Stables Ontario Inc.
The $30,000 final of this Pop-Up Series will be contested on Friday, Dec. 27.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)