Demers reaches $10 million in earnings

Harness racing trainer Gerard Demers, at the tail-end of his first million-dollar season, passed $10 million in career earnings with a show finish in the Pop-up Series Final at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Thursday (Dec. 19).

The Demers-trained Odds On Carmel (Rockin Image), making his move from third against a dominant G A Speed Sammy (Tyler Borth), pulled into second at the top of the stretch. The latter drew clear, and Quan Blue Chip (James MacDonald) tracked Odds On Carmel down for place, but the gelding’s third-place finish was enough to earn Demers the milestone.

GERARD DEMERS MILESTONE REPLAY

Demers made his training debut in 2002 and has since made 8,695 starts with 1,436 victories — a career rate of 16.5 per cent. His 143 wins and $1.08 million in earnings in 817 starts this year are all personal seasonal bests by a wide margin, and he is tied for third in wins in the national trainers’ standings.

It was the second victory in 12 starts this season for G A Speed Sammy, who has won back-to-back races by a combined nine-and-a-quarter lengths after starting the season 0-for-10. Courtney Bishop owns and trains the nine-year-old.

Racing is set to continue at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday, Dec. 20 at 7:10 p.m. EST.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink