Mohawk: Beer Summit wins Goodtimes final with tactics change

They do not race on paper. That is something you learn fast enough. In the C$351,000 Goodtimes final driver Ron Pierce elected to place Beer Summit off the pace rather than in his usual spot on the engine. It worked.

For much of the race it appeared that Gym Tan Laundry was going to pull off a 99-1 shocker. The 3-year-old gelding gunned off the wings of the gate and led a pocket-sitting Prayer Session through fractions of :27 1/5, :56 1/5 and 1:24.

The outer flow was live, with Il Mago pressing hard in the third quarter. He was followed by Beer Summit, Lindys Jersey Boy, Knows Nothing and Market Share.

Beer Summit pounced off cover to come up to Gym Tan Laundry and edged to the front in the stretch. He would not be headed despite a host of pursuers waiting in the wings.

Beer Summit tripped the timer in a stakes record 1:52 2/5 over Prayer Session and Gym Tan Laundry. Favorites Knows Nothing and Market Share were too far back and finished fourth and fifth respectively.

“The trip worked out really well,” said driver Ron Pierce. “I picked up some very good cover and he had plenty of trot to the wire.”

Trainer Michael Vanderkemp credited Pierce with working out the right trip.

“Tonight we wanted to chase them down and he got him in a good spot.”

Beer Summit scored for the third time in five starts this year. He doubled his career earnings to over $300,000 with the win for owners Sharlene Vanderkemp, Mirva Bogucki, and Jerry and Teresa Silva Stables.