YONKERS, NY, Tuesday, April 3, 2012---Favorite Cam B Zipper (Jason Bartlett) prevailed from the pocket Tuesday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $70,400 final of the Sagamore Hill Pacing Series for 3- and 4-year-old colts and geldings.
The Raceway's richest event of the season to date saw Cam B Zipper-perfect in his three series prelims--in play early from post position No. 3. He stepped around Upfront Ellijay Ed (Mark MacDonald), then handed to baton to Avenue Hanover (Dan Dube)--also 3-for-3 in the series--after a snappy :26.3 opening quarter-mile.
Avenue Hanover was able to rate a 30-second next station (:56.3 half), before Cruznwithdabigdog (Cat Manzi) tried his luck and moving from fifth.
Avenue Hanover maintained the advantage in and out of a 1:25.1 three-quarters, taking a length-and-a-half lead into the lane. The leader would fight the good fight, but settled for second as Cam B Zipper ducked inside and edged by.
The margin was a half-length in 1:54. Braden (Brian Sears) rallied from third-over to grab third, with Classic Call (Pat Lachance) and Upfront Ellijay Ed scarfed down the minor awards. Alexpanderthegreat (Brent Holland), Cruznwithdabigdog and Great Dragon (George Brennan) raced for the privilege.
For Cam B Zipper, a 4-year-old Cammibest gelding co-owned by Howard Taylor, Rojan Stables, LA Express Stable & Allen Kaplan Kaplan and trained by Michael Hall, he returned $4.10 for his sixth win in a dozen seasonal starts. The exacta paid $25.20, with the triple returning $159.
"He's not a big horse, but very handy," Bartlett said. "He can leave with anyone in this series. I never thought about retaking because we were moving right along, Besides, I thought it was a two-horse race coming in with Avenue Hanover and I figured he'd carry us."
A $25,000 series consolation was won by Panfermin Festival (Jordan Stratton, $11.20) in a life-best 1:53.3.
Yonkers' five-night-per-week (Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday) live schedule continues. First post for all programs remains at 7:10 PM. Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting available around the NYRA schedule (note that NYRA is dark Easter Sunday).
BY FRANK DRUCKER, Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
