Tyler Raymer likes to see Fitzs Z Tam in front, but only when it matters

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Raymer trains Fitzs Z Tam, a five-year-old pacing speedster who likes to race on the lead, but is at his best when racing from behind.

Last week, he came from off the pace to capture his third-round division of the George Morton Levy Pacing Series at Yonkers Raceway, beating River Shark by three-quarters of a length in 1:53.1. Fitzs Z Tam, driven by Brian Sears, was fourth in his first-round outing and third in the next round.

“He’s doing very good,” Raymer said. “He’s getting better every week, which is the right way to go. I don’t know if he’s necessarily in the top eight, maybe we get in there. He’s a trip-type of horse. He’s a horse that wants to be on the front end, but if he gets on the front end he’s not any good.

“To have Brian behind him has been the key. He’s been patient with him. Last week was the perfect opportunity. If you can wrestle him in the pocket, that’s when he gets mad and explodes on the end of the mile. He’s a funny horse that way.”

Raymer trains Fitzs Z Tam (Cole Muffler-Broadway Rosemarie) for owners Martin Scharf and J&T Silva Stables, who purchased the gelding for $95,000 at the Tattersalls January Select Mixed Sale at the Meadowlands. He has won two of eight races this year and $55,075. For his career, he has won 15 of 76 starts and earned $304,535.

Fitzs Z Tam displayed his late-closing speed in his first start of the year, closing with a :25.4 final quarter-mile to rally from seventh place after three-quarters to finish third. A month later, he showed his other side, racing to the front at Yonkers and coming home with a :30.4 final quarter-mile to finish seventh.

“He’s got rigging, but if he’s too calm then he’s just a horse,” Raymer said. “It’s a mind game with him that way. He’s an unassuming horse. If you looked at him, you wouldn’t think much of him. But he sure likes to go fast. He doesn’t know what speed he’s on. It just has to set up his way.

“It’s not like he has an attitude, but when he feels like he’s fighting, he’ll fight back. When he sees daylight then, it’s like he’s shot out of a cannon.”

Fitzs Z Tam, who is tied with Clear Vision for ninth place in the Levy standings, will compete in the second of five fourth-round Levy divisions on Saturday night at Yonkers. He drew post seven.

Atochia and Real Nice, who are both unbeaten in three Levy starts, lead the standings with 225 points apiece. Art Z and Foiled Again are tied for third with 200 points each, followed by Nob Hill High (162), Reibercrombie and Sea Venture (150 each), and Flipper J (149).

Following the Levy series, Raymer expects Fitzs Z Tam to race primarily in the Opens at Harrah’s Chester, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and Yonkers. The horse will make the occasional foray into stakes company, such as in the Indiana Pacing Derby.

“We want him to prove to us that he belongs there,” Raymer said. “He hasn’t been in against the bearcats yet, but when he gets in those [fast] miles and can sit on a helmet, I’d put him up against anybody. For a sixteenth of a mile, he can pace faster than anything around.

“He doesn’t really beat himself up because he’s a trip horse, so hopefully that will help his longevity.”