State-bred pacers were front and center on Friday, Oct. 4 at Maywood Park as Illinois’ best youngsters battled in the $48,000 Cardinal Stake and the $48,000 Violet Stake.

The Cardinal Final looked to be a wide open race and it turned out to be just that as Z Tam Stables, Mike Polansky and Joe and Dave McCaffrey’s Ringos Z Tam came flying down the stretch to win by a half-length in 1:56 at odds of 8-1.

Content to sit at the back of the pack in the field of eight as Traffic Cop (Todd Warren) carved out splits of :27.1, :57.1 and 1:26.2, driver Casey Leonard had the son of Yankee Skyscaper—Rons Girl underway in a live outer flow as the field headed into the final bend.

Circling rivals while following the cover of I Bizel The Shizel (John De Long), Ringos Z Tam blew by the field as the speed collapsed, charging home in :28.3 to notch his third win in eight lifetime starts. I Bizel The Shizel finished a hard knocking second while One Sure Apache (Mike Oosting) was third after being first over for the final five-eighths of a mile.

Overlooked at windows despite being coupled in the wagering with Mannys Z Tam, Ringos Z Tam returned a healthy $18.00, $5.80 and $2.80 while upping his bankroll to $39,654.

In the Violet Stake, favoured Molly Go Lightly shook off constant pressure and held firm through the lane to win by a half-length in a quick 1:54.4 for Jim Jesk’s Sawgrass Farms.

Taking advantage of the inside starting spot, driver Mike Oosting whisked the daughter of Lexington Legend—Waggle right to the front, but was confronted with immediate pressure from a hard-leaving My Little Bit (Casey Leonard).

With the two fillies battling tooth and nail through opening splits of :28 and :56.1, Molly Go Lightly finally put away the challenge from her main nemesis as the field headed for the three-quarter-mile mark.

Drawing away from the rest of the field as she stormed by that mark in 1:25.3, the Nelson Willis trainee then held firm to the wire as a ground-saving Fox Valley Amanda (Dale Hiteman) came charging through the passing lane. Party Hangover Two (John De Long) was a distant third, five lengths behind the winner.

The victory was the fourth in 11 starts for Molly Go Lightly, who now boasts $44,895 in career earnings. The 4-5 choice of the betting public returned $3.80, $2.80 and $2.40.

(Maywood Park)