Digital Z Tam (Pat Lachance) closed into hot Saturday night fractions, winning Yonkers Raceway's $32,000 Open Handicap Pace in the fastest local mile of the year
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Legal Litigator (Cat Manzi), going for the three-peat as the 17-10 favourite, had no breathers from his assigned outside venue. He took over from Dave Aint Here (Stephane Bouchard) after a zippy :26.4 opening quarter-mile. Legal Litigator then found a :55.2 intermission and 1:23.4 three-quarters.
All the while, Keystone Rideau (Jason Bartlett) was moving first-up. Legal Litigator owned a length lead entering the lane, but the fractions were catching up with him.
Digital Z Tam--racing second-over from post position No. 5--was able to get first "run". He outgamed the third-up Southwind Tabor (Jordan Stratton) by a half-length in 1:52.4, with Keystone Rideau, Legal Litigator and Lindys Bandit (Greg Grismore) completing the cashers.
For Digital Z Tam, a six-year-old Camluck gelding trained by Lachance for MJGB Racing, he paid $19.20 (fifth choice) for his first victory in three seasonal starts. The exacta paid $91, with the triple returning $404. The winner went over the half-million-dollar career earnings plateau.
(Yonkers Raceway)