Indiana-sired horses have now won two of the last three Breeders Crowns in the glamour boy division as Beckhams Z Tam knocked off favoured Downbytheseaside in the $527,500 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Pace Final on Saturday at Hoosier Park.
Driver Ricky Macomber Jr. rejoices as he and Beckhams Z Tam close in deep stretch to take the Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace at Hoosier Park Saturday night.
All eyes were on favoured Downbytheseaside with earlier divisional standouts Fear The Dragon and Huntsville absent. Driver Brian Sears patiently guided Downbytheseaside out from the four hole as Miso Fast (Matt Kakaley) left stoutly from the outermost post. Once Miso Fast landed on top with a :26.2 first quarter, Sears right-lined Dowbytheseaside from third and cleared to the front by the three-eighths mark. Macs Jackpot (Aaron Merriman) was unable to find a spot on the rail and forged on, with Beckhams Z Tam (Ricky Macomber Jr.) on his helmet.
Downbytheseaside clicked off the third quarter in 1:24.4 and turned for home looking strong. Macs Jackpot towed Beckhams Z Tam into contention, and Macomber tipped three-wide at the head of the stretch. Beckhams Z Tam collared Downbytheseaside in deep stretch, but he appeared to stall once past and Downbytheseaside responded to the other horse in his sights. Sears asked his charge for another gear and he closed the gap on the deep stretch leader but that gap was insurmountable as a jubilant Macomber raised his fist in victory with a 1:51.1 score.
"That horse that was first up, I was a little worried that he wouldn't be able to carry me until around the last turn and I was more concerned about the half being :56 flat, that was a little slow for this bunch, but we overcame it," said a visibly moved Macomber after the win. "I was thrilled. Just a big weight lifted off my shoulders."
Trained by Hoosier's leading trainer Jamie Macomber, Beckhams Z Tam is owned by Bill Matz's Z Tam Stables of New York, N.Y. After going winless as a freshman, Beckhams Z Tam (Always A Virgin - Saras Lucky Charm) now boasts 11 wins from 19 seasonal starts. The winner's share of the purse more than doubles the colt's lifetime bankroll, now just exceeding a half million dollars.
Ricky's wife Jamie didn't even catch the fist pump as she was celebrating with emotions of her own.
"I missed the fist pump because I think I had my face in my hands crying. It's unexplainable how I feel. Ricky got the job done. The colt got the job done. I don't feel like I did a thing. What an amazing feat!
"I think he's as good as he's going to be right now. He showed so much to us last week when he recovered from that colt breaking. I was so upset when that colt made a break just because I know my colt. And then tonight when he got in for a little bit and came second-over early, I just thought, you know what, he's fit, he's tight, he can do it."
As Hoosier's leading trainer for a number of seasons while working for Ron Burke, Macomber made the move to operate her own stable and the results have made that decision look to be a wise one.
"You know, I couldn't of had a better team to prep me for this. Ron Burke is one amazing man and my parents are awesome!"
The other Breeders Crown recaps from Saturday's card at Hoosier Park can be found in the 2017 Breeders Crown News Centre.