High Def Z Tam came flying home on the far outside to win Saturday's featured $38,000 Preferred Pace at Woodbine Racetrack while O'Brien Award nominee Sylvain Filion put together a five-bagger in pursuit of this year's Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) driving title.
Early trailer High Def Z Tam and driver Billy Davis Jr. sprinted home off cover in :26.4 to score in 1:50.3 for trainer Martine Lachance and owners Z Tam Stables LLC and Patrick Lachance.
Favourite Casimir Jitterbug (Doug McNair) fired off the gate from post seven and worked his way to the lead during the :27-second opening quarter, but Sparky Mark (Scott Zeron) was on the move early from third and rolled up to take over the top spot down the backstretch. Modern Legend (Jack Moiseyev) followed his cover though and applied pressure past the :55.2 half-mile mark before clearing to command.
Mystician (Jody Jamieson) then moved underway from fifth with In Commando (James MacDonald) and High Def Z Tam following his cover. Mystician stalked the leader past the third quarter mark of 1:22.4 and then engaged in a stretch duel with the front-runner. However, High Def Z Tam was full of late pace and swept by the top two down the stretch to prevail by one length. Sparky Mark slipped between horses to grab second-place honours while Modern Legend edged out Mystician for third.
High Def Z Tam paid $19.90 to win his first Preferred event as the 8-1 fifth choice in the field of eight.
After going winless in 11 starts last year, the former Kentucky Sires Stakes Championship winner has put together a record reading 6-3-5 in 26 starts as a five-year-old. With his 13th career win, the Real Desire gelding's seasonal bankroll climbed over the $90,000 mark and lifetime earnings to more than $350,000.
Countering Jody Jamieson's five-win Friday performance, Filion drove five winners of his own on Saturday to keep the race for the WEG 2012 drivers title a close one with just five cards remaining this year.
Filion kicked off the 11-dash program by sweeping the early Daily Double with Chuckalo Caden ($5.70) and Major Hottie ($16.10). He also won the fourth race with C Major Hanover ($7.10), sixth race with Pouvoir Duharas ($12.20), and eighth race with Guiltywithanexcuse ($7.70) for fellow O'Brien nominee Richard Moreau.
The resident of Milton, Ont. almost tied Jamieson as he pushed his WEG win total to 276, but Jamieson scored two victories with Anderlecht ($19.20) in the seventh race on Saturday and High Noon ($4.50) in the finale to maintain a two win lead in the standings by the end of the night.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Racetrack.