Favourite Cam B Zipper and driver Jason Bartlett prevailed from the pocket Tuesday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $70,400 final of the Sagamore Hill Pacing Series for three- and four-year-old colts and geldings
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The Raceway's richest event of the season to date saw Cam B Zipper, who was perfect in his three series prelims, in play early from post position three. He stepped around Upfront Ellijay Ed (Mark MacDonald), then handed to baton to Avenue Hanover (Dan Dube), who was also three-for-three in the series, after a snappy :26.3 opening quarter-mile.
Avenue Hanover was able to rate a :30-second next station (:56.3 half), before Cruznwithdabigdog (Cat Manzi) tried his luck and moving from fifth. Avenue Hanover maintained the advantage in and out of a 1:25.1 three-quarters, taking a length-and-a-half lead into the lane. The leader would fight the good fight, but settled for second as Cam B Zipper ducked inside and edged by.
The margin was a half-length in 1:54. Braden (Brian Sears) rallied from third-over to grab third, with Classic Call (Pat Lachance) and Upfront Ellijay Ed scarfed down the minor awards.
For Cam B Zipper, a four-year-old Cammibest gelding co-owned by Howard Taylor, Rojan Stables, LA Express Stable and Allen Kaplan and trained by Michael Hall, he returned $4.10 for his sixth win in a dozen seasonal starts.
"He's not a big horse, but very handy," Bartlett said. "He can leave with anyone in this series. I never thought about retaking because we were moving right along, Besides, I thought it was a two-horse race coming in with Avenue Hanover and I figured he'd carry us."
A $25,000 series consolation was won by Panfermin Festival and driver Jordan Stratton in a life-best 1:53.3. He returned $11.20 for the win.
(Yonkers Raceway)