Zapaca and driver Leon Bailey prevailed in a three-across finish in the $11,644 Open Trot at Vernon Downs on Friday, Sept. 5.
Zapaca emerged from the three-hole and beat out longshot leader Lous Lancelot (John MacDonald) and popular pocket-pursuer Fringed (Dan Daley) at the end of the 1:55.4 mile.
Lous Lancelot had put up fractions of :26.4, :57.3 and 1:26.2 before turning back first-over challenger Pariso (Chris Long), who faded to sixth. By mid-stretch, Lous Lancelot was joined on the inside by Fringed and on the outside by Zapaca, who prevailed in a head decision and paid $20.42 to win at 9-1 odds.
Gary Gibson trains Zapaca, an eight-year-old Yankee Glide-Vuokatti gelding, for owner Devan Flood of Cicero, New York. The trotter earned his fourth win of the season from 16 starts and now has 22 career victories.
Gibson and Robert Gale each had training hat tricks on the 11-race card.
Live harness racing returns to Vernon Downs on Saturday, Sept. 6, with a post time of 3 p.m.
(With files from Vernon Downs)