YONKERS,
NY, Saturday, December 8, 2012--Pocket-sitting Fitz' s Z Tam (Yannick Gingras)
whipped pace-setting Casimir Jitterbug (Jason Bartlett) in a two-speed number
Saturday night, winning Yonkers Raceway's $35,000 Open Handicap Pace.
Leaving from post position No. 4 as the
just-over-even-money favorite, "Fitz" yielded to Casimir
Jitterbug before a 27-second opening quarter-mile. The leader rated a soft
(56-second) half before newly-minted millionaire Noble Falcon (George Brennan)
moved from fifth. However, that bid ended right around the 1:24.1
three-quarters, with Casimir Jitterbug owning a length-and-a-half lead into the
lane.
He needed only to hold off the horse on
his back, but could not. "Fitz" angled out and prevailed, winning by
a neck in 1:52. Wayne the Lefty (Brian Sears), Tobago Cays (Jim Pantaleano) and
Iwannarace Hanover (Jordan Stratton) completed the cashers.
For Fitz's Z Tam, a 5-year-old Cole
Muffler gelding co-owned (as Burke Racing) by trainer Ron Burke, Weaver
Bruscemi, Martin Scharf and J&T Silva Stables, he returned $4.10 for his
sixth win in 23 seaasonal starts. The exacta paid $25.80, with the triple
returning $143.
The Raceway continues its normal
five-night-per-week live schedule, with first post every Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:10 PM. Evening simulcasting accompanies all
live programs, with afternoon simulcasting available around the NYRA schedule.
