Sir Ziggy's Z Tam with driver Drew Monti in foreground.
By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs
Driver Drew Monti and trainer JD Perrin teamed up to put on a show Staurday night (Aug.18) winning five races on the 10 race card.
The two teamed up to send Cheyenne Louie (1:57, $4.70), Hands Of Frank (1:55, $25.40), Foreign Officer (1:56.1, $2.60), Sir Ziggy's Z Tam (1:53.4, $3.70) and Rock To Glory (1:55.4,$4.60) to the Purple Haze winner's circle for pictures.
Sir Ziggy's Z Tam was was the pick of the pack, winning the featured $10,000 Open Handicap pace.
Southwind Torque (John Cummings Jr.) took an immediate lead from the pylons and rebuffed a challenge from Sir Ziggy's Z Tam (Drew Monti), making him take a seat. After they hit the half in :56.4, the field was still in single file with no serious challengers in sight.
The top two continued in that order until the three quarters when Monti pulled Sir Ziggy's Z Tam and drew alongside Southwind Torque. However Cummings was up for the challenge and maintained a one length lead to the head of the stretch. But "Drivin' Drew" got to work, throwing the lines at Sir Ziggy's Z Tam in the lane and he swelled up pacing by the leader in deep stretch to win by a neck in 1:53.4.
It was the 35th lifetime win for the classy Sir Ziggy's Z Tam ($3.70) who now has $878,791 in purses earned for his career. The 10-year-old altered son of Art Major is owned by Tessa Roland and trained by JD Perrin
Kevin Cummings, who also had three wins on the card, took the $9,000 Open II with Im So Handsome who equalled his season's best effort in the process.
Heaven Rocks (Drew Monti) left hard for the lead before Im So Handsome (Kevin Cummings) came out and took the top position from him. After a :28.3 quarter and :57.4 half Tyler (Shawn Gray) pulled at the five-eighths, brought Barry Hanover (Shawn McDonough) with him and they motored up the outside to the three-quarters in 1:26.2.
Im So Handsome and Tyler battled all the way around the last turn when Barry Hanover tipped three wide and took his best shot late. With all three across the track, Im So Handsome outlasted both challengers and hung on to win by a neck in 1:54.3.
Looking good now with seven wins on the year, Im So Handsome ($4.30) has also broken the half century mark in earnings, now boasting $50,549 in loot for owner Mike Torcello and trainer Gerry Sarama.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs with a Sunday (Aug. 19) matinee that has a first race post time of 1:15 p.m. It's dollar Day Sunday with cold draft beer, soda or hot dogs served fresh trackside for only $1 each.
