Hoosier Park: Career-best mile propels Beckhams Z Tam to Indiana Sires Stakes score

Beckhams Z Tam and driver Ricky Macomber Jr. turned in a dominant performance and captured the featured event of the evening, the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings, at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on September 15. With a final time of 1:50 1/5, Beckhams Z Tam notched his second consecutive victory at Hoosier Park and established a new lifetime-best in the process.

Unhurried from the gate, Beckhams Z Tam settled along the rail in sixth while Rock N Tony and Trace Tetrick were on a mission to the front from post four. Air Strike and Peter Wrenn protected their rail position to grab a pocket seat, while Southern Flight and Dale Hiteman were following intently in third. Rock N Tony clicked off fractions of 26 1/5 and 54 3/5 while the field remained in single file line down the backside. Macomber Jr. gave Beckhams Z Tam the green light just past the half, and he began his mission to the front with authority.

Reaching the third station in 1:23 1/5, Rock N Tony continued to call the shots, but Beckhams Z Tam was closing in with every stride. Macomber Jr. asked his mount for more in the lane, and Beckhams Z Tam responded with a 26 4/5 final quarter to power on to the wire under a hand drive, finishing four lengths to the good. Southern Flight utilized a ground-saving trip to get up for second, while Rock N Tony held on for third. As the 2-5 betting favorite, Beckhams Z Tam returned $2.80 to his backers at the betting windows.

“I didn’t want to be on the front this week,” Macomber Jr. noted after the win. “I didn’t really want to be first-up either, but that’s the way it worked out. I didn’t have to pull the plugs until we got to Trace’s horse (Rock N Tony) and once I did, he found another gear. He did everything I asked of him.”

Trained by Hoosier Park’s second leading trainer, Jamie Macomber, Beckhams Z Tam recorded his tenth victory from 15 seasonal starts and tenth lifetime win from 21 outings. The 3-year-old son of Always A Virgin-Sara’s Lucky Charm is owned by the Z Tam Stables LLC and pushed his lifetime bankroll to $212,044 with the victory. The victory was also one of three wins on the evening for driver Ricky Macomber Jr.

--press release (Hoosier Park)--