Cammikey completed his sweep of the Visible Gold Pace for three-year-old colts and geldings with an impressive front-end victory in Tuesday’s $34,250 championship leg at The Meadows.
Cammikey fired out for the lead from post seven, but had to blaze a :26.4 quarter — on a 'good' surface — to get there. Even then, the son of Somebeachsomewhere and 2004 Breeders Crown winner Always Cam wouldn't hear of a breather.
“I knew they would try to sting me a little going to the quarter, but I wanted to get him backed up better than that,” said winning driver Brian Zendt. “He just wouldn’t relax. I thought maybe he would be a little weak, but he was ready when I called on him turning for home. When I popped the plugs, he was ready to go.”
Cammikey had little trouble fending off the late charge of Heart Felt, defeating him by three-quarters of a length in 1:52. Mattamerican finished third.
After managing only four starts at two, Cammikey, who is trained by Bill Zendt for owner/breeder Cam Land LLC, is undefeated in his four 2013 races.
Brian Zendt was reluctant to predict just how good Cammikey can be.
“He’s probably the nicest pacer we’ve had in the barn for a lot of years,” he said.
In the $18,000 Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Trot, Ontario-sired Tamarind was sixth at the three-quarters, but brushed wide in the lane to score in 1:54.3 for Aaron Merriman and owner/trainer Bill Bercury. Early leader Holy Halibut was second, one and a half lengths back, while TSM Photo Bugger earned show. The six-year-old son of Angus Hall-Spicegirl Kosmos extended his lifetime bankroll to $514,863.
Dave Palone drove three winners on the 15-race card.
(With files from The Meadows)