by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Beckhams Z Tam is the type of horse that likes to have fun. But when it comes time to work, the colt is all business.

And after watching Beckhams Z Tam take care of business in his most recent start, his connections are ready to send the Indiana-bred pacer on a business trip — to the Pepsi North America Cup at Ontario’s Mohawk Racetrack.

Beckhams Z Tam was among 25 horses entered in the North America Cup, which is for 3-year-old pacers and features a C$1 million final on June 17. The 25 horses were divided into three eliminations, to be contested this Saturday, with the top three finishers from each division plus one fourth-place finisher drawn by lot advancing to the final.

The connections of elimination winners earn the right to select their post position for the final. Post time is 7:30 p.m. for Saturday’s card.

Photo courtesy of Jamie Macomber

The fun-loving Beckhams Z Tam is 4-for-4 this year but will be stepping up in competition at Mohawk.

Beckhams Z Tam is in the second of the three North America Cup eliminations. The division also includes returning Dan Patch Award winner Huntsville and Metro Pace winner Beyond Delight. Beckhams Z Tam will start from post three with driver Ricky Macomber Jr., who is making his first appearance in the North America Cup.

Jamie Macomber, Ricky’s wife, trains Beckhams Z Tam, who is 4-for-4 this year but will be stepping up in competition at Mohawk. All of the colt’s wins have been against conditioned-level horses at Hoosier Park, but Beckhams Z Tam’s most recent triumph in 1:51 is tied for the 12th fastest win time of the season by a 3-year-old pacer. The victory followed a nearly one-month layoff because of sickness.

Following the win, the Macombers consulted with owner Bill Matz of Z Tam Stables and Beckhams Z Tam’s former trainer Wilbur Eash regarding the trip to the North America Cup.

“Ricky said when he came off the track after his last start that he thought we should enter him,” Jamie Macomber said. “I asked Mr. Matz what he was leaning toward and he said he was always game to take a shot. We have nothing to lose. He’s not going to miss any racing in Indiana if we’re fortunate enough to be up there for two weeks.

“Wilbur said all along this is a nice colt. When it came to staking him this winter, we all talked and came up with a little schedule for him. Wilbur made a comment earlier this season that he’d been waiting on a horse like this for 40 years. Wilbur knew he was special.”

Macomber is in her first year of running her own stable after spending the past 10 years handling trainer Ron Burke’s Indiana-stabled horses. She received support, as well as horses, from the 61-year-old Eash, who was looking to slow down with an eye toward retirement. Macomber took over the training of Beckhams Z Tam in March.

“He’s a really nice colt,” Macomber said. “Unfortunately he hasn’t faced the competition that the others we’re racing against have faced. So far he’s done everything we’ve asked of him.”

Last year, Beckhams Z Tam was winless in six races, but finished second on three occasions. Two of his runner-up finishes came in $75,000 Indiana Sire Stakes finals at Hoosier Park.

Macomber was able to bring the horse along slowly this year because he fit in low-level conditioned races. The horse romped in his four victories, with no margin of triumph less than 1-1/2 lengths.

“He’s matured a lot,” Macomber said. “Ricky likes him and has confidence in him, so that’s a good thing.

“Off the track, I love his personality. He’s always happy. In the barn he acts like a good horse; he rests a lot, he eats well and he loves to play. He’s a ham. He’s always got his head out the gate when he’s awake. On the track, he’s fun and playful when we first go out, but when it’s time to go to work he gets down to business. There’s really nothing to dislike about him.”

Beckhams Z Tam is a son of stallion Always A Virgin out of the mare Sara’s Lucky Charm. His second dam is Modern Bobbi, who is the mother of last season’s Indiana Sire Stakes 2-year-old male pacing champion On The Virg. Interestingly, On The Virg and Beckhams Z Tam finished 1-2 in one of the $75,000 finals at Hoosier last year.

In addition to being staked to the North America Cup, Beckhams Z Tam is eligible to the Breeders Crown, which will be held at Hoosier Park in October, as well as the Jenna’s Beach Boy and Monument Circle stakes.

Beckhams Z Tam hopes to follow in the hoof prints of Indiana-bred horses that have enjoyed success on the Grand Circuit in recent years, including the past two Horse of the Year Award winners, Always B Miki and Wiggle It Jiggleit.

“They’ve really stepped up a lot in the last few years, so that’s very encouraging,” Macomber said. “It’s fun to think we could possibly have a good one on our hands.”

For more information on the Pepsi North America Cup and all the festivities, visit www.NorthAmericaCup.com.

Here are the full fields for the Pepsi North America Cup eliminations.

North America Cup – Elimination 1 (Race 3)
Post – Horse (Driver – Trainer)
1. Lawrencetown Beach (Paul MacDonell – Paul MacDonell)
2. Ideal Wheel (Louis Philippe Roy – Casie Coleman)
3. Western Hill (Doug McNair – Tony Alagna)
4. Downbytheseaside (David Miller – Brian Brown)
5. Some Attitude (Tim Tetrick – Bob McIntosh)
6. Eddard Hanover (Matt Kakaley – Ron Burke)
7. Sports Column (Chris Christoforou – Blake MacIntosh)
8. Stealth Bomber (Brett Miller – Tony O’Sullivan)

North America Cup – Elimination 2 (Race 8)
Post – Horse (Driver – Trainer)
1. Arsenal Seelster (Jonathan Drury – Colin Johnson)
2. Huntsville (Tim Tetrick – Ray Schnittker)
3. Beckhams Z Tam (Ricky Macomber Jr. – Jamie Macomber)
4. Classic Pro (Trevor Henry – Dr. Ian Moore)
5. Ozone Blue Chip (Brett Miller – Ron Coyne)
6. Normandy Beach (Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke)
7. Beyond Delight (Sylvain Filion – Tony O’Sullivan)
8. Miso Fast (Matt Kakaley – Ron Burke)
9. Richard Hill (Doug McNair – Richard Moreau)

North America Cup – Elimination 3 (Race 9)
Post – Horse (Driver – Trainer)
1. Mac’s Jackpot (Tim Tetrick – Jim Campbell)
2. Hurricane Beach (Louis Philippe Roy – Luc Blais)
3. Filibuster Hanover (Matt Kakaley – Ron Burke)
4. Mc Mach (Paul MacDonell – Bob McIntosh)
5. Darling’s Dragon (Donald Dupont – Marie Dupont)
6. Ocean Colony (Yannick Gingras – Jimmy Takter)
7. Fear The Dragon (David Miller – Brian Brown)
8. Streakavana (Sylvain Filion – Scott McEneny)