NYRA/Adam Coglianese
by Sarah Mace
Saratoga Snacks, winner of the Empire Classic in 2013 and sharp in the first three starts of his 6-year-old campaign for owner/trainer Gary Sciacca, delivered a gritty performance to win the inaugural Saginaw Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday, clawing his way to victory after yielding the lead in the stretch to main rival Empire Dreams.
Partnered with Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez for the first time and bet down to 4-5 favoritism, Saratoga Snacks broke sharply from post three and headed to the front, accompanied to his inside by Eye Luv Lulu. As the pair hooked up and traded the lead along the backstretch run, 2-1 second choice Empire Dreams bided his time in last, but only three lengths or so from the duelers through a first half mile in 48.73.
The frontrunners’ duel lasted until midway on the far turn, but when Saratoga Snacks began to get the edge, he was joined to his outside by Empire Dreams who made a sweeping three-wide move, and Notacatbutallama who advanced between horses in the two path.
Empire Dreams, who had the best momentum, briefly took over the lead at the head of the stretch, but Saratoga Snacks dug in, reclaimed the top spot in the final furlong and outsprinted Empire Dreams to the wire, a three-quarter-length winner in a final time of 1:43.98 for 1 1/16 miles over a track labeled “good.”
Gridley Here closed to finish 4 1/2 lengths back in third, followed across the line by Notacatbutallama, who was making in a rare main track appearance, and Eye Luv Lulu. [VIDEO]
NYRA/Joe Labozzetta
Velazquez reported, “I had a perfect trip: Broke well, got a good position and just kind of sat against him. That gave him a chance for the first part of the race. I kind of waited for Javier [Castellano]’s horse [Empire Dreams] and I was like, ‘let’s make this a sprint race down the lane and see who is best.’ I turned out to be the best one.”
Sciacca contrasted Saratoga Snacks’ effort on Saturday with his close-up third place finish to Empire Dreams last out in the Commentator on May 25. “He ran well. I think if he had run this way last time it would have been a different ballgame. He did everything right. He had an easy first quarter, picked it up a little bit for the next quarter, and made it a horse race. [Empire Dreams] got in front of him, I was just hoping he had something left.”
Continued Sciacca, “I got a little nervous at the eighth-pole because [track announcer Larry Collmus] said, ‘[Empire Dreams] is making a bold move on the outside.’ He came to him, but [Saratoga Snacks] took off again. I’m proud of him.”
Bred by Mrs. Gerald A. Nielsen, “Snacks” (Tale of the Cat) was purchased by Sciacca for Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells’ August Dawn Farm at the 2010 Fasig-Tipton New York Preferred yearling sale for $60,000. Sciacca trained Saratoga Snacks for the early part of the ridgling’s career before the horse was transferred to the barn of Bill Mott for his 2014 campaign. Sciacca purchased the horse before his 2015 campaign.
Winner of the Alex M. Robb in 2012, and the Shy Groom Stakes and Empire Classic in 2013, Saratoga Snacks now sports a record of nine wins, four seconds and four thirds in 21 starts with $652,000 in earnings.
His dam Near and Dear, a multiple winner by Red Ransom ($80,400) bred by Mrs. Nielsen and her husband Gerald, has produced three other winners: six-figure earner Speed Dating (Not For Love), Rajman (Thunder Gulch) who placed twice at the Group 3 level in Peru, and Hurricane Jackie by Stormy Atlantic.
Sciacca is considering either the Alydar on August 9 or the Evan Shipman for New York-breds on September 4 at Saratoga for Saratoga Snacks’ next appointment with the starter.
