NYRA/Chelsea Durand
By Sarah Mace
Fresh off a maiden victory on November 3 in his fourth try, Waterville Lake Stable homebred Sea Foam (Medaglia d’Oro), wasted no time in enrolling his name in the ranks of stakes winners Sunday when he stalked, rallied, then gamely held off a favored rival to win Aqueduct’s $100,000 Notebook Stakes for New York-bred juveniles at six furlongs.
Never worse than second in his four starts for trainer Christophe Clement while racing on or near the lead at every point of call, Sea Foam added Lasix for his stakes debut. With Nik Juarez, jockey for Sea Foam’s maiden win, in the irons, he was 6-1 third choice (of eight) by post time. Bettors favored Stoney Bennett (Bustin Stones) to the tune of 4-5.
After the starter sprang the gates, 9-1 Morning Breez showed the lead, while Sea Foam settled in second in the two-path1 1/2 lengths back. Stoney Bennett raced in third another length back. The order remained unchanged along the backstretch and round the turn through solid splits of 23.35 and 47.38.
Approaching the quarter pole, the top three closed ranks and stacked up three across the track: Morning Breez at the rail, Sea Foam between horses and Stoney Bennett three-wide. Once the trio straightened for home, Morning Breez had come out of the turn with an advanage, but his rivals to the outside were about to have their say.
Sea Foam, closing best, made his way to the front with a sixteenth of a mile to go, then dug in to hold off Stoney Bennett and secure the win by a length. A half-length back, Morning Breez had to settle for third. The final time for six furlongs was 1:12.79, and completing the order of finish were We Should Talk, Analyze the Odds, What a Catch and Mr. Pete. [VIDEO REPLAY]
NYRA/Adam Coglianese
“Sea Foam was coming off his maiden win and that time, I learned that when another horse comes to him, he gets really game,” said Juarez. “So, last week, we worked him, and he worked that same way. He had a horse laying off of him and he never let that horse get by.”
The pilot continued, “Today that was the same strategy. Just keep him right off the lead and when [Stoney Bennett] came to me at the quarter-pole, I thought he was going by, but Sea Foam really dug in. Hats off to Christophe’s team. They did a really great job.”
Christophe Lorieul, Clement’s assistant, commented, “The first time Lasix might have helped a little bit. He ran really well here the other day when he broke his maiden. It looks like he might like Aqueduct.”
Lorieul echoed Juarez’ assessment of Sea Foam’s fighting spirit and sees longer races in the colt’s future. “He was very game today. The big favorite was coming to him from his outside and he kept on going. He might want to go a little further. Coming into the race, Christophe said three-quarters might really not be his game, but it worked out today.”
From two wins and three seconds in five starts, Sea Foam has collected $131,600 in earnings. Foaled at Berkshire Stud in Pine Plains, he is one of two winners out of Kentucky-bred Strike It Rich by Undbridled’s Song, purchased for John Meriwether’s Waterville Lake Stable by Clement for $350,000 at the Saratoga select yearling sale.
After going on to become a graded winner then retiring to broodmare duty, Strike It Rich has produced a pair of winners from three starters. She currently has a yearling filly by Kitten’s Joy, a weanling filly by Giant’s Causeway, and is anticipated to deliver a Hard Spun foal in 2018.
