Saratoga Snacks posts his first stakes victory in the Alex M. Robb Stakes
The narrow favourite over Saginaw at 4 to 5, the 3-year-old colt, Saratoga Snacks, wired the $73,500 Alex M. Robb Stakes in emphatic fashion, and went on to score his first stakes victory, however, Drawing Away Stable’s 6-year-old horse, Saginaw, was denied his 11th victory, and a chance to lead North America in victories for the year was squandered, he finished third on the day.
Bred in New York by Mrs. Gerald Neilsen, Saratoga Snacks was coming off a narrow second place finish in the Empire Classic Stakes at Belmont Park on 20 October, 2012. Going over a distance of 1 1/8 miles, the son of Tale of the Cat under Ramon Dominguez finished as the runner-up to Lunar Victory, who clocked the entire distance in 1 minute and 49.70 seconds.
The Alex M. Robb Stakes was Saratoga Snack’s first ever start at the Aqueduct Racetrack, and the more fresher colt than Saginaw, who raced last in October, was quick to take the lead, and was steadied to lope along fractions of 24.53 seconds for the opening quarter mile and 49.25 seconds for the half-mile marker.
Saginaw was always a whisker away from Saratoga Snacks, as the leader set pace, and on the outside he breathed down Saratoga Snacks’ neck, but that didn’t faze Gary Sciacca’s trainee, who downed three quarter in 1 minute and 14.09 seconds.
Exiting victory on 15 December, 2012, Saginaw didn’t have enough in the tank when the field of five turned for home, and Saratoga Snacks showed he has a bigger engine and kicked on with more to give.
Saratoga Snacks was away to his fifth career victory in seven starts, and after being cut back to 1 1/16 miles from 1 1/8 miles, the colt clocked a good final time of 1 minute and 45.21 seconds, as the 27 to 1 shot, Socialsaul finished a length farther back in second.
"Coming into the race he was doing everything right and everything good," Sciacca remarked. "Since we were inside Saginaw, Ramon said he wanted to protect the rail. He broke well. Saginaw came after him a couple of times on the backside, but he couldn't get past. He may get a vacation now; we'll see. He's done everything right for us."
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