NY Breds Share Spotlight in Saginaw, Rockville Centre

As the 2015 Spring/Summer meet draws to a close, Belmont Park will play host to a pair of New York-bred stakes races on the final Saturday of the meet with the $100,000 Saginaw for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles and the $125,000 Rockville Centre for 2-year-olds going six furlongs.

Carded as race 3, the Saginaw will feature a rematch between West Point Thoroughbreds' Empire Dreams and Gary Sciacca's Saratoga Snacks, who finished a first and third, respectively, in the Commentator Stakes at Belmont on May 25. 

Empire Dreams, trained by Tom Albertrani, made his 2015 debut in the Affirmed Success Stakes on May 3 with a runner-up effort to finish 1 ¾ lengths behind multiple stakes winner Loki's Vengeance. The 4-year-old son of Patriot Act followed with a three-quarter-length victory in the Commentator, his first win since the New York Derby in 2014. Installed at 8-5 on the morning line, Empire Dreams will be ridden by Javier Castellano from post 4.

With a record of four wins, a second and a third in eight starts over the local course, Saratoga Snacks will look to rebound from the Commentator, in which he rallied between horses in the stretch to miss second by a nose. Slightly favored on the morning line at odds of 7-5, the 6-year-old Tale of the Cat ridgling will break from post 3 with Hall of Famer John Velazquez.

Repole Stable's Notacatbutallama, coming off the turf for the first time this year, will race with blinkers off for the Todd Pletcher barn. Set at morning line odds of 5-1, the 5-year-old Harlan's Holiday gelding will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post 5.

Rounding out the field for the Saginaw are Eye Luv Lulu, making his first start for David Jacobson, and Gridley Here for Kenny McPeek. At 8-1 on the morning line, Eye Luv Lulu will break from the rail with Cornelio Velasquez aboard. Set at 10-1, Gridley Here will be ridden by Eric Cancel.

The Rockville Centre, to be run as race 6, has drawn a field of seven juveniles from the Empire State, led by Lucky Lurie and Love That Jazz, who finished one-two in their debuts on June 25. Trained by Mark Henning, Alan Brodsky's Lucky Lurie graduated with a hard-fought neck victory over Love That Jazz in the five-furlong contest. The Girolamo colt will be ridden from post 2 by Javier Castellano as the mild morning line favorite at 9-5.

Happy Face Racing Stable's Love That Jazz, by Not For Love, will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. for the barn of Steve Asmussen. The 2-1 second-choice will leave from post 3. 

Chester and Mary Broman Sr. will be represented by a pair of first-time starters with Jimmy Jerkens-conditioned Manipulated and Spin Cycle for trainer John Kimmel. Set at odds of 4-1 on the morning line, Manipulated will be ridden by Luis Saez while John Velazquez has the call aboard Spin Cycle.

Rounding out the field for the Rockville Centre are recent maiden winner Uno Emayo for trainer Rudy Rodriguez; first-time starter Devastating for Robert Smith; Extinct Charm, who finished fourth in his debut for Gary Contessa; and Tremont runner Dr. Shane for Nick Esler.

Source: NYRA Communications