Saratoga Snacks, Manipulated Score at Belmont

On the final Saturday of the 2015 spring/summer meet at Belmont Park, Gary Sciacca's Saratoga Snacks outgunned rival Empire Dreams in a thrilling stretch duel while Chester and Mary Broman's Manipulated broke his maiden with flair, in a pair of impressive performances in their respective New York-bred stakes races.

The inaugural running of the $100,000 Saginaw boiled down to a veritable rematch between West Point Thoroughbreds' Empire Dreams and Saratoga Snacks. The two familiar faces on the New York Racing Association circuit finished first and third, respectively, last time out in the Commentator on May 25, with Empire Dreams outdriving his rival for a three-quarter-length advantage at the wire.

This time, however, it was Saratoga Snacks who came out on top.

Ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, Saratoga Snacks kept close to the early pacesetter, Eye Luv Lulu, who covered the opening quarter-mile in 24.44 seconds and the half in 48.73. Saratoga Snacks, favored at 4-5, shook the leader in the turn and took control at the top of the stretch.

Meanwhile, Empire Dreams, who was carrying six pounds more than the rest of the field of five, settled at the back of the pack early under Javier Castellano. The Patriot Act gelding picked off rivals in the far turn and came charging into the stretch to challenge the leader. Saratoga Snacks rallied back and held off Empire Dreams to win by three-quarters of a length, finishing the 1 1/8-mile contest in 1:43.98.

"I had a perfect trip," said Velazquez. "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's horse 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."

The winner returned $3.80 for a $2 win bet. Gridley Here was another 4 ½ lengths back in third. Notacatbutallama and Eye Luv Lulu round out the order of finish.

First-time starter Manipulated put away six other juveniles to break his maiden by four lengths in the $125,000 Rockville Centre. Ridden by Luis Saez and trained by Jimmy Jerkens, Manipulated was in no hurry early, settling in sixth place and tracking a pace set by Love That Jazz and Dr. Shane, who led the field through the opening quarter-mile in 22.80 seconds and the half in 47.01.

The son of Malibu Moon swung wide into the stretch and drew off to stop the clock in 1:12.67 for six furlongs. Lucky Lurie finished second, a length ahead of Dr. Shane in third. Extinct Charm, Love That Jazz, Spin Cycle, Devastating, Uno Emayo complete the order of finish.

As part of a coupled entry with fellow maiden-runner Spin Cycle, Manipulated went off as the even-money favorite and returned $4.00 for a $2 win bet.

"It's not often you run in a stakes with a first-time starter, but there were a few of us in the same boat," said Jerkens. "He'd been training well in the morning, and there was a lot of money hanging out there, so why not take a shot? He blew out good the other morning and we thought if he cooled out well, we'd go, and it worked out."

Source: NYRA Communications (Heather Pettinger)