12/27/2012 5:53PM

Aqueduct: Saratoga Snacks may get winter vacation

By David Grening
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Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Trainer Gary Sciacca would prefer to allow Saratoga Snacks, winner of Wednesday's Alex Robb Stakes, a break for the winter and bring him back to training in March.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – As good as Saratoga Snacks has been, trainer Gary Sciacca believes the best is yet to come for the New York-bred colt who on Wednesday won the Alex M. Robb Stakes at Aqueduct.

“I think he’s good enough to win some Grade 1 somewhere. I think he’s that good,” Sciacca said on a dreary Thursday morning at Belmont Park. “He does everything so easy. He does everything right. Look at yesterday, he just coasted around there. Ramon never asked him.”

Ramon Dominguez never resorted to the whip as he guided Saratoga Snacks to a front-running victory in the Robb, the colt’s fifth victory from seven career starts. Saratoga Snacks ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.21 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 99 after running back-to-back 98s.

It was the first stakes win for Sciacca in nearly six years and the first stakes victory for owner Bill Parcells, the legendary NFL coach who has won two Super Bowls. Parcells has owned horses on and off since the mid 1980s.

Though he hasn’t finalized plans with Parcells, Sciacca said he would prefer to give Saratoga Snacks the winter off and resume training in March.

“Any horse is going to need a breather along the line somewhere. Why not give it to him now?” Sciacca said. “He’s shown he’s a stakes winner. He’s shown he could go two turns. He could run anywhere. Let’s give him a break. I think he’ll mature great and be okay.”

avlamal More than 1 year ago
u guys r missing the main pt. re sciaccas and y he makes money on his horses in spite of a bad hit rate his costs acquiring horses is very low ever notice his horses run for 2-3-4 years sometimes thats his secret formula he doesnt burn them out like everybody else if u dont change your underwear u better not get tire marks thats sciacca the guy is a genius u will make money on this guy-whats his roi
Chris Bradley More than 1 year ago
DAY MONEY
DavidM More than 1 year ago
Sciacca is a good trainer although I would not go as far to say wins mean nothing (but your point is well taken). I remember a time when it was a good angle playing his turf runners at the Belmont Spring/Summer meet. It is a very tough game and there are a lot of good trainers out there who simply do not have the stock.
Slew32A More than 1 year ago
He is? Are you serious?
avlamal More than 1 year ago
sciacca is a good trainer wins mean nothing he runs a low cost operation and doesnt change horses like the underwear man jacobsen-that guy spends alot of money;and belive me its only a matter of time it all blows up for him ill bet sciacca makes a nice profit on all his horses its not about wins its about total cost beiing lower than total revenue
Richard Land More than 1 year ago
Mr. Sciacca won an Eclipse Award with the NY bred Saratoga Dew back in the early 1990s; since then he has consistently been a trainer with a win percentage somewhere near 6% year in year out. I do not know if Mr Sciacca is making a "nice profit" on all of his horses, but with a strike rate below 10% it is fairly certain that his owners are not.
Slew32A More than 1 year ago
I would tell you that there are owners with trainers hitting at 30+ % that are losing money due to creative accounting by trainers. Some trainers like Gary are at a severe disadvantage and surely looks for ways to cut costs such as cheaper feed. Whether his knowledge as a horseman is less I couldn't tell you, the hardest part of being a trainer is finding people with deep pockets and that means you have to had some success at a meet such as Saratoga and be able to sell yourself.
avlamal More than 1 year ago
his owners pay little for their horses or own the broodmare and pay nothing barring expenses thats the difference he claims a very few for guys like krohn and he seems to make money on those horses u know y giuys like dubb win races he pays xytra money for some "xtra" therapy on the farm sciacca doesnt stretch the envelope like others
Chris Bradley More than 1 year ago
DAY MONEY
Slew32A More than 1 year ago
Huh? Nat Krohn is a fool who has money. He keeps his horses for years on end and eats all the losses. Not a good guy either, he got kicked out of another barn for giving something to someone else's horse to show positive and underhandedly took horses from under others.
Chris Bradley More than 1 year ago
Yep cheapest guy on the track and a loon
russell More than 1 year ago
This horse aint winning a Gr1 race. Stop the insanity. Last Sciacca horse that won a Gr1 was Saratoga Dew. Correct me if I'm wrong.
wolves More than 1 year ago
this horse can win a G1, but not with Syacca training him. This horse would improve 20L if Dicky D was training him. It's like a football coach. Do you want Lindy Infante or Bill Parcells running the show?
offbeatbull More than 1 year ago
Don't confuse training skills with EPO.
chad mc rory More than 1 year ago
Happy to see that someone out there in the 'new' game still will give a horse a breather...
DavidM More than 1 year ago
Not sure where you are coming from? These days top horses run maybe 6 or 7 times/year. In the "good old days" they would run that many times in 4 months.