Aqueduct: Whodam better option for Saratoga Snacks

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With an eye toward a bigger prize next month, trainer Gary Sciacca has decided to go with the easier – and less lucrative – of two spots this weekend for Saratoga Snacks, choosing to run him in Sunday’s $75,000 Whodam Stakes against New York-breds at Aqueduct as opposed to Saturday’s $100,000 Evening Attire.

Saratoga Snacks is the 7-5 morning-line favorite for the Whodam, a one-mile race run around two turns. The Evening Attire, for which Saratoga Snacks was the 3-1 second choice, is run at 1 1/16 miles around two turns.

Saratoga Snacks will break from post 6 in the Whodam. He was assigned post 3 for the Evening Attire.

“I like his post better. I like him outside, [versus] New York-breds, good stepping-stone for his next start,” said Sciacca, who hopes to run Saratoga Snacks in the $250,000 General George at Laurel Park on Feb. 17.

Saratoga Snacks, a 5-year-old son of Tale of the Cat owned by Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells, is 6 for 8 against New York-breds, including a three-quarter-length victory in last October’s $250,000 Empire Classic at Belmont. He went for the gusto in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile, but finished eighth after stumbling at the start. Entered in the Alex M. Robb on Dec. 28, Saratoga Snacks scratched when a chronic foot problem redeveloped.

Friday, Sciacca said, Saratoga Snacks “was fabulous.”

Manuel Franco, who just graduated from apprentice to journeyman, has the mount on Saratoga Snacks.

“There’s a kid who was the leading bug boy, he won a ton of races, he’s aggressive, he knows where he’s supposed to be,” Sciacca said. “The last couple of weeks coming to the wire I’ve seen him outfinishing all these riders.”

Comandante comes into the Whodam riding a three-race winning streak for Todd Pletcher. He took advantage of the scratch of Saratoga Snacks to wire the field in winning the Alex Robb by 4 1/2 lengths. This will be Comandante’s fourth race in 11 weeks, but his connections feel he is doing well.

“He’s been training great, came out of his last race in good form, hasn’t missed a beat,” said Byron Hughes, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher. “We’re expecting another big performance from him.”

Cornelio Velasquez will ride Comandante from post 7.

Awesome Vision, 4 for 7 over the inner track, was third in the paceless Robb and may improve if Saratoga Snacks and Comandante get involved with each other early on.

Moneyinyour Pocket, Zivo, Modern Child, and This Hard Land complete the field.