Lobsta ($58) surges late to edge My Boy Tate in Thunder Rumble

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - After being passed in upper stretch by race favorite My Boy Tate, Lobsta clawed his way back in the final furlong to win Sunday’s $150,000 Thunder Rumble division of the New York Stallion Series by a half-length at 28-1 at Aqueduct.

My Boy Tate, who split Lobsta and his full brother Chowda at the three-sixteenths pole and seemed on his way to victory, finished second, four lengths clear of his stablemate Our Last Buck. Chowda was fourth.

Lobsta was making his first start since he finished third, 13 lengths behind Americanrevolution, in the New York Derby at Finger Lakes on July 19. Americanrevolution won Saturday’s Grade 1 Cigar Mile.

Gary Sciacca, trainer of Lobsta, attributed the layoff to growing pains.

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“He’s a big horse just trying to get himself together,” Sciacca said.

Lobsta, under Javier Castellano, seemed like he had it together Sunday, breaking sharp from post 10 and dueling outside of Chowda, who was being pushed along some by Eric Cancel. The pair were heads apart through a half-mile in 46.85 seconds.

My Boy Tate, under Manny Franco, was advancing toward the leaders at the quarter pole, split the brothers at the three-sixteenths pole before Lobsta came back on again to get the win.

Lobsta, a 3-year-old son of Emcee owned by Eddie Fazzone, covered the seven furlongs in 1:24.87 and returned $58.

“He didn’t give up, when the other horse passed me my horse kept plugging,” said Castellano, who won three races on Sunday’s card.

Sciacca admitted to being surprised seeing the his two horses dueling for the lead. Sciacca thought Chowda would be on the lead with Lobsta coming from slightly off the pace.

When My Boy Tate passed Lobsta, Sciacca said “Boy, that’s tough. He showed some fight to come back and get that horse. He ran tremendous.”

Lobsta, a 3-year-old son of Emcee owned by Eddie Fazzone, covered the seven furlongs in 1:24.87 and returned $58.

Franco, the rider of My Boy Tate, said Lobsta just outran him late.

“He was running, the horse outside he kept fighting and went by,” Franco said.

Bank Sting dominates Staten Island

Bank Sting, receiving a perfect trip under Dylan Davis, galloped to an 8 1/4-length victory in the $150,000 Staten Island division of the New York Stallion Series.

Davis, riding Bank Sting for the first time, had the 4-year-old Central Banker filly sitting third, about 3 1/2 lengths off the contested battle up front between race favorites The Important One and Trinni Luck. Bank Sting, kept out in the clear, made a move around the turn, took over from The Important One above the three-sixteenths pole, and drew away to the convincing score.

Byhubbyhellomoney rallied for second 1 1/2 lengths clear of The Important One, who was favored by $998 over Trinni Luck. Awillaway was fourth, followed by Fight On Lucy, Mad for Fame and Trinni Luck.

“She broke well, I was able to get in a good tracking position, I didn’t want to give her too much to do being it was my first time being on her,” Davis said. “She engaged at the 2 1/2 [furlong maker] on her own, I just allowed her to keep her stride going. … After that I got her out into the clear, she responded well and ran all the way nicely to the wire.”

Bank Sting, owned by Hidden Brook Farm, Joseph and Anne McMahon and trained by John Terranova, covered the seven furlongs in 1:26.67 and returned $7.90 as the third choice.

Bank Sting improved her record to 5 for 7. She was coming off a fifth-place finish in the Empire Distaff, her first start in five months. She missed the summer after getting significantly scraped up in a gate incident that forced her to scratch out of the Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park in July.

“If I had gotten a race in before [Empire Classic], it might have been a different story with her,” Terranova said. “Every day’s been a good day since that race for her and she did everything right here.”

Pletcher, Ortiz, Klaravich are meet leaders

Big Saturday success for Todd Pletcher and Irad Ortiz Jr. carried them to the top of the standings for the Aqueduct fall meeting.

Pletcher won three graded stakes - including the Grade 1 Cigar Mile - and finished the meet with 13 wins, two more than Chad Brown and Christophe Clement. Irad Ortiz Jr. won four races on Saturday - including the Remsen and Demoiselle for Pletcher and the Grade 3 Go for Wand for Brad Cox - to finish the meet with 21 wins, four more than Luis Saez and Jose Lezcano.

Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables won 5 races at the 15-day meet, one more than Michael Dubb and Mike Repole.

Racing continues at Aqueduct on Thursday with the start of the winter meet. There will be an eight-race card with first post at 12:50 p.m.