Saratoga Snacks set to give Royal Posse a challenge

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Royal Posse has finished in front of Saratoga Snacks the last two times they’ve met. But there are reasons to believe that Saratoga Snacks can reverse those results when the two head a field of seven New York-bred older males in Saturday’s $100,000 Haynesfield Stakes at Aqueduct.

Saratoga Snacks has a 2-3-0 record from five starts over the inner track. Royal Posse is 0-2-0 from five inner-track races. The Haynesfield is run at 1 1/16 miles, a distance at which Saratoga Snacks is 2-2-0 from four starts, while Royal Posse is 1-2-0 from seven starts. Back in August, when Royal Posse beat Saratoga Snacks by a nose in the Evan Shipman Stakes going 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga, Royal Posse was in receipt of three pounds. On Saturday, the two are at level weights.

“Got to get the jump on Royal Posse,” said Gary Sciacca, the trainer and owner of Saratoga Snacks, who breaks from post 7 under Angel Arroyo.

The Haynesfield, which goes as race 8 on the nine-race card, shares top billing with the $100,000 Broadway for New York-bred fillies and mares, which drew a field of six led by the 8-year-old mare Willet and the up-and-coming Tricky Zippy. The Broadway goes as the third race.

KEY CONTENDERS

Haynesfield Stakes (race 8)

Saratoga Snacks, by Tale of the Cat

Last 3 Beyers: 87-76-91

◗ Defeated a head by Empire Dreams while three lengths clear of the rest of the field in the Alex M. Robb Stakes here on Dec. 31.

◗ Though he figures to be stalking the speed of Ostrolenka and Fox Rules, Saratoga Snacks has the ability to be in front if the early pace fails to develop.

◗ Sciacca likes Saratoga Snacks being drawn in post 7 with Royal Posse in post 4.

“I’m good on the outside; probably be able to keep him in and then make his run,” Sciacca said. “If they’re walking, I’ll be ready to go, which I don’t think [Royal Posse] can. He sits off and makes one run.”

Royal Posse, by Posse

Last 3 Beyers: 96-95-92

◗ Second to Majestic Affair in the open Jazil Stakes on Jan. 16 here at 1 1/8 miles and now cuts back to 1 1/16 miles while facing New York-breds.

◗ Trainer Rudy Rodriguez said he thought about shipping Royal Posse to Laurel for the John Campbell Stakes to keep him at 1 1/8 miles, but “it’s easier with the New York-breds.”

Good Luck Gus, by Lookin At Lucky

Last 3 Beyers: 83-80-80

◗ Finished third, beaten three lengths in the Alex M. Robb, his first start off a two-month layoff.

“Maybe that race moved Gus up,” said Rodriguez, his trainer.

◗ Leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr. is aboard.

Broadway Stakes (race 3)

Tricky Zippy, by City Zip

Last 3 Beyers: 86-88-81

◗ Got a freshening after finishing third as the 1-2 favorite behind fellow Broadway entrants Willet and Court Dancer here on Dec. 11. Steve Moyer, assistant to trainer Jimmy Jerkens, said Tricky Zippy was just feeling the effects of an 11-race campaign as a 3-year-old.

◗ Moyer said Tricky Zippy was in light training for three weeks before picking it up the last month, including a sharp half-mile move in 48.40 seconds on Feb. 7, the third-fastest of 114 works at the distance over the Belmont training track.

“Angel Arroyo came in and breezed her for us last week, and she went the best she went all winter and looked good doing it,” Moyer said. “It looks like she’s bounced back well.”

◗ Arroyo will ride Tricky Zippy from post 2.

Willet, by Jump Start

Last 3 Beyers: 85-90-77

◗ This 8-year-old mare is a five-time stakes winner making the 30th and possibly final start of her career.

◗ Comes out of a third-place finish in a Jan. 14 allowance here behind Blithely and Court Dancer, and she faces them today.

“I was always taught, ‘Lose the little ones to win the big ones,’ ” said Jimmy Iselin, trainer and part-owner of Willet. “She needed to run if she was going to run in this race.”