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Chowda, Lobsta Cooking Up a Storm

When John Jayko, the owner of Fedwell Farms, first approached Eddie Fazzone about an unraced New York-bred 2-year-old he had for sale, Fazzone had modest expectations. Fazzone, the owner of Eddie F's Eatery in Saratoga Springs, didn't have a lot of money to spend and the horse was by a sire, Emcee, who had never so much as produced a stakes winner. But the price was right and Fazzone was looking to expand his small stable. A deal was struck.

“We're not buying horses for $250,000, $500,000,” Fazzone said. “We're buying horses for 25, 30 maybe $40,000. You're not thinking that you're going to go in and win stakes races. You're thinking you're going to win some claiming races and, maybe, if you get lucky, an allowance race.

The again, sometimes these things work out a lot better than anybody could have expected.

The horse Fazzone bought from Jayko is named Chowda (Emcee), who won the 2020 Gander S. for New York-breds and has earned $207,368. The story gets even better. Fazzone and his trainer, Gary Sciacca, detected early on that Chowda had ability, so, before that horse had made his first career start, they went back to Jayko and bought his full brother. His name is Lobsta (Emcee) and he won his second career stakes race Saturday at Aqueduct when he was placed first through disqualification in the Say Florida Sandy S. He has earned $276,400.

“It's a dream,” Fazzone said. “It doesn't always take a lot of money to get a good horse. You see guys spend a ton of money on a horse at the sales and it never makes it to the racetrack. This goes to show you, you just never know.”

Fazzone was introduced to Saratoga early on, first attending the races there with his parents when he was a toddler.

“I just loved going to the track,” he said. “I was totally into it, and I always wanted to start my own stable.”

But first, Fazzone had to tend to his restaurant, which he opened in 2016 with his wife Lisa. Eddie F's Eatery, described as Saratoga's only New England Seafood House, continued to grow and in 2018 Fazzone was ready to open up a stable, which he called Eddie F's Racing. His first horse was Wicked Macho (Macho Uno), who he claimed for $40,000 in 2018.

Emcee (Unbridled's Song) won the 2012 GI Forego S. Upon his retirement, owner Darley America sent him to New York to stand at Sequel Stallions. In 2018, he was sold and relocated to Brazil. Chowda and Lobsta are out of the dam Salty Little Sis (Chief Seattle). Her biggest win came in a 2010 allowance race at Aqueduct.

After Fazzone acquired Chowda he ran a contest on his restaurant's Facebook page to name the horse. He let his customers choose from among a handful of names and said Chowda was the easy winner.

Chowda won his third career start and the Gander in his sixth start. Lobsta broke his maiden in his second start, but looked no better than an allowance horse when going off at 28-1 in the Dec. 5 New York Stallion Series S. He pulled off the upset that day and came back to win the Say Florida Sandy after My Boy Tate (Boys At Tosconova) was taken down. Lobsta and Chowda have run against each other once, in the New York Stallion, where Chowda finished fourth.

Fazzone has nine horses in training. The list includes still another horse out of Salty Little Sis, the 2-year-old Oysta (Micromanage). Like the others, Fazzone bought him privately from Fedwell Farms.

His restaurant customers have taken notice of his success and some have asked if they can go in on a horse. Fazzone is happy to take on partners and is looking to build his stable. His next goal is to win a race in Saratoga, something he has yet to do.

“Going into this horse racing game, I knew that it was a tough, expensive hobby,” he said “We didn't go into this with a lot of money and we've won three stakes races. It's been a great ride.”

The post Chowda, Lobsta Cooking Up a Storm appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Sea Foam Will Try To Rebound In Friday’s Alex M. Robb Stakes

Ten Strike Racing, Four Corners Racing Stable, Broadview Stables, and Cory Moelis Racing's Sea Foam will vie for his second stakes win this year in Friday's $100,000 Alex M. Robb, a nine-furlong test for New York-breds 3-years-old and up, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

A 6-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro, Sea Foam provided conditioner Michelle Giangiulio with her first win as a trainer when he took down the Evan Shipman at Saratoga Race Course first off the claim on Aug. 11. Leading at every point of call, Sea Foam was a dominant five-length winner in a final time of 1:50.91 for the nine furlongs.

Eighth in the Grade 3 Greenwood Cup in his next outing, Sea Foam once again set the pace in the 1½ -mile race, but lost position approaching the turn and faded to the back of the field.

“It was kind of an unfortunate race,” said Giangiulio. “We had a perfect lead and then [eventual winner Magic Michael] moved really early so we had to push him a little sooner than we needed to going a mile and a half. He didn't have enough in the tank going down the stretch and I kind of put a line through that race for him.”

Sea Foam rebounded from the Greenwood Cup with a third-place finish in the Empire Classic at Belmont last time out on Oct. 30, pushed by Mr. Buff to set a hot pace for the nine furlongs before eventual Grade 1 Cigar Mile winner Americanrevolution overtook the lead and bounded away to an open-length victory.

Sea Foam was nosed out of place-honors by longshot Wild Banker, who he will face again in the Alex M. Robb. Giangiulio said she was proud of the dark bay's determination to hit the board.

“They went 45 seconds for the half-mile and he was rocking and rolling on the lead there,” Giangiulio said. “I was surprised he even held on for third. I thought he ran a monster race that day getting pushed on the lead and then kept going. I think he ran harder in that race than in the Evan Shipman. I couldn't have asked for a better run out of him.”

A win with Sea Foam would provide Giangiulio with her fourth victory at Aqueduct this year, her current Big A record standing at 6-3-0-2. In his final prep for the Alex M. Robb, Sea Foam worked five-eighths in 1:02.45 over the dirt training track at Belmont on Friday, showing Giangiulio that he is eager to get back to the races.

“He's doing great and he's ready to run,” Giangiulio said. “He needs to get a run in him at this point. He's very fresh. He's been working five furlongs, nice and easy, nothing crazy. We just let him do his thing. He loves his job and tries his heart out when he runs. He's such a cool horse. He'll be tough to beat on Friday.”

Kendrick Carmouche will pilot Sea Foam from post 4.

Trainer Rudy Rodriguez will have two chances to secure his second Alex M. Robb victory when he sends out stakes winner Tiergan and veteran runner Danny California.

Tiergan enters the Alex M. Robb hoping to continue improving off a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure earned last time out when he steps back up to stakes company for the third time this year.

Co-owned by Rodriguez with Michael Imperio and Andrew Gurdon, Tiergan was last seen finishing third in a one-turn mile optional claimer on November 28 at the Big A. The grey gelding was game in defeat, finishing three-quarter lengths behind the winner and losing place honors by just a head with jockey Raul Mena up.

“He ran a very good race and Raul rode him well,” said Rodriguez. “Raul had to be aggressive with him but we are very pleased with the way he ran. It's why we are taking a chance here in this race.”

Rodriguez said the stretch out in distance will benefit Tiergan, who boasts a record of 4-2-1-0 at nine furlongs.

“The competition is coming up pretty tough, but I think he deserves a chance, especially at a mile and an eighth,” Rodriguez said. “I think that's what he wants to do. He wants a steady pace and I think he's going to be competitive.”

Tiergan's best win to date is an off-the-turf score in the nine-furlong Ashely T. Cole at Belmont in September, battling down to the wire with Three Jokers to win by a head as the biggest price in the field of three. Rodriguez said despite the short field, Tiergan gave a convincing performance.

“It was an encouraging race,” said Rodriguez. “We are always looking for good spots to run as main track only because we don't have many grass horses, so we got lucky and it worked well for us.”

Tiergan has been a consistent member of Rodriguez's barn, finishing off the board just once in his nine starts since he was claimed for $16,000 from Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott in January.

“He's a solid horse. He's a little aggressive but he's a beautiful, strong, nice looking horse. If you're not careful, he'll bite you with no regard,” Rodriguez said with a laugh.

Tiergan posted a bullet five-furlong work over Belmont's dirt training track on December 20, breezing in 1:01.80 with Mena up.

“He's been training very well since we claimed him and we're happy to have him around,” Rodriguez said. “Raul has been riding him in the mornings and I think he's a good rider. He's hungry and he tries. He doesn't get many opportunities, but I like the way he's been riding.”

Mena gets the call again from the outermost post 9.

Rodriguez will also send out stakes winning gelding Danny California in search of his second win of the year.

A 6-year-old son of Afleet Alex, Danny California enters the Alex M. Robb as the most seasoned runner in the field of nine with 43 lifetime starts and eight wins. Danny California has a pair of stakes placings and one win from 12 starts this year, his best stakes effort coming in the Commentator when he ran second to runaway winner Bankit in the one-mile test at Belmont in May.

The chestnut gelding was initially trained by Tom Morley for his first 12 starts, dabbling in the claiming ranks before being transferred to the barn of Jorge Abreu for owners West Point Thoroughbreds and Chris Larsen. Claimed by Orlando Noda just five starts later, Danny California began his journey to stakes competition, steadily making progress through allowance conditions for Noda.

With three wins and four on-the-board efforts at the allowance level, Noda decided to give Danny California his first try at stakes company, contesting the Miner's Mark at Belmont last year. With Manny Franco up, Danny California went wire-to-wire to earn his lone stakes victory by 1 3/4 lengths over graded stakes winner You're To Blame.

After off-the-board finishes in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance at Keeneland and in last year's running of the Alex M. Robb, Danny California moved back to allowance company and was claimed by Rodriguez for $40,000 out of a fourth-place effort in an optional claimer on April 16.

Now owned by Michael Dubb and Karen Murphy, Danny California has earned one win for his connections, scoring an optional claimer at Saratoga on August 7 with a stalking trip under Luis Saez.

Third next time out in the Evan Shipman at Saratoga behind Sea Foam, Danny California was most recently seen finishing seventh in the same optional claimer as Tiergan on November 28.

“I was considering a non-winners of two allowance but I let the owners decide where to go with him,” Rodriguez said. “I think he'll run well in the stakes. His best distance is a mile and an eighth and they don't have that many races at that distance for older horses. So, I think this is a good race for him.”

Danny California will break from post 2 with Jose Ortiz aboard.

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Eddie F's Racing's Chowda will attempt to close out his 4-year-old campaign with his first victory since taking the Gander at Aqueduct last year for trainer Gary Sciacca.

The New York-bred son of Emcee finished fourth behind his full-brother, Lobsta, in the Thunder Rumble division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series last time out on December 5, going seven furlongs for the first time since his 2-year-old season.

Ridden by Eric Cancel in the Thunder Rumble, Chowda was held in third after breaking sixth and tracked behind Lobsta through an opening quarter-mile in 23.10 seconds. Racing two paths from the rail down the backstretch, Chowda briefly caught up to Lobsta rounding the turn and kept to the inside before backtracking and staying on well to finish fourth.

Chowda breezed a half-mile in 49.52 over Belmont Park's dirt training track on Friday in his last drill for the Alex M. Robb. The dark bay gelding's best performance this year came in the Genesee Valley Breeders' at Finger Lakes Racetrack where he was beaten just a half-length going 1 1/16 miles.

Cancel will ride again from post 7.

Completing a salty Alex M. Robb field are three-time winner Kaz's Beach [post 1, Trevor McCarthy], Grade 2 Remsen winner Brooklyn Strong [post 3, Abner Adorno], Say Florida Sandy winner Our Last Buck [post 5, Manny Franco], Empire Classic runner-up Wild Banker [post 6, Dylan Davis], and multiple stakes winner Captain Bombastic [post 8, Jose Lezcano].

The Alex M. Robb is named for the Executive Secretary of Thoroughbred Racing in 1946 who served as the General Manager of Belmont Park in 1946 and the Director of the Thoroughbred Breeders Service Bureau in 1962. Slated as Race 7 on Friday's eight race card, post time for the Alex M. Robb will be at 3:36 p.m. Eastern with first post set for 12:50 p.m.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

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Lobsta Outfinishes My Boy Tate To Upset NYSSS Thunder Rumble

Lobsta pulled a 28-1 upset in Sunday's $150,000 Thunder Rumble division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series for eligible state-sired horses 3-years-old and upward going seven furlongs over the main track at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

The 3-year-old son of Emcee earned the first stakes win of his career for trainer Gary Sciacca, who also saddled Lobsta's 4-year-old full brother Chowda for owner Eddie F's Racing. Both horses were bred in New York by John Jayko's Fedwell Farm.

Guided to victory by Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano from post 10, Lobsta broke sharply and dueled for the lead with Chowda, who was piloted by Eric Cancel. As the two brothers led the field of 11 through a half-mile in :46.85, 3-2 post-time favorite My Boy Tate was urged by jockey Manny Franco to make his move for the lead and found room between the pacesetters at the top of the stretch.

With Chowda tiring to his inside, My Boy Tate, trained by Michelle Nevin, poked his nose to the front as the field straightened for the drive to the wire. Lobsta responded to urging from Castellano and battled back on the outside, both horses refusing to relinquish the lead. A few strides before the wire, Lobsta was able to claw his way to victory by a half-length in a final time of 1:24.87 over the fast track.

The Nevin-conditioned Our Last Buck angled to the outside and found his best stride late to finish four lengths behind the top two finishers and six lengths the better of Chowda, who rounded out the superfecta. Captain Bombastic, Jemography, Hold the Salsa, Wild Banker, Market Alert, Devious Mo, and Rinaldi completed the order of finish. Straight Skinny was scratched.

Getting a leg up on Lobsta for the first time, Castellano said was determined to give his all to help the colt run his best race.

“You can't give up in this business,” said the veteran rider. “You have to keep pushing hard and I felt that the horse was going to get by. He [My Boy Tate] passed me already but I didn't give up. I let the horse get his stride and he finished really well.”

Castellano said he needed to be patient aboard Lobsta, who was making his first start since finishing third in the New York Derby in July at Finger Lakes Gaming and Racing in Farmington, N.Y.

“I was concerned about the layoff, that's the reason I didn't want to move too soon at the quarter pole,” he said. “I rode with a lot of patience. The other horse got the jump. He moved a little quick but I didn't get bothered, I let him get his momentum and get his stride and it paid off.”

Sciacca said he was surprised the two siblings vie for the early lead.

“I never thought that would happen,” said Sciacca. “I thought Lobsta would sit back a little bit and Chowda was going to go. He [Castellano] said he broke so good with Lobsta, he was just sitting on him. He [Cancel] had to hustle Chowda to stay up in there and the two brothers were battling.”

There was more surprise for Sciacca when My Boy Tate made his move to split horses at the top of the lane.

“Why did they let him through. I thought they'd at least block him a little bit,” Sciacca said, with a laugh. “When he got through, I thought that's tough. He showed some fight – Lobsta – to come back and get the horse.”

Sciacca said he gave Lobsta the layoff to allow the colt time to mature. “He's a big horse and just trying to get himself together,” Sciacca said. “He was training well up to this spot.”

Eddie Fazzone, managing partner of Eddie F's Racing, agreed with Sciacca that seeing the two siblings go together was not what he had in mind going into the race.

“When we talked in the paddock, we thought Chowda was going to go and Lobsta was going to sit,” said Fazzone. “But Javier said when he broke like that, they had to go. I was a little surprised to see them both fighting up there, but Lobsta is a nice horse and was training lights out.”

Chowda had provided Fazzone with a stakes victory in last year's Gander at Aqueduct. Now with both brothers having earned stakes wins, Fazzone said he is grateful for all his horses have given him.

“I was jumping up and down like crazy. Both of these horses have been such a joy and brought a lot of excitement for me as a small stable,” Fazzone said. “Now, they're both stakes winners. I'm overwhelmed right now. I'm really happy for Gary and John Jayko.”

Fazzone said he was also proud of Chowda's fourth-place effort.

“Chowda fought like that to win the Gander and Lobsta – he's a fighter, too,” Fazzone said.

Lobsta, who finished third in the Mike Lee at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., and second in the Gander at Aqueduct this year, banked $82,500 in victory to boost his career purse winnings to $221,400. Lobsta now boasts a record of 8-3-1-2. A $2 win ticket returned $58.

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My Mary Stables' Salty Heir [by Micromanage], a 2-year-old half-brother to Lobsta and Chowda, also raced on Sunday's card for Sciacca, finishing sixth in Race 7 – a 6 1/2-furlong state-bred maiden special weight.

Live racing resumes Thursday with an eight-race card to kick off the winter meet at the Big A. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Hungry For Success: Full Brothers Chowda, Lobsta Entered In Sunday’s New York-Bred Stakes

Eddie Fazzone, managing partner of Eddie F's Racing and proprietor of the popular Saratoga Springs restaurant Eddie F's Eatery, will look to satisfy his hunger for another stakes win by sending out full-brothers Chowda and Lobsta in Sunday's $150,000 NYSSS Thunder Rumble at the Big A.

The Gary Sciacca-trained duo, by Emcee and out of the Chief Seattle mare Salty Little Sis, were both bred in the Empire State by John Jayko's Fedwell Farm. Last year, the now 4-year-old Chowda won the Gander at Aqueduct to provide the partnership their first stakes win. Lobsta rolled into this year's edition of the Gander from a 5 3/4-length maiden romp but had to settle for second in a race won by Nicky the Vest.

Fazzone said the partnership, which includes Ross Lackey and Fazzone's brother-in-law Don Wilock, have been overwhelmed by the brother's success.

“It's pretty amazing. When you go into this as a small group, you don't expect to be winning stakes races,” Fazzone said. “It was a big thrill to win the Gander with Chowda and then for his brother to come back and run second in the same race the following year was big too. These two guys have been a joy for us.”

The brothers were both purchased privately from the breeder and Fazzone said Eddie F's Racing will soon have another appetizing racing prospect from the talented family.

“We also have a half-brother named Oysta, who will be two in January,” Fazzone added. “He's on a farm in Virginia so you'll see him next year. He's by Micromanage.”

Fazzone, who lamented missing out on Salty Heir, a 2-year-old full brother to Oysta also trained by Sciacca, campaigns another pair of half-siblings bred in New York by Fedwell Farm in the 3-year-old gelding Dreampoint, by Point of Entry, and 2-year-old filly Dream Central, by Central Banker, who are out of the Deputy Wild Cat mare Dreamed to Dream.

Dream Central is entered in Race 2 on Saturday at the Big A, a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight for New York-bred fillies to be contested over the outer turf.

But while Dream Central is a 30-1 longshot in search of a first win, Chowda and Lobsta have established strong form as they prepare to square off in Sunday's seven-furlong sprint for eligible state-sired 3-year-olds and up on Closing Day of the Big A fall meet.

Chowda has won 3-of-4 starts at Aqueduct and enters from a strong third in an open 1 1/16-mile allowance tilt on October 24 at Belmont that was won by subsequent Discovery winner Miles D for trainer Chad Brown.

Lobsta has posted six starts in his sophomore campaign for a record of 2-1-2, including a score in a one-mile state-bred optional-claimer in March at the Big A.

He enters from third-place finishes in the seven-furlong Mike Lee in May at Belmont and the 1 1/16-mile New York Derby in July at Finger Lakes, which was won by Americanrevolution who will contest Saturday's Grade 1 Cigar Mile presented by NYRA Bets for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

“These two run hard every time. Lobsta ran third in the New York Derby against that monster of Todd's that's running tomorrow in the Cigar Mile,” Fazzone said. “He's been off since then and is training really well. It's his first race back and we're hoping for the best with him.

“Chowda ran a great race in an allowance on October 24 against Chad's horse who ran third in the Travers and came back and won a stake last week,” Fazzone continued. “Chowda is training great and we're hoping they both run really big on Sunday.”

Both horses posted bullet half-mile works over the Belmont dirt training track in their most recent preparations with Chowda breezing in 48.70 seconds on December 1 and Lobsta working in 47 flat on November 27.

“They always train well. They just like to go. If you go back and look at all their works, they're always right around the bullet work for the day. They're both doing well right now,” Fazzone said.

Fazzone credits Sciacca, who recently secured his 1000th career win, with keeping both horses at the top of their game.

“He's done a great job for me and my partnership and he's a great horseman,” Fazzone said. “He's really one of the last real true New York trainers around. Going back to the early 80s, there's not many guys left that are born and bred New York guys. Gary is one of those guys and he's been training with the best of them. He does an incredible job.”

Fazzone said that Chowda and Lobsta have generated a lot of attention for his restaurant and even piqued the interest of some of his patrons to join the ownership ranks.

“I try to keep to keep the partnerships small,” Fazzone said. “I buy a majority and then piece them off so people have an opportunity. On Chowda, it's me, Ross and Don. With Lobsta, it's just Ross and I alone. I have some horses that have seven partners – just customers that come to the restaurant and want to come in.”

While the restaurant will be closed on Sunday with the team already en route to the city to attend the race, Fazzone said he knows there will be a large cheering section upstate watching Chowda and Lobsta mix it up in the Thunder Rumble.

“When Saratoga starts up and people start coming to town that's when I get really busy. We've got big support from the locals. They love to watch the horses and cheer them on,” Fazzone said. “It's been a lot of fun. Hopefully, these guys run a big race for us on Sunday.”

And should Chowda or Lobsta happen to win, there's still one week left to celebrate the experience at Eddie F's Eatery before it closes for the season.

“Next Saturday is my last day and then we close down until February 16 when we re-open and get ready for another great season,” Fazzone said. “It's grown every year and gotten more popular. We had a great summer and spring.”

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