Sea Foam Looks to Bounce Back in Alex M. Robb

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 the Dec. 31 $100,000 Alex M. Robb, a nine-furlong test for New York-breds 3-year-olds 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 was a dominant five-length victor of the Aug.11 Evan Shipman Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in his first start off the claim.

Sea Foam rebounded from an unplaced effort in the Sept. 25 Greenwood Cup (G3) at Parx Racing with a third-place finish behind Cigar Mile Handicap Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) winner Americanrevolution  in the Empire Classic Handicap at Belmont Park against New York-breds Oct. 30. 

Sea Foam was nosed out of second that day 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 furlongs in 1:02 2/5 over the dirt training track at Belmont on Dec. 24, 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 .

Co-owned by Rodriguez with Michael Imperio and Andrew Gurdon, 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.

Raul 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. The 6-year-old son of Afleet Alex  was claimed by Rodriguez for $40,000 earlier this year. Two starts back, he ran fourth in the Empire Classic.

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