Lobsta Takes Say Florida Sandy Upon My Boy Tate DQ

Eddie F's Racing's Lobsta  secured his second consecutive stakes win after being elevated to victory when My Boy Tate —who crossed the wire first—was disqualified and placed fourth in the $100,000 Say Florida Sandy Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack Jan. 8. The race was a seven-furlong sprint for older New York-breds.

The race unfolded early with Alpha Chi Rho  marking off splits of :22.84 and :46.41 over the fast main track. But an eventful stretch run saw Alpha Chi Rho maintain a precarious lead late in the turn as Battle Station  loomed large while applying pressure from the outside. 

With numerous horses in with a chance at the top of the lane, a tiring Alpha Chi Rho took back as Battle Station angled over to establish a head advantage at the stretch call.

Rather than circle wide on a rallying My Boy Tate, jockey Eric Cancel chose to make a bid between horses in the stretch. Ultimately My Boy Tate squeezed through a narrow opening to the inside of Battle Station and to the outside of rail-rallying Chestertown , who was checked by jockey Jose Lezcano.

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano kept to task aboard Lobsta, who was in the clear outside of the battling rivals, engaging in a stirring duel to the wire with My Boy Tate, who prevailed by a neck in a final time of 1:25.63. Battle Station crossed the wire in third, four lengths back of Lobsta. Rounding out the finish under the wire was Chestertown, Saratoga Pal , and Alpha Chi Rho.

A stewards' inquiry and multiple claims of foul were launched soon after the race was completed.

A jockey's objection from Lezcano on Chestertown against My Boy Tate for interference at the eighth pole was allowed, resulting in My Boy Tate's demotion to fourth. Battle Station and Chestertown each moved up one placing in the order of finish. 

Lobsta was not impacted by the rough stretch run, leaving him as "beneficiary," Castellano said.

My Boy Tate "had a lot of trouble and tried to split horses," he noted. "But he bothered a couple horses inside and cost the second, third, and fourth places. You have to apply the rules."

Cancel said his mount initially had the necessary room before pressure was applied from outside horses.

"I tried to maintain my spot but there wasn't a whole lot I could have done. It was really tight and too little of a spot to play with," he said.

Trainer Gary Sciacca said the 4-year-old son of Emcee  demonstrated his talent in the exciting stretch duel.

"They both ran great. You can't take anything away from either one of them," Sciacca said. "He showed he was for real. He ran great; I'm pleased with him. I'm really happy for (owner) Eddie (Fazzone). Everyone came down for the win picture, so it was nice having them."

Bred by Fedwell Farm, Lobsta is one of two stakes winners out of the Chief Seattle  mare Salty Little Sis , the other being full brother Chowda , who captured the 2020 Gander Stakes at Aqueduct. The dam has three winners from seven foals, five of whom have raced. Her last reported foal is a 2-year-old Micromanage  colt named Oysta and she was bred to Leofric   for 2022.

For Eddie Fazzone, head of Eddie F's Racing, the victory capped a good day in which Chowda finished a close second in an open seven-furlong allowance sprint in race 2.

"This is our third stakes win," Fazzone added. "We're a small stable with nine horses and it seems like it just gets better and better. I've got his half brother Oysta who just turned 2, so hopefully we see him in the spring or summer. Hopefully, we continue the great ride."

Lobsta improved his record to 4-1-2 in nine starts and his career earnings are $276,400. He paid $7.40 for a $2 win ticket.

Video: Say Florida Sandy S. (BT)