Trainer Gary Sciacca was enjoying a solid 2020 campaign before live racing was suspended at Aqueduct due to ongoing complications of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Sciacca, who oversees a stable of 25 horses on the Belmont backstretch, said he is starting to bring his horses back into full training.
“We gave them all a little break when this first started but now everyone has been working right along,” said Sciacca. “NYRA really has done a great job here on the backstretch. They’ve been doing a lot of testing here and taking temperatures when we come in. I’m hopeful we’ll be racing again soon.”
Sciacca boasts a record of 46-7-7-8 in 2020 with purse earnings in excess of $400,000, including a smart score in the Gander by Eddie F Racing’s Chowda in February at the Big A. The New York-bred Chowda, a dark bay son of Emcee, battled gamely on the lead with Bank On Shea in the one-turn mile Gander and stayed on strong down the lane for a 3/4-length win.
Chowda was set to follow-up that effort in the Damon Runyon on March 15, but was scratched on the morning of the race.
“We had to give him some time at the farm and he’ll be back in about 40 days,” said Sciacca. “It was nothing serious, just a small flake in his knee that we dealt with.”
Bred in the Empire State by Fedwell Farm, Sciacca said Chowda will soon be joined at the barn by his 2-year-old full brother Lobsta.
Yellow Moon Stable’s Hit It Once More breezed a bullet half-mile in 48.19 Thursday on the Belmont Park dirt training track. The 7-year-old New York-bred son of Hard Spun last raced on May 31 at Belmont Park.
“He had a little breather and he’s doing really good right now,” said Sciacca. “The owner has been very patient and we’re looking forward to him running again soon.”
Bred by JMJ Racing Stables, Hit It Once More captured the New York Derby at Finger Lakes in July 2016 and followed up with a win in the Albany at Saratoga a month later. In 2018, the hard-trying horse added the Haynesfield at the Big A and the Genesee Valley Breeders’ at Finger Lakes to his ledger.
Five C’s Stable and S and P Stables’ Microscope, a good $40,000 claim for Sciacca out of a December maiden win at the Big A, breezed a half-mile in 50.54 at Belmont on Thursday. The New York-bred sophomore son of Micromanage finished first or second in each of his first four starts and was fifth last out in the Gander.
NYRA Press Release
Photo: Saratoga Snacks, who went into the ReRun OTTB program in 2016, with his trainer and ReRun board member Gary Sciacca. Credit: ReRun, Inc.
