Saratoga Snacks counted the 2013 Empire Classic among his four stakes victories. NYRA Photo.
By Tom Law
Saratoga Snacks, a multiple New York-bred stakes winner and popular resident of ReRun in East Greenbush, was euthanized due to metabolic issues at the age of 13.
Campaigned for most of his career by Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells’ August Dawn Farm and trainer Gary Sciacca, Saratoga Snacks retired to ReRun’s Thoroughbred retraining and adoption organization in late 2016. He served as one of ReRun’s equine ambassadors in retirement, alongside former New York stallion Frost Giant, who also died this year.
Parcells continued to support Saratoga Snacks during his retirement and Sciacca was a frequent visitor to the gelding through the years. Saratoga Snacks will be buried at ReRun alongside Frost Giant.
“It was really weird in the barn (recently) without those two on the end,” said Lisa Molloy, executive director of ReRun Inc. “I’m pretty honored that I had both of them.”
Bred by Mrs. Gerald A. Nielsen, the son of Tale of the Cat was purchased by Sciacca at the 2010 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred yearling sale for $60,000. He made his debut about a year later for August Dawn and Parcells, finishing second in a 5-furlong state-bred maiden race at Saratoga Race Course before winning a similar race stretched out to 6 1/2 furlongs the final Saturday of the meet.
Saratoga Snacks won four of five starts in 2012, including the Alex M. Robb Stakes late in the year at Aqueduct, to earn a nomination as champion New York-bred 3-year-old male. He won two more stakes at 4, including the Empire Classic Handicap on Empire Showcase Day at Belmont Park. Saratoga Snacks didn’t win at 5 but returned as a 6-year-old in 2015 and won or placed in five of his six starts, including a victory in the Saginaw Stakes at Belmont and a runner-up finish in the Evan Shipman Stakes at Saratoga.
Saratoga Snacks retired with nine wins, six seconds and four thirds for $693,500 in earnings. He was one of five winners produced by the winning Red Ransom mare Near and Dear, along with Baby Snacks, Chestnut Street, Hurricane Jackie and Speed Dating.
