Sea Foam looks to repeat as stakes winner in Saturday’s Damon Runyon

By Brian Bohl/Michael Johnson —-

Sea Foam looks to repeat as stakes winner in Saturday’s Damon Runyon; Control Group seeks second straight stakes win in Alex M. Robb

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Waterville Lake Stable’s Sea Foam will seek his third straight victory overall and second consecutive stakes win, headlining a field of nine New York-bred 2-year-olds in the 39th running of the Damon Runyon on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Sea Foam earned a personal-best 82 Beyer Speed Figure after finishing a length ahead of Stoney Bennett to win the Notebook on November 26 at the Big A. The victory at six furlongs – the Damon Runyon distance – in his stakes debut came after breaking his maiden by a neck over Gio D’Oro on November 3 in Ozone Park, earning the Medaglia d’Oro colt his first trip to the winner’s circle after starting his career with three straight second-place efforts.

Trained by Christophe Clement, Sea Foam drew the rail for the first time in six career starts. Off at 4-1 on the morning line, jockey Kendrick Carmouche, who won his 3,000th career race on December 19 at Parx, will have the call for the first time.

West Point Thoroughbreds and RAP Racing’s Empire Line will be making his first stakes start after capturing his debut with a two-length win on December 1 at Aqueduct. Set as the 3-1 morning-line favorite, Empire Line, for trainer George Weaver, will look to go 2-for-2 in his career with both wins at six furlongs as he will break from post 6 with Eric Cancel aboard.

Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s Battle Station will add another stakes winner to the mix, with the son of Warrior’s Reward starting his career 2-for-2, including a 9 ¼-length romp in the Bertram F. Bongard on September 22 at Belmont, before running eighth in the Sleepy Hollow on October 21 on Big Sandy.

Battle Station, trained by Wesley Ward, rebounded to finish second against optional claiming company on November 25 at Churchill Downs and will make his Big A debut at 5-1 odds from the outside post with Julio Garcia in the irons.

Audible, who has won back-to-back starts at Aqueduct at one mile after running third in his first race on September 27 at Belmont, will move up to stakes company for the first time for trainer Todd Pletcher. The Into Mischief colt will have the services of jockey Christopher DeCarlo for the first time, drawing post 8 at 7-2.

Jaye Jaye is 2-for-2 to start his career. After breaking his maiden on turf on October 12 at Belmont, the son of Colonel John won his next start in a race moved off the grass and will now be making his first stakes appearance for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Junior Alvarado will break from post 7 at 6-1 odds.

Rounding out the field is Jaye Jaye’s stablemate Honor Up, who drew post 3; Seven Lilies, who will break from post 2 for trainer Anthony Quartarolo; Evaluator, exiting post 4 for trainer Michael Dilger; and Analyze the Odds, a Pletcher trainee, from post 5.

On Sunday, Michael Dubb and David Simon’s Control Group will look to capture his second straight stakes victory – and win his fifth race in six attempts – as he leads a field of seven competitors in the 39th running of the $100,000 Alex M. Robb for older New York-breds, contested at 1 1/8 miles.

Last out, the 3-year-old son of Posse posted a career best 101 Beye in an impressive wire-to-wire, three-length victory in the Grade 3 Discovery on November 25 at Aqueduct. Trained by Rudy Rodriguez, Control Group has put together an impressive sophomore campaign, starting in May with a second-place finish against allowance company at Finger Lakes. He followed with three straight wins, including two victories at Saratoga Race Course. In his stakes debut in the $300,000 Empire Classic on October 21 at Belmont Park, Control Group ran an impressive second, finishing just three lengths behind Twisted Tom.
With Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the irons, Control Group will break from the outside post.

Barry Schwartz’s Papa Shot is making his second start in New York after a globe-trotting third place finish in the Keeneland Korea Cup in Seoul, South Korea on September 10th. The 5-year-old Distorted Humor gelding finished fourth in the Empire Classic in his first appearance back in the United States, almost three lengths behind Control Group.

Breaking from post 2, Jockey Junior Alvarado will replace Dylan Davis in the saddle, who had the last two mounts aboard Papa Shot but will ride Extinct Charm for trainer Bruce Brown on Sunday, breaking from post 6.

Rounding out the field is Gunpowder Farm’s Sea Raven for trainer Kelly Rubley, who is coming off a second-place finish in the Swatara Stakes at Penn National Race Course on November 22 and will break from the rail with jockey Dana Whitney; David Jacobson owned and trained Wake Up in Malibu, who will break from post 3 with Martin Garcia in the saddle; Chester and Mary Broman’s homebred Can You Diggit, breaking from post 5 for trainer Jimmy Jerkens with Manny Franco in the irons; and Yellow Moon Stable’s Testosterone in post 4 for trainer Gary Sciacca, with Angel Arroyo grabbing the mount