TIN CUP CHALICE CONTINUES QUEST FOR BIG APPLE TRIPLE

Contact: David Mattice
Publicity Dept.
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NEWS RELEASE

FARMINGTON, N.Y. –Tin Cup Chalice will attempt to keep his unblemished record in tact in the 36th renewal of the $150,000 New York Derby at Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack on Saturday. The Michael Lecesse-trainee faces five other rivals and is listed as the 1-2 program choice for the one mile and one sixteenth route for New York-bred 3-year-olds.

The bay gelding co-owned by Scott Vanlaer and his trainer Michael Lecesse won the $100,000 Mike Lee at Belmont Park by one and one-half lengths in his most recent start on June 22. Before the front running victory in the seven furlong dash, he won four races at Finger Lakes including the $50,000 Finger Lakes Juvenile on November 3, 2007. Pedro Rodriguez will be aboard the morning line favorite who is entered in a two turn race for the first time in his career.

Tin Cup Chalice is a half brother to Don Corleone who won the New York Derby in 2004 at odds of 59-1 for trainer Sal Iorio. Iorio will saddle Vee El Tee who is entered for the event with morning line odds of 20-1. Jockey Robert Messina will be the jockey aboard the longest shot in the program for owner William Phelan, Jr.

That’srightofficer is the only other horse that ran in the Mike Lee that is entered in Saturday’s eighth race. The late closing colt who finished fourth in the June 22 event hada win at the one mile and one-sixteenth distance on May 10 at Belmont Park for trainer Richard Schosberg. Jockey John Grabowski is listed to ride the $60,000 2-year-old purchase for owner Clear Stars Stable.

Almighty Silver has also had success at the New York Derby distance. Two of the three career wins for the Charlton Baker-trainee were in one mile and one-sixteenth routes. He has hit-the-board in both appearances in the New York Stallion stakes series in New York City this year. The 9-2 third program choice ran third in the $100,000 Time Square on April 13 at Aqueduct and finished second in the $75,000 Spectacular Bid at Belmont Park on June 1. Dennis Carr, with 88 stakes wins in his career, will be in the irons of the $124,100 earner for owners Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey.

The New York Derby is the second leg of the Big Apple Triple which will provide a $250,000 bonus to the owner of any horse that sweeps all three legs. The third event is the $150,000 Albany which will be run at a distance of one and one-eighth miles at Saratoga on August 20. No horse has been able to receive the bonus since the introduction of the series in 1999.

NIAGARA STAKES

The 28th renewal of the $50,000 Niagara stakes will be run as the seventh race on Saturday. Blue Star Stable’s Afleet Alexandra is the morning line favorite for the six furlong sprint for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies.

The 5-2 program choice is undefeated in her three starts at Finger Lakes. She finished third at Presque Isle Downs in her most recent start on June 22. Jeremias Flores will be in the saddle for trainer Michael S. Ferraro.

Beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, the first 1,000 racing fans through the doors receive a ticket for a New York Derby t-shirt and a $5 betting voucher. Tickets may be redeemed at the Player Extras Station in the Upper Grandstand.