Finger Lakes Gaming

LEGAL CONSENT HEADS FIELD FOR 37TH NEW YORK DERBY

Contact: David Mattice
Publicity Dept.
585-924-3232 x234
NEWS RELEASE

FARMINGTON, N.Y. –Legal Consent will face five other rivals in the 37th renewal of the $150,000 New York Derby at Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack on Saturday. The Carlos Martin-trainee is listed as the 4-5 program choice for the one mile and one-sixteenth route for New York-bred 3-year-olds.

Legal Consent won the $100,000 Mike Lee at Belmont Park by one-half of a length in his most recent start on June 22. The victory was the third in a row for the $372,343 earner who is owned by Lansdon B. Robbins lll.

He won the New York Breeders’ Futurity on October 4, 2008 by three lengths in his only other start at Finger Lakes. The $318,525 purse for the event was the largest for any race in the history of the Western New York track.

Legal Consent will attempt to win a race longer than one mile for the first time in his career. He ran third in the $75,000 Damon Runyon Stakes at Aqueduct on December 7, 2008 in one of his two starts at a distance over eight furlongs.

Eric Brophy’s Slevin is the only other horse entered in Saturday’s eighth race that ran in the Mike Lee. He finished a close second behind Legal Consent. Jockey John Davila, Jr. will be vying for his third New York Derby victory aboard the Carl Domino-trainee. Davila won the annual stake aboard Carr Tech in 1996 and with Traffic Chief in 2003.

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 series concludes with the $150,000 Albany Stakes which will be run at a distance of one mile and one-eighth at Saratoga Race Course on Wednesday, August 26.

HALL OF FAME INDUCTION

Tin Cup Chalice will be officially inducted as the 18th member into the Finger Lakes Hall of Fame on Saturday. The ceremony to honor the $868,680 earner will take place after the running of the sixth race.

Last year, the bay New York-bred became the first horse ever to sweep all three legs of the Big Apple Triple which included the $150,000 New York Derby. He also won the Grade 2 $514,100 Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park on October 4, 2008.

WYSL 1040 A.M. will carry a live broadcast of the ceremony. J. C. Delass from the local radio station will interview owners Scott Van Laer and Michael LeCesse immediately following the induction. WYSL will also provide pre and post race analysis of the New York Derby.

Beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, the first 1,000 racing guests 18 and over who visit will receive a ticket for a complimentary commemorative Tin Cup Chalice/NY Derby T-shirt. Tickets are redeemable at The Player Extras Station in the Upper Grandstand. The giveaway item is limited to one per person and customers must be (or become) a Player Extras Member to receive the souvenir. Gaming doors open at 10:00 a.m. and first race post time is set at 1:10 p.m.