Distance main question for Barese in New York Derby
Barese has taken his shots in open company and hasn’t embarrassed himself while finding some salty spots against standouts in this 3-year-old class. The colt drops back into statebred company for the $150,000 New York Derby on Monday at Finger Lakes, but even as he finds softer competition, he faces his own challenge as he looks for his first win at 1 1/16 miles.
The New York Derby, which headlines a nine-race card beginning at 1:10 p.m., is one of the richest races on the Finger Lakes stakes schedule. It also has a history of propelling its winners into open-company success, with its two most recent editions won by millionaires Bankit (2019) and Americanrevolution (2021). Bankit owns five stakes victories and another 12 stakes placings in a lengthy career, including multiple graded stakes placings. Americanrevolution hinted at exceptional talent by finishing third to Hot Rod Charlie and Midnight Bourbon in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby, then won the Grade 1 Cigar Mile. He was most recently second in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster.
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Barese has already proven himself a standout from this New York-bred crop. After winning his first three starts, including the Rego Park at 6 1/2 furlongs and the Gander at a mile, both against statebreds at Aqueduct, he finished fifth of eight, beaten 5 1/4 lengths, in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial. That turned out to be one of this spring’s strongest classic preps, as it was won by eventual Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal with subsequent Preakness Stakes winner Early Voting in second. Finishing third was Skippylongstocking, who was third in the Belmont. The Beyer Speed Figure of 89 that Barese earned is tied for the best in this field.
“I thought he ran a great race, he just wasn’t good enough,” trainer Mike Maker said.
Barese wheeled back quickly to finish third later that month in the Times Square division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, going 6 1/2 furlongs. He was then given a two-month freshening and returned to finish fourth, making up a mild bit of ground late, against another salty field in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby. The race was won by multiple graded stakes winner Tawny Port, with Grade 1 Florida Derby winner White Abarrio second, and Classic Causeway, subsequent winner of the Grade 1 Belmont Derby, third.
Barese drew the outside post in the field of five for the New York Derby, perhaps giving jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. the ability to adjust to race development. Santana is one of several jockeys in to ride on a dark day at Saratoga.
“I think he can get two turns in the right company,” Maker said.
Matching Barese for the best Beyer in the field is Aggregation, making his stakes and two-turn debut. With three starts and the most lightly raced member of the field, he is drawn on the rail under Manny Franco.
Aggregation won his maiden at second asking, and on May 30 was a handy winner of a New York-bred allowance race going a one-turn mile at Belmont, earning his 89 Beyer. He is trained by Chad Brown.
Also shipping in from a powerful NYRA barn is Best Idea for trainer Todd Pletcher, with John Velazquez in to ride. The colt was most recently second by 1 1/2 lengths to Rotknee in the Mike Lee Stakes on May 30 at Belmont. Rotknee won the Ontario County Stakes last month at Finger Lakes.
Best Idea is drawn next door to Aggregation, in post 2. Those two might provide the early speed in the race. Aggregation has sat a couple of lengths off the pace going one turn in his last two races. Best Idea went wire to wire sprinting in his debut and came from a length off the pace in his lone two-turn start.
Completing the field are longshots State Planning and Grabbing the Money. State Planning makes his first start for Rafael Rohena after previously being trained by Juan Vazquez. Grabbing the Money ran third in a Finger Lakes allowance against older horses last out. He is trained by Glenroy Brown.