Finger Lakes invader fits winning pattern

Tuesday’s featured eighth race at Finger Lakes is an allowance restricted to horses who have never won three races, and it’s hard to find fault with Kip’s Boy, Devonshire, and Too Tough Jake. Kip’s Boy is 2 for 2 at Finger Lakes, while Devonshire and Too Tough Jake are both 2 for 3 locally.

Although all three are logical contenders in the six-furlong sprint, the favorite’s role is still likely to bestowed on a newcomer to western New York who has sprinted just once in his last six starts and has been running for a claiming tag in his most recent five races.

Tisnow Julie, making his first start off the claim, heads a potent coupled entry for perennial leading trainer Chris Englehart. The 4-year-old Tisnow Julie, back less than two weeks after being claimed for $20,000 out of a winning sprint effort at Monmouth Park, is coupled with High Stakes Player, a two-turn specialist who was cross-entered in a mile and 70-yard allowance on Monday’s card.

Englehart is a superb 34 percent overall first time off the claim the last two seasons, but nearly unbeatable with new acquisitions that he brings to Finger Lakes less than 30 days after buying them out of town. According to DRF’s Formulator, Englehart is 4 for 5 in those situations, including wins by High Stakes Player and Be Bullish in the Leon Reed Memorial Stakes during August.

Tisnow Julie has been primarily going long, but has been in front or within a length of the lead at the six-furlong call in his last four dirt routes, dating back to his maiden victory in April at Gulfstream Park.

Among the other contenders, Kip’s Boy makes his first start on Lasix after running the first bad race of his three-race career over the synthetic Tapeta surface at Presque Isle Downs. He has subsequently worked a half-mile from the gate in 48.60 seconds, the second best move among 38 horses to work at the distance on Aug. 29.

Devonshire returns to dirt after four starts on synthetic and turf. His last two races on dirt produced victories by a combined margin of 18 lengths.

Too Tough Jake, coupled with No Detour, has won 2 of 3 starts since coming to John Tebbutt’s barn. His lone defeat came in the Ontario County Stakes in late July.