Fox Rox, Eye Luv Lulu worthy of consideration in New York Derby

Two-turn form is scarce among the seven New York-bred 3-year-olds entered in Saturday’s $150,000 New York Derby at Finger Lakes. Four of the horses have never raced beyond seven furlongs, including Empire Dreams, the 7-5 favorite on the track’s morning line.

The lone horse in the field to have won going a mile or longer, Effinex, comes out of a pair of one-turn routes at Belmont Park in which he was beaten a combined 24 3/4 lengths.

Empire Dreams exits a pair of runner-up finishes in stakes for New York-breds with solid Beyer Speed Figures of 90 and 87. But his dam, Ascended Dreams, has yet to produce a foal who has won a dirt route. As a group, they are a collective 0 for 11, according to DRF’s Formulator. So, the 1 1/16-mile New York Derby might be a good spot to play against the favorite.

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Two viable alternatives are 10-1 outsider Fox Rox and 7-2 second choice Eye Luv Lulu.

Fox Rox, the winner of the $120,925 Aspirant last year, will be stretching out for his fourth start of the season. His dam, Shesastonecoldfox, has produced foals who have gone 7 for 33 (21 percent) in dirt routes, most notably Fox Rules. A half-brother to Fox Rox, Fox Rules won the 2012 New York Derby for the same connections, trainer Anthony Ferraro and owner Langpap Stables.

Eye Luv Lulu finished a length behind runner-up Empire Dreams in the seven-furlong Mike Lee Stakes on May 31. He’s interesting because trainer Carlos Martin shows a 3-for-8 record shipping to Finger Lakes over the past five years, with all three victories coming in stakes. One notable defeat, however, came when Legal Consent finished fourth as the even-money favorite in the 2009 New York Derby.

Lady’s Smart Alec could be ready to move forward when he adds blinkers for his second attempt at a route. He was close in ability to Empire Dreams last fall, when he was beaten 1 3/4 lengths by that rival in the six-furlong Great White Way division of the New York Stallion series.

Free Mugatu goes from turf to dirt and races beyond seven furlongs for the first time following a runner-up performance in a stakes while making his first start since November. Foals from his dam, Thunder Babe, are a collective 0 for 16 in dirt routes.

◗ Flipcup and Storied Lady figure to vie for favoritism in the $75,000 New York Oaks at 1 1/16 miles.

Flipcup will be the first horse trainer Bill Mott has started at Finger Lakes in the last five years. She won easily going two turns in the East View last winter on Aqueduct’s inner track and was a good third against open company going 1 1/16 miles in May at Churchill Downs.

Storied Lady finished second, 2 1/4 lengths ahead of third-place Flipcup, in the seven-furlong Bouwerie on May 31. The last time she raced two turns, Storied Lady won by 2 1/4 lengths at Aqueduct.

Among the others, Prairie Stone exits a 7 1/2-length romp in her local debut against open company, and Frantastic has won back-to-back starts at Finger Lakes by a combined margin of 9 3/4 lengths.