Local experience might win out in New York Derby
Jaa Mode and A Huge Checkpoint will try to capitalize on their experience on the local surface in the $150,000 New York Derby for 3-year-old New York-breds on Monday at Finger Lakes. The 1 1/16-mile race attracted several horses who have been running in restricted or statebred races on the New York Racing Association circuit.
Lightly raced Jaa Mode, owned and trained by Jeff Englehart, was a non-factor on the Belmont turf in his debut. Shipped to Finger Lakes, he was ridden out to win a mile and 70-yard maiden race by 4 3/4 lengths on June 22. Jaa Mode turned in a bullet four-furlong work on July 13 at this track in preparation for his stakes debut Monday.
A Huge Checkpoint has made five of his eight starts at Finger Lakes, and he has never finished off the board locally, including maiden and allowance wins around two turns. Trained by Rachel Sells, he was third in the Ontario County Stakes sprinting on June 28.
Among the NYRA shippers likely to attract attention is the Todd Pletcher-trained Americanrevolution, with Luis Saez named to ride on a dark day at Saratoga. In his second start, and first outing for Pletcher, the colt won a six-furlong maiden-special on June 20 at Belmont, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 79, the second-best career number in this race.
The field’s top Beyer belongs to Devious Mo, who is shipping in for Mike Repole and trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Devious Mo went from a maiden-claiming victory to an upset win in the 6 1/2-furlong Times Square division of the New York Stallion Stakes in April at Aqueduct. He earned a Beyer of 84. In two starts since then, he finished sixth in the Mike Lee for statebreds at Belmont and fourth in a New York Stallion Stakes on the turf there.
Hold The Salsa won two restricted stakes last year, the Bertram F. Bongard at Belmont and the The Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes at Aqueduct. He was third in the Jerome Stakes against open company to start this year, and most recently was off the board in a turf outing.
Lobsta has won twice at a mile and was most recently third in the Mike Lee at Belmont. Maiden-claiming winners Purple Hearted and Here’s Waldo complete the field.
The New York Derby goes as the seventh of eight races on Monday’s card at Finger Lakes, which has a first post of 1:10 p.m. The $75,000 New York Oaks also was scheduled for this card, but did not attract sufficient entries. The race is listed as an extra on the overnight for the Monday, July 26 card; entries for that card are taken Monday.