New York Derby brings the stars to Farmington
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There was Fio Rito in 1978, who went on to become the first New York-bred ever to win a Grade 1 race. There was Tin Cup Chalice in 2008, who became a graded stakes winner and drew the pride of the region when he competed internationally. In 2021, there was Americanrevolution, another future Grade 1 winner. But there have been plenty of other memorable winners of the New York Derby, first contested in 1969 at Finger Lakes.
“The New York Derby has been won by so many great horses,” reminisced Todd Haight, director of racing operations for the Farmington, N.Y., track. “I watched Candid Cameron come in from Woodbine and win the New York Derby in 1990, and the celebration of the Canadian folks and [jockey] Dave Penna – I can remember such a gigantic smile on Dave Penna, and he gave the horse a great ride. And the next year, Howie Tescher shows up with Craig Perret and Excellent Tipper. And then, in ’94, Copper Mount with Julie Krone, again, a fan favorite. The fans came out to see Julie, and after the race, she was still at the fence signing autographs.
“So the New York Derby is just so special for us. These horsemen with [several of the] top jockeys in the sport coming here on Monday is just huge for us.”
More memories will be made in Monday’s renewal of the $155,000 New York Derby for 3-year-olds bred in the Empire State. A field of seven is led by the streaking Sculcos Folly, with graded stakes-placed Bravaro and Talk to Me Jimmy dangerous in the statebred ranks after tangling with some heavies.
“Pound for pound, this is one of our greatest fields in the New York Derby we’ve ever had,” Haight said.
Monday’s card also includes the $75,000 New York Oaks for 3-year-old fillies and the $50,000 Leon Reed Memorial for older sprinters. In addition to these stakes attracting horses from top national barns on a dark day at Saratoga Race Course, several prominent riders, including Irad Ortiz Jr., Kendrick Carmouche, Manny Franco, and Ricardo Santana Jr., will be making the trek of a little more than three hours down the New York State Thruway.
“The rail will be lined with people, the paddock [rail] will be crowded with people trying to get autographs, and we’ll see what we can do to get these guys out of the jocks’ room maybe for [a free] race and get some signed,” Haight said. “So it’s just a really cool day.”
The speedy Sculcos Folly, who started his career with wins in the claiming ranks, has been on a tear of late. The colt, by New York stallion Redesdale, has won four consecutive races by a combined 29 1/2 lengths. Those include three statebred stakes wins, including, crucially, the Gander at a mile. He tries 1 1/16 miles for the first time in the New York Derby.
“He was just born to do it – just, I guess, a very slow beginner,” trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. told track publicity after the colt’s most recent win in the Mike Lee on June 3 at Saratoga. “It took him a while to get things in gear, but once he got it all together, I do believe that he’s rounding into form the right way. I do believe that. He’s becoming more of a racehorse now.”
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In the seven-furlong Mike Lee, Sculcos Folly dealt with early pace pressure and kept going, which could be a key factor in a New York Derby field that appears to have plenty of speed. Breaking from the rail in the Mike Lee, Sculcos Folly was pressed by Bravaro through opening splits of 22.08 seconds and 44.36. He had enough to draw clear by 5 1/2 lengths, while Bravaro faded to fourth.
Sculcos Folly and Jaime Rodriguez, a former leading rider at Finger Lakes, are more ideally drawn here, landing the outside post. Speed factors Stickupwithoutagun, a statebred allowance winner who was ninth in the Mike Lee, and Talk to Me Jimmy are drawn in posts 1 and 3, respectively.
Talk to Me Jimmy dominated on the lead for an 11-length win in the open Withers at 1 1/8 miles in February. He subsequently finished eighth in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial and was second after leading in the Grade 3 Peter Pan on May 9.
Bravaro won the statebred Sleepy Hollow last year at a one-turn mile and was second in the Grade 3 Holy Bull at 1 1/16 miles. He was fourth in both the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and the Wood, then fourth again after pressing the pace in the Mike Lee. If Ortiz can sit him just off a hot pace, he might have a stronger run.
New York Oaks
The 1 1/16-mile New York Oaks matches standout statebred fillies from last year and this year.
Victory Hall did not miss the board in 2025, including a win in the Shesastonecoldfox at Finger Lakes. She won the Maddie May at a mile to start the year, but then was eighth in the Grade 3 Gazelle, behind subsequent Kentucky Oaks winner Always a Runner, and fourth in the statebred Bouwerie. The Bouwerie was won by rising star Venetta, who is 2 for 3 lifetime.
Lifeisbutadream and Mobelladream were both stakes-placed at Finger Lakes last year.
Leon Reed Memorial
In the six-furlong Leon Reed Memorial, Ten Cent Town, already a solid claim for the Brad Cox barn, looks to keep rolling after winning the George W. Barker in May at Finger Lakes. He held off Antonio of Venice, a multiple statebred stakes winner on the NYRA circuit, by a half-length.
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