Return of Thin White Duke in New York Breeders' Futurity

Thin White Duke has emerged as one of the leading New York-bred juveniles of this season, with consecutive stakes victories at Saratoga and Finger Lakes. He will try to earn his third win in a row Monday against his fellow statebreds in the $218,075 New York Breeders’ Futurity, one of the biggest races at Finger Lakes.

As the only stakes winner in a small field of six, Thin White Duke is the 6-5 morning-line favorite for trainer Phil Gleaves, who bred the Dominus gelding and co-owns him with former Daily Racing Form publisher Steven Crist, Ken deRegt, and Bryan Hilliard. The gelding, who has never missed the board in six career starts, won his maiden in the Funny Cide Stakes on Sept. 4 at Saratoga, rallying to win by a half-length. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 68, the top number in this field. He employed a similar running style in the Aspirant Stakes, the local prep for the New York Breeders’ Futurity, on Oct. 6 at Finger Lakes, coming on to win by three-quarters of a length and earning a 66 Beyer.

“The Duke is doing super,” Gleaves said. “He came out of [the Aspirant] in excellent order.”

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Jockey Kevin Navarro, aboard him for the first time in the Aspirant, retains the mount Monday.

Our Man Mike is still a maiden after two starts for trainer Horacio DePaz, but he was second in the Aspirant, briefly leading in the lane before being caught late by Thin White Duke.

Blame It On Mary also is a maiden who is coming off a local stakes placing. The filly showed the way in the Lady Finger Stakes, the sister race to the Aspirant, on Oct. 5 before finishing third, beaten just a neck. Blame It On Mary, trained by Eddie Barker, earned a 67 Beyer for that effort, narrowly second best to Thin White Duke among the figures in this field. The likely pacesetter is trying to become the first filly to win the New York Breeders’ Futurity since 2011, when Wildcat’s Smile finished second in the Lady Finger before coming back to claim the prize.

Blue Gator is coming off a debut victory at Belmont for trainer Mike Maker. The first-time starter Sproles and Citizen K, who was fifth in his only start, complete the field of six.