Talk to Me Jimmy outduels Sculcos Folly to take New York Derby
:quality(75))
Talk to Me Jimmy and Sculcos Folly raced together for almost the entire length of the $164,000 New York Derby, and Talk to Me Jimmy got the measure of his foe late for a 1 1/4-length victory on the marquee Monday card at Finger Lakes.
This was the second career stakes win for Talk to Me Jimmy ($4.36), a colt by Kentucky stallion Modernist bred in New York by Majestic View Farms. He was purchased by trainer Rudy Rodriguez at the Keeneland September yearling sale, and Rodriguez continues to race him in partnership with SEI Thoroughbreds and Mike Imperio.
Talk to Me Jimmy showed his quality by winning two of his first three starts, including an 11-length triumph against open company in the Withers Stakes at Aqueduct. Stepping into deeper waters in that New York Triple Crown prep series, he finished eighth in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial in April. Talk to Me Jimmy bounced back to finish a solid second in the Grade 3 Peter Pan on May 9 at Aqueduct.
His open-company experience made for a compelling matchup in the New York Derby, with Sculcos Folly riding a four-race win streak – including three statebred stakes – by a combined 29 1/2 lengths into their clash. The two were also the speed horses on paper.
The field scratched down to four starters, and Sculcos Folly, from the outside of the quartet, was intent on the lead, with jockey Jaime Rodriguez keeping his hands down to ask for speed. Sculcos Folly cleared the field to save ground into the first turn, despite having to work a bit to do so with Stickupwithoutagun, from the rail, rank in the early going.
Meanwhile, Manny Franco was able to bring Talk to Me Jimmy, from post 3, outside of Sculcos Folly through the opening quarter-mile of 23.18 seconds on a fast track. It proved a crucial move, putting Talk to Me Jimmy in a prime spot to apply pressure. Talk to Me Jimmy continued to be glued to the leader's flank through the half in a quickening 45.67 seconds and gradually turned up the heat, inching up toward his throatlatch as those two began to sprint clear of the field around the far turn, covering six furlongs in 1:10.05.
Straightening away into the stretch, Franco got into Talk to Me Jimmy left-handed before switching to his right hand. Sculcos Folly was not done yet, lowering his body to grind on despite running on his left lead until late in the stretch. But Franco confidently handled Talk to Me Jimmy through the final sixteenth, despite not kicking clear until the final yards for his 1 1/4-length win.
Talk to Me Jimmy finished the 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.67. After Sculcos Folly in second, it was six lengths to Finger Lakes-based Cryster, making his stakes debut, in third. Stickupwithoutagun was far back in fourth.
New York Oaks
In the sister race, the $75,000 New York Oaks, Venetta ($3.54) cemented her status as a rising star in the statebred filly ranks with a 2 3/4-length victory.
Venetta hopped slightly at the start, which left her fifth of six into the first turn. She was five-wide while in hand down the backstretch for Kendrick Carmouche, launched a bold bid four-wide around the far turn, and was ridden out.
She completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.19. Victory Hall was a clear second, 6 3/4 lengths ahead of Careless Whisper.
Venetta, by Yaupon, races as a homebred for Sequel Racing and is trained by Danny Gargan. She is now 3 for 4 lifetime after adding the New York Oaks to her victory in last month's Bouwerie Stakes at Saratoga.
Leon Reed Memorial
Rounding out the trio of New York-bred stakes, Yo Banana Boy ($4.58) and Ricardo Santana Jr. tracked the pace of Ten Cent Town in second, edged by in the stretch, and cruised clear to a 3 3/4-length victory in the $50,000 Leon Reed Memorial for older sprinters.
It was the first stakes win for Yo Banana Boy, trained by Mike Maker for Robert Krattiger.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.