Train the Trainer earned his second consecutive stakes victory with a handy four-length score as he passed his first two-turn test in the $150,000 New York Derby on Monday at Finger Lakes. The fixture for New York-bred 3-year-olds is one of the richest races of the season at the Farmington, N.Y., track.
Favored Train the Trainer ($3.10), with Irad Ortiz Jr. in to ride on a dark day at Saratoga, strode out of the gate on top from the rail in the short field of four. However, he was quickly confronted by impressive last-out maiden winner Hit the Post and stakes-placed Buttah on his outside. Buttah was wrangled back to tuck in behind the top two in third as Train the Trainer was hounded by Hit the Post while leading by no more than half a length through opening splits of 23.67 seconds for the quarter, 47.60 for the half, and 1:12.24 for six furlongs.
The two remained inseparable around the far turn, with neither rider making a serious move as the two behind them were already under a ride. Cutting the corner, Ortiz set Train the Trainer down, and the gelding quickly opened up. Hit the Post gave a valiant effort but could not stay with him down the lane while still holding second by 2 1/4 lengths. In a private battle behind the top two, King's Leap, who had been last in the early going, bested Buttah by 2 3/4 lengths for third.
Train the Trainer finished the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.66.
Owned by Alipony Racing and Saints or Sinners, Train the Trainer made his debut in April at Santa Anita for trainer Mark Glatt, finishing second to Goal Oriented, who was most recently a troubled fourth in the Preakness Stakes. The ownership then elected to send the New York-bred to a New York-based trainer to compete on the state's lucrative circuit, and he landed in the barn of Rob Atras.
In his first outing for Atras, the gelding won a maiden race by five lengths against older statebreds. He stepped up to stakes company in the seven-furlong Mike Lee on June 4 at Saratoga and led throughout, drawing clear by 2 3/4 lengths. That race was at seven furlongs, while Monday's outing represented another step up in distance.
New York Oaks
Earlier on the card, Lottie Margaret ($9.20) made a bold move on the rail into the stretch and continued on for a three-length win in the the $75,000 New York Oaks for statebred 3-year-old fillies.
Mischief Lady, the lone prior stakes winner on the field, was keen while setting a moderate pace, with favored Vehemente in close attendance. The field of just four bunched up nearing the stretch. Valtellina loomed on the outside of the top two as they cut the corner, with Vehemente in tight between horses while not changing leads. As all that unfolded, Lottie Margaret and Manny Franco slipped through on the rail and quickly cleared off.
Valtellina was second over a resurgent Vehemente, with Mischief Lady tiring to be well back in fourth. The winning time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:46.53.
Lottie Margaret, trained by Brad Cox for Madaket Stables, won for the third time in six career starts, with both her prior wins coming at a mile. The filly was second in the Maddie May Stakes in March at Aqueduct, but she finished fifth in an allowance against 3-year-old fillies in her most recent outing on May 1 at Aqueduct.
Leon Reed Memorial
Rounding out the stakes action, favored Jak N Burny held off pressure from all sides in a multi-horse photo finish to win the $50,000 Leon Reed Memorial for New York-bred sprinters.
There was drama at both the start and finish of the race. Jak N Burny ($3.90) veered out dramatically at the start while breaking from the rail, but a stewards' inquiry resulted in no change. The front-running favorite shrugged off pressure from Looms Boldly and opened a clear lead into the stretch, but he began to appear leg-weary in the final yards, with jockey Joel Cruz going to work.
Rotknee, the defending winner of the Reed Memorial, loomed a danger down the center of the track, with longshot Newport Bridge also appearing on the scene between horses. Another longshot, Crypto Causeway, dove to the inside and was eating up ground in the final yards. The four hit the wire in near tandem. The photo revealed that Jak N Burny held on by an official head over Crypto Causeway, while Newport Beach was another half-length back in third, edging Rotknee by a head.
This was the second career stakes win, and eighth win from 11 starts overall, for the consistent Jak N Burny, trained by Debra Breed. The winning time for the six furlongs was 1:11.98.
The Reed Memorial is named for assistant starter Leon Reed, who, 20 years ago this November, died at 47 following injuries sustained in a gate accident. Reed had been working at Finger Lakes for more than two decades.
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