Train the Trainer's potential wasn't necessarily proven the day he made his racetrack debut back on April 6, though his runner-up finish in a maiden special weight affair at Santa Anita certainly was flattering.
Instead, he was stamped as a New York-bred 3-year-old with serious upside on May 3—even though he never stepped on the track that afternoon.
On that first Saturday in May, Goal Oriented, the horse that defeated Train the Trainer at Santa Anita, posted a convincing victory in an allowance test at Churchill Downs. Then two weeks later, Goal Oriented ran fourth in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.
In the meantime, Train the Trainer has been polishing off New York-bred competition, breaking his maiden in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint at Aqueduct on May 4 before scoring a 2 3/4-length victory at seven furlongs in the Mike Lee Stakes on June 4 at Saratoga.
Which is why the son of Dialed In has been stamped the morning-line favorite in the July 14 $150,000 New York Derby at Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack.
The Derby, one of the richest races of the Finger Lakes' season, features a compact but competitive field of five and lured jockeys Irad Oritz Jr. and Manny Franco to make the trip down the New York State Thruway from Saratoga.
Ortiz will ride Train the Trainer, who drew post one, while Franco will be aboard Calling Card (4-1 on the morning line from post two).
The Derby is the seventh race on a nine-race program that features three stakes events. The $75,000 New York Oaks for state-bred 3-year-old fillies, has a field of five in the day's third race while 10 seasoned sprinters are entered in the eighth race, the $50,000 Leon Reed Memorial. First race post time is 1 p.m.
Train the Trainer has been working well for career start No. 4, according to trainer Rob Atras. But the distance of a mile and 1/16th is the question. Train the Trainer has never gone around two turns.
"He's stepped up off his maiden win and has naturally progressed," Atras said. "I was happy how he came out of his last race. He had a good stamina work for this race and is heading into the race in good form.
"I'm not sure about the distance but he's got a big stride. We're hoping he can get it done, but he'll be tested."
Buttah, the most experienced colt in the field with 10 career starts (two wins, three seconds, $178,448 in earnings), is the second choice on the morning line at 5/2. Lane Luzzi will ride for trainer Gary Sciacca.
Calling Card, who ran fourth in the Mike Lee, makes career start No. 10 for trainer Mike Maker. The son of Complexity broke his maiden at Aqueduct in November and has tackled open company in three Grade 3 stakes this year (his best finish was seventh in the Gotham on March 1 at Aqueduct).
Hit the Post arrives off a maiden-breaking romp on June 6 at Saratoga for trainer Melanie Giddings. Christopher Elliott will be aboard.
Finger Lakes-based King's Leap is the only local entrant, with trainer M. Anthony Ferraro naming Luis Perez to ride.
Finger Lakes, Monday, July 14, 2025, Race 7Entries: New York Derby
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Train the Trainer (NY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Rob Atras 8/5 2 2Calling Card (NY) Manuel Franco 118 Michael J. Maker 4/1 3 3King's Leap (NY) Luis E. Perez 120 M. Anthony Ferraro 5/1 4 4Hit the Post (NY) Christopher Elliott 118 Melanie Giddings 6/1 5 5Buttah (NY) Lane J. Luzzi 124 Gary Sciacca 5/2
Vehemente Favored in New York Oaks
In the Oaks, also contested at 1 1/16th miles, Vehemente is the 8-5 morning-line favorite. A daughter of Vekoma, Vehemente will be ridden by Kendrick Carmouche for trainer Joe Sharp.
She is 4-for-9 lifetime, has earned $201,050, has only been off the board once and brings a three-race winning streak to Finger Lakes. She is unbeaten with Carmouche aboard.
"Her confidence continues to get better as we raise the bar," Sharp said. "She breezed well on the Oklahoma (training track at Saratoga)."
Vehemente has done nothing but sprint, going a career-long seven furlongs in her most recent race, a state-bred allowance victory at Saratoga on June 6.
But Sharp isn't overly concerned about the distance.
"Kendrick has said 'The further the better, she's got extra furlong or two in her,' " Sharp said. "The only unknown is the distance, but the way she trains and gallops out, we have a lot of confidence in her."
Valtellina, trained by Ray Handal, is the second choice on the morning line at 5-2. Romero Maragh will ride. She had won two in a row under Maragh until a fourth-place finish in the Bouwerie Stakes on June 4 at Saratoga.
Mischief Lady (7-2) brings a two-race winning streak into the race for trainer Edward Barker. Ricardo Santana, who rode her to victory in a New York Stallion Series stake on June 14, will be back aboard.
Trainer Brad Cox sends Lottie Margaret (3-1) to Finger Lakes and Franco will ride. Practically Summer (15-1), with J.M. Rohena riding, rounds out the field for owner/trainer Aadil Khan.
Finger Lakes, Monday, July 14, 2025, Race 3Entries: New York Oaks
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Vehemente (NY) Kendrick Carmouche 117 Joe Sharp 8/5 2 2Lottie Margaret (NY) Manuel Franco 123 Brad H. Cox 3/1 3 3Valtellina (NY) Romero Ramsay Maragh 123 Raymond Handal 5/2 4 4Practically Summer (NY) J. M. Rohena 117 Aadil S. Khan 15/1 5 5Mischief Lady (NY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 117 Edward R. Barker 7/2
Leon Reed Memorial
In the Leon Reed Memorial, local star Jak N Burny makes his 2025 stakes debut. The 5-year-old gelding, trained by Debra Breed, has won seven of nine Finger Lakes starts and has $154,100 in lifetime earnings.
Jockey Joel Cruz, who is having his best season at FLGR, will ride. Cruz is third in the jockey standings.
Breed has saddled the Reed Memorial winner six times, including three victories by Breakin the Fever.
Known as the Wine Country Handicap when it was first run in 1973, the race was renamed to honor the memory of Leon Reed, a member of the Finger Lakes gate crew who tragically lost his life in a starting gate accident on Nov. 19, 2005.
On-track Derby Day specials: There are $1 hot dogs, $1 fountain drinks and $3 dollar drafts. As always, there are free programs for the live card. There's also a $10 Bet N Get promotion.
Finger Lakes, Monday, July 14, 2025, Race 8Entries: Leon Reed Memorial S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Jak N Burny (NY) Joel Cruz 120 Debra A. Breed 2/1 2 2Looms Boldly (NY) Andre Shivnarine Worrie 118 Brad H. Cox 6/1 3 3Rotknee (NY) Manuel Franco 118 Michael J. Maker 5/2 4 4Tacony Road (NY) Emanuel De Diego 124 Timothy P. Murphy 10/1 5 5Factually Correct (NY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 118 Fernando Abreu 5/1 6 6Zeebear (NY) Michael A. Davila, Jr. 118 James Miller Pettine 25/1 7 7Newport Bridge (NY) Kevin Navarro 118 David Oyola 20/1 8 8Lady's Golden Guy (NY) Nazario Alvarado 120 Debra A. Breed 12/1 9 9Crypto Causeway (NY) Jeremias Flores 120 Donna Bireta 15/1 10 10Pandemic Hero (NY) Katie Davis 118 Jose M. Jimenez 30/1
