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Tin Cup Chalice scores front-end Albany win - takes OTBs' Big Apple Triple for $250K bonus
(8/20/08)

10/4/08 - Adds INDIANA DERBY (G2) to his resume!

Courtesy of www.nybreds.com
by Rab Hagin

Photo: Adam Coglianese Photography

TIN CUP CHALICE

Any horse that can withstand successive challenges from graded stakes rivals while conceding weight, can run his final three-eighths of a nine-furlong Saratoga stakes in 36-flat, and can hold off a fresh rival carrying five pounds less weight to go seven-for-seven -- that's something special -- and that's TIN CUP CHALICE. No one thought owner-breeder-trainer Michael Lecesse's and Scott Van Laer's unbeaten usurper from Finger Lakes' hinterlands would have it easy in Saratoga's mile and an eighth Albany for New York-bred three-year-olds -- third and final leg of The OTBs' Big Apple Triple series. In fact, the top-weighted homebred was the 2.35-to-1 third choice among six behind 1.95-to-1 favorite Big Truck and 2-to-1 second choice Icabad Crane -- both 2008 open two-turn stakes winners, the former a graded winner and the latter third among 12 in the Grade 1 Preakness. Tin Cup Chalice's wins in the first two legs of the Triple series, Belmont's seven-furlong Mike Lee (June 22) and Finger Lakes' mile and a sixteenth New York Derby (the Triple's only event in which Tin Cup Chalice was favored) on July 12 were insufficient to dissuade the doubters. For the second time this summer, the Crusader Sword gelding proved the wagering NYRA-based naysayers wrong

Mother Russia remains unbeaten in 30th running of the $156,612 Lady Fingers
Courtesy of www.nybreds.com
by Matt Church

Photo: Tom Cooley Photography

MOTHER RUSSIA

Obviously NY Stable's MOTHER RUSSIA put Sapphire Sky away leaving the eighth pole and then under the whip of Michael J. Luzzi turned back Fabulous Florence to capture the 30th running of $156,612 Lady Finger Stakes by three-parts of a length. Trained by Linda Rice, Mother Russia will leave the Finger Lakes area with perfect record of two starts and two wins. Mother Russia made her career debut at Saratoga on August 13 with state-breds maiden allowance rivals going five and one-half furlongs where she made every pole a winning one with an impressive five length score. Today's contest was restricted to juvenile fillies bred in the state of New York going six furlongs with Linda Rice's trained entry of Mother Russia and Saturdaynitesandy the odds on favorites at .45 cents on the dollar. Saturdaynitesandy also made her first career start a winning one with a going away three and one-half length tally going five-eighths at the Spa. Strait Gate Stable's local Sapphire Sky was the third choice at $6.00 to 1 in a field of nine. Trained by Raphael G. Rohena Sr, Sapphire Sky dusted a field of state-bred maidens by almost 14 lengths. Sapphire Sky with J M Rohena in the saddle rushed out and got the opening quarter in 22.11 with Mother Russia lapped to the outside. The pair continued matching strides on the turn with the half mile clocked in 45.97. Meanwhile, Fabulous Florence was gaining ground and entered the lane in gear. Mother Russia put a half length over Sapphire Sky with Fabulous Florence ranging up with a furlong to go. Mother Russia responded to steady pressure and turned back Fabulous Florence to score by three-quarters of a length. Sapphire Sky finished third. Mother Russia covered the distance over a fast track in 1:12.21 and earned a whopping $93,967. Bred by Philip Birsh, the two year old filly by Mayakovsky out of Still Secret by Hennessy now has two career wins out of two starts and $122,567 in money won. Also the undefeated filly qualified for $9,396 in breeders' awards.