Blindwillie McTell Draws Outside in New York Derby

Blindwillie McTell, a three-time winner of stakes for New York-breds, will stretch out to a route for the first time when he starts in the $150,000 New York Derby July 20 at Finger Lakes Racetrack.

Jerold Zaro's Blindwillie McTell stalked early on his way to a two-length victory in the seven-furlong Mike Lee Stakes May 27 at Belmont Park. That start was the longest effort to date for the son of Posse, who is scheduled to to take on seven other 3-year-old New York-breds in the 1 1/16-mile test Saturday.

Trained by Linda Rice, Blindwillie McTell has finished first or second in his five career starts, all against state-breds, with stakes wins in a 2018 New York Stallion Stakes and this year's Rego Park Stakes both at Aqueduct Racetrack ahead of his Mike Lee score at Belmont.

Oscar Gomez, who ranked third in earnings through July 16 at the current Finger Lakes meeting, will pick up the mount on Blindwillie McTell.

To nail down his fourth stakes win Saturday, Blindwillie McTell will have to overcome the outside post. Other accomplished runners in that field include Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's Bankit, who boasts a stakes win against New York-breds, a runner-up finish in the open Remington Springboard Mile Stakes, and enters off a third-place finish in the Mike Lee.

Speedy Not That Brady, who finished second in this year's Withers Stakes (G3), drew the rail and enters off a runner-up finish in a June 27 allowance optional claiming race at Belmont for trainer Rudy Rodriguez and owner Michael Imperio.

Rice also has the favorite in the $75,000 New York Oaks for state-bred fillies in Beach Haven Thoroughbreds' Newly Minted, who has won all three of her dirt starts including a pair of stakes wins over other New York-bred fillies. The daughter of Central Banker  enters off a third-place finish in a turf try in a New York Stallion Stakes June 23 at Belmont.

Gomez will be aboard Newly Minted, who will stretch out to two turns for the first time in the New York Oaks, also a 1 1/16-mile race.

Entries: New York Oaks

Finger Lakes, Saturday, July 20, 2019, Race 7

• STK
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $75,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 3:52 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Awillaway (NY)	Andre Shivnarine Worrie	118	Keith W. Harris	12/1
2	2Wait a Minute (NY)	Jose Baez	118	Jackie Stauffer	8/1
3	3Elegant Zip (NY)	Jaime Rodriguez	124	David G. Donk	9/2
4	4Newly Minted (NY)	Oscar Gomez	118	Linda Rice	4/5
5	5Espresso Shot (NY)	Eric Cancel	124	Jorge R. Abreu	9/5