Tin Cup Chalice came into November of his 2-year-old season with only one start under his belt. He won his stakes debut that month before going on to a storybook 3-year-old campaign. The entrants in the star-crossed New York-bred’s namesake race Monday at his home track, Finger Lakes, are themselves lightly accomplished. All but two of the seven entered are making their stakes debuts, and the morning-line favorite has just one start under his belt. There is room for someone to step forward in the $45,000 Tin Cup Chalice Stakes, a six-furlong race for 2-year-olds that is the final stakes of the season at Finger Lakes. That morning-line favorite is Blamicker, a front-running debut winner by 2 1/2 lengths going 5 1/2 furlongs on Oct. 28 at Finger Lakes for trainer Chris Englehart. No Factor, who has drawn the rail off a second-out maiden win, will be gunning for the lead as well, and Blamicker, who has landed post 2, should go right with her. Next door in post 3 is Cast a Coin, the close second choice at 5-2 for Jacqueline Falk, to Blamicker’s 2-1. Cast a Coin was second on debut to the promising King’s Leap; finished fifth in the Aspirant Stakes at Finger Lakes while still a maiden; then broke through with a four-length win on a sloppy track in which he pressed the pace. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 57 for that effort, to 55 for Blamicker’s debut. Cast a Coin is well drawn for another pace-pressing trip. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. The top Beyer in this field belongs to Mr. Sugar Daddy, who will offer value if he can run to the 58 he posted in his five-furlong local debut win. He finished sixth in the Aspirant in his second start, perhaps not handling a sloppy track. Notfanutin improved after switching to the Finger Lakes dirt and is cutting back in distance off a 12 3/4-length maiden victory at a mile, in his sixth career start. Tin Cup Chalice, bred, trained, and co-owned by Mike Lecesse, won his first seven career starts and then swept the Big Apple Triple – the Mike Lee at Belmont, New York Derby at Finger Lakes, and Albany at Saratoga – the following summer. After incurring his first loss, by just a neck in the Step Nicely at Belmont, he ventured outside his home state and into open company. He upset the Grade 2 Indiana Derby over graded stakes winner Pyro, who would become a Grade 1 winner the following year. Tin Cup Chalice was invited to participate in the Grade 1 Japan Cup Dirt. With a hometown crowd watching in an overnight party at Finger Lakes, he led early before fading to 13th. He was honored as the champion New York-bred 3-year-old male for that 2008 season, with horse of the year honors going to the older Grade 1 winner Commentator. Sadly, Tin Cup Chalice suffered fatal injuries in a training accident the following spring at Finger Lakes. He is buried in the track’s infield. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.