A tenacious Talk to Me Jimmy refused to yield deep into the stretch of the $164,000 New York Derby July 13 at Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack, pulling ahead in the final strides to win the two-turn test for New York-breds by 1 1/4 lengths over Sculcos Folly.
The 3-year-old son of Modernist returned to the winner's circle for the first time since capturing the Feb. 6 Withers Stakes by 11 lengths. Since the Withers, a listed stakes, he went unplaced in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) and ran second in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3), which led him to be an even-money second-choice in the New York Derby.
Sculcos Folly, the 3-5 favorite, led the way in the field of four, ticking off honest fractions of :23.18, :45.67, and 1:10.05 for the 1 1/16-mile race. Michael Dubb's son of Redesdale came into the race off four consecutive victories—including three stakes—won collectively by 29 1/2 lengths.
As the field rounded the second turn, Talk to Me Jimmy got a head in front of Sculcos Folly and the two battled into deep stretch. Winning jockey Manny Franco kept his boot on the accelerator and eased ahead to stop the timer in 1:46.67.
Rudy Rodriguez trains and co-owns Talk to Me Jimmy with SEI Thoroughbreds and Michael Imperio.
Talk to Me Jimmy, bred by Majestic View Farms, is the last foal out of the winning Trippi mare Prairie Trip, who died in 2024.
