Rice looks forward with Blindwillie McTell, Newly Minted

Trainer Linda Rice enjoyed a successful Big Apple Showcase Day on Monday with three victories, two of which came against stakes company

In the $125,000 Mike Lee, the first leg of the Big Apple Triple, Rice sent out Blindwillie McTell for his third stakes win for Rice.

Never worse than second in five career starts, the Jerold Zaro homebred son of Posse stalked pacesetter Le General and took command at the 3/16 pole to win by two lengths. Named after a well-known Piedmont blues and ragtime musician, Blindwillie McTell previously scored wins in the Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series and the Rego Park, both contested at Aqueduct.

While the second leg of the Big Apple Triple, the $150,000 New York Derby on July 20 at Finger Lakes, is a possibility for Blindwillie McTell, Rice also said the $150,000 Spectacular Bid division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series on June 23 at Belmont Park is an option as well.

"We are going to consider the race at Finger Lakes but we are also going to consider the Stallion Stakes because he's eligible," Rice said in a news release. "You have two pretty good stallion series races, on June 23 and July 24 ($150,000 Cab Calloway division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series at Saratoga). There are two stallion stakes that he's eligible for, or we can go to the direction of Finger Lakes and go on to the Albany at Saratoga. We're not sure which direction we're going to go yet."

Both the Spectacular Bid and Cab Calloway divisions of the New York Stallion Stakes Series are contested over turf. All of Blindwillie McTell's races have taken place on the main track.

Earlier on the Memorial Day card, Rice sent out Newly Minted to a win in the Bouwerie. The Beach Haven Thoroughbreds-owned daughter of Central Banker is unbeaten in three career starts, which includes a graduation at first asking and a win in the Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series on April 20, both contested at Aqueduct.

"She really dug in. It was the first day she won on a dry track and behind horses, which I was excited to see her do that," Rice said. "The first 3/8 of a mile she looked like she was climbing a little from the dirt, she's never had that before. I was pleased the way she busted through at the quarter pole."

Rice's Big Apple Showcase Day got off to a good start when Elektronic defeated winners over Belmont Park's inner turf. Owned by Rice, the son of City Zip will likely race back in a second level allowance event June 13 over the Widener turf course.

"We're going to shoot for another allowance race for him and hopefully he can continue to gain some seasoning and experience and maybe, fingers crossed, he'll be stakes caliber by the time we get to Saratoga," Rice said.

Elektronic is by the late City Zip, a well-rounded and prominent sire in North America who also was trained by Rice. She also trained Karakorum Elektra – the dam of Elektronic who won the Memories of Silver at Belmont Park against open company in 2009.

"Elektronic is a little more of a late-developing horse," Rice said. "His mother was a tremendous turf mare for us and I got the feeling this colt was turf, so we went right to the grass with him. Mentally, he's still a little immature. Jose told me that when he gets to the lead he pricks his ears and he waits on horses and isn't sure where to go next. He's just learning."

Rice also discussed plans for Nicodemus, who won the Grade 3 Excelsior at Aqueduct last out.

Owned by Everything's Cricket Racing and Lawrence Goichman, the son of Candy Ride is not ruled out of a start in the $250,000 True North (G2) on June 7 at Belmont, however Rice is more likely to wait until the $300,000 John Nerud (G2) on July 6.

"We're going to take a look at the True North but we're probably going to sit on him until the John Nerud," Rice said.