I’ve pulled this out of the Saratoga thread as this is a horse really worth recognition for his efforts and he has had a rather amazing life so far. This was a victory for the oft overlooked or at least under appreciated Finger Lakes track runners 
Only 15-hands but a perfect 7-0 lifetime and the sole winner in history of the Big Apple Triple Crown (albeit that it’s been in place only for 10 years) - Tin Cup Chalice
I’m trying to dig up the replay as the race is worth watching
Daily Racing Form Aug 21, 2008
Tin Cup Chalice received a $250,000 bonus from the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund for his thrilling head victory over That’srightofficer in Wednesday’s $150,000 Albany Stakes at Saratoga. Everybody who witnessed the performance will agree he deserved every penny of it.
Daily Gazette (Schenectady NY) Aug 21, 2008 “Tin Cup Chalice finds a pot of gold”
On a day when powerful owners like the Phipps and Godolphin stables made it to the winner’s circle, no one showed more unfettered jubilation than the Tin Cup Chalice people, some of whom were moved to tears.
“With this kind of check on the line, I’m as blue-collar as they get,” said Van Laer, still clutching an oversized prop check. "I make less than 50 grand a year, and this is only the second horse I’ve ever raced. And the last one I had with Mike won a $4,000 maiden claimer, and that was the lone win on that horse.
“He’s 7-for-7, and to run against the company we were against today just amazes me. I was always on the outside of the paddock looking in.”
Among those who Tin Cup Chalice beat were Icabad Crane, who was third to Big Brown in the Preakness and eighth in the Belmont, and Big Truck, who won the Grade III Tampa Bay Derby before running in the Blue Grass and Kentucky Derby.
Times Union 8-21-08 “Chalice filled with victories”
His breeder and other owner, Scott Van Laer, a forest ranger who makes $50,000 a year with the Department of Environmental Conservation, took home a $250,000 bonus check from the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing Program. This was the second horse he’s ever bred and raced — the first had only a $4,000 maiden claiming score to his credit.
As a two-week-old foal, the son of Crusader Sword contracted botulism and spent three days at Rood and Riddle equine hospital in Lexington, Ky. Given a 50-50 chance to live, he pulled through only to get severe colic once Lecesse got him home.
“For three hours he was laying on the ground flopping, and the vet said, ‘Scott, if the horse hasn’t been up this long, I think we’re going to have to put him down,’” Van Laer remembered.
At that time, Van Laer owned 25 percent of Tin Cup Chalice, Lecesse held 50 percent and another partner had 25.
“I was on the phone telling this partner about the colic, and he said, ‘Listen, we’ve sunk so much money into this horse — just let him die,’” Van Laer said. “My wife and I were screaming into the phone, and he finally said, ‘Forget it, you can have my share.’ We were sitting there crying, waiting for the vet to come because this was the first crop of horses we’d ever raised. And then, all of the sudden, just as the sun was coming up, the horse got up, and he ended up fine.”
Tin Cup Chalice has been not only standing but running ever since. He’s unbeaten in seven starts and could point toward the Indiana Derby as his next assignment.
“He’s a good horse,” Lecesse said. “He doesn’t want to get beat.”
Video replay of the 2nd leg of the TC: NY Derby July 12, 2008
